Nurturing Devotion

Love the LORD your God [and] walk in all his ways.

Joshua 22:5

THE PROGRESSION IN today’s verse is first to love the Lord and then to walk in His ways. As you help your children develop their relationship with God, it is vital to guide them in that order. Too many dads stress the importance of walking in the ways of God and miss the critical importance of first cultivating a love for God. Like other human beings, your kids will do far more out of love than they will ever do out of mere duty.

When we cut the process short and emphasize duty before cultivating a relationship, we can unwittingly set our kids up for rebellion. Avoid the temptation to “lay down the law.” You can win the battle and lose the war. Invest the time, energy, and creativity needed to paint a picture of God that is gracious, kind, and inviting. Your kids will respond far more easily to grace than to law—they’re not so different from you that way.

The human heart longs for deep relationships based on love. When we really see who God is—when we begin to be bowled over by the grace of Jesus Christ—we gain not only a greater capacity to do the right thing but also a far stronger desire to be holy as He is holy. Grace trumps law as a way of relating to God, and that is just as true for your kids as it is for you. Remember, the gospel is meant to be received as good news. And not just once, at salvation, but always. Give your kids grace.

BOTTOM LINE

God is lavishly gracious, kind beyond measure, and deeply loving to His children. A right view of God is the surest way to generate a right response to God.

Moment of Strength: 1 John 3:1-3