Daily Reminders
Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today.Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.
Deuteronomy 6:4-7
Daily Reminders
How many different details do you have to remember each morning to get everyone off to school and work, not to mention the fourteen other things you have penciled in on the calendar? Even so, we know that we need to make God a central part of our daily lives.
In Deuteronomy 6:4-7, God gives us some instructions and methods to use to tell and teach others, specifically our children, how to love God the most.
- Impress
- Talk
- Write Them Down
He wants us to have things and do things in our lives that are visible daily reminders to love God.
So how can we fit one more thing in on our calendars? If I had to guess, there is not much room there. Here’s an idea that might help.
Start simple.
- Find a verse that your family already knows, write it out in big print, and post it! Leave it on the refrigerator, in the bathroom, and in the car somewhere. Pretty easy, huh?
- At dinner, preferable at the dinner table, read the verse out loud and then ask God to help you understand what it means. Try to memorize that verse! This is a little harder.
- Throughout the week, read the verse out loud when you pass by places it is posted. Easy
- Study. Look at the scripture surrounding the verse and find out what it says (its context). What is it saying inside that Bible story? Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in your study and understanding. A little harder.
- Set aside about 15 minutes to share with your family what you have learned. Ask them to think of ways to integrate and apply the truth about this verse (in context) within the family, and within their personal lives. Integration is the hardest work, but pays the most dividends to our own spiritual life and our witness to others.
For Example: “Bear with each other, and forgive each other. If someone does wrong to you, forgive that person because the Lord forgave you.” - Colossians 4:13 (New Century Version)
Can you see all the family applications that can be made just from this verse?
Final Thoughts
This does not have to be hard, or complicated. Talk to God and about God often. Think about ways to make God’s word a part of your everyday life.
For additional help with devotions for your family, I've written a review of ten new family/children’s devotionals. It provides some information and guidelines to help you select a devotional book that is right for your family. Download it here.
Blessings!
- Lori
Lori Ferguson serves as Children's Director at Navarre UMC, and has been at the church since 2015. When she's not planning or teaching, she enjoys spending time with her grandkids. Read more about Lori here.
