Spiritual Encouragement / Bible Lesson.
“Children are a blessing and a gift from the Lord.” – Psalm 127:3 (Contemporary English Version)
“And she made a vow, saying, ‘Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.'” – 1 Samuel 1:11 (New International Version)
Even though they are not likely to say it, they need (among other things) affection, hugs, individual attention, security, guidance, encouragement and to experience the love of God in the lives of their parents.
The teen years are a lot like the toddler years in regards to the needs they have. Sometimes the adolescent behaves in ways that are hard to understand. They communicate their desires in different ways. If we don’t go beyond the symptoms (their behavior), we can miss the cries for help or attention. The same basic needs are still present.
When we think about having children, there must be more than a sense of pressure from family members and the ticking “biological clock”. There must be serious consideration given to the sacrifice one is willing (or not willing) to make when it comes to having children. The responsibilities of parenthood are never to be taken lightly.
Consider the attitude of Hannah (1 Samuel 1). She vowed to give her son back to God all the days of his life. These were more than just words. Her deepest desire was for her son to know God’s law. She and her husband provided what Samuel needed according to Jewish tradition.
If we are to fulfill the needs of our teens today, we must provide spiritual guidance that requires us to make (take) time and exercise patience. However, I am not advocating that we wait until our children become teenagers to begin to teach and model God’s way before them. There are life issues that arise before this phase of life that need attending to (peer pressure, relationships, dating, sexuality, money management, wholesome recreation, etc.).
These concerns need to be dealt with by offering God’s Word as the authority. There must be someone to show them how God’s Word works in their daily lives. God has ultimately placed that responsibility upon parents (Deuteronomy 6:6 – 9).
The years prior to adulthood are crucial ones. Knowing some of the circumstances that our young people will be faced with, it is incumbent upon parents (and the church family) to take the time, set proper priorities and prepare our youth for what lies ahead.
Tell the Children
Our children need to know about God. They need to learn from us about His love, His faithfulness and His grace. They need to hear from us about the times He stepped into our lives to protect and provide. Tell the children.
Gather up your sons, daughters, nieces, nephews, grandchildren, the neighborhood kids, the children who do not have a Christian home and the children who do not have a supportive and nurturing home life. Tell the children.
Relate to them how God has worked in your life. Tell them how you came to accept Christ as your Savior. Tell them how God has answered a specific prayer. Let us fulfill our responsibility. Show, love and tell the children.
– Author Unknown
Refresh My Heart In Christ 