This is the third post in a series on Psalm 145 – a passage with lots to say about your life! So, subscribe today! You don’t miss the next free printable!
All good stories have a purpose.
Good stories help us interpret reality and make sense of our experiences.
To a child, a parent is a master storyteller. Because even if we aren’t cozying up on the couch reading picture books, our actions and responses to life communicate a story to our children.
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The story we tell our kids – or don’t tell our children – teaches them how to interpret the story of their own life. Who are they? Why are they on earth?
And the answers to these questions are only adequately explained by the story of redemption – the story of God’s activity on earth.
So, how do you share that story with your kids? In Ps. 145, David explains how parents can grab hold of the right purpose in verses 4-5.
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- Communicate the importance of worshiping God (Ps.145:4)
My ultimate job as a mom to pass down the skill of praising God to my children. An easy way to do this is by pointing my children to God’s activity in their lives.
4 One generation shall praise Your works to another,
And shall declare Your mighty acts
Talk about God at meal times. Cultivate thankfulness for God’s provision for your family in the smallest details. Seek God in prayer together over difficult situations. Ask God to move in them. Find ways to worship corporately as a family for Bible study.
With each prayer request and note of praise, we are telling our children that God is at work in their lives. And the God who does marvelous things in their lives is worthy of their worship and praise.
Particularly for David, the wondrous works of God wasn’t just what God was doing in David’s life – but what God had done in the past. David was meditating on God’s character as faithful to deliver, save, and bring justice. That is the lesson we should be passing along to our kids. Because God is faithful, mighty, and majestic, he is worthy of our praise.
- Communicate how amazing God is – not how amazing we are (Ps. 145:5)
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My ultimate purpose as a mom isn’t to make sure beds are made with ‘hospital corners’ or rooms are eternally tidied. My ultimate purpose as a mom isn’t to bake blue-ribbon chocolate chip cookies and look good doing it.
My ultimate purpose as a mother is to guide my children in worship and praise of the One True God.
There are many ways to set about that task (not the least of which is by making my house a home of rest).
But very often I invest the majority of my thoughts and free time in trying to become the model house keeper by pinning ideas for crafts and cute organizational details.
5 I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty,
And on Your wondrous works.
When I obsess (meditate) over good housekeeping instead of keeping my proper focus on my purpose (to lead my children to worship God), I erect an idol in the place of the King. I’m pointing attention to ‘my works’ – when I should be pointing my children to God’s works. (Besides, anything we do well is a testament to the creativity and loveliness of our Creator.)
Throwing elaborate birthday parties for our children or making our homes look magazine-cover worthy is futile unless Christ is at the center of our efforts. We must ask ourselves: Do these efforts communicate the glorious splendor of the King? Are my motivations in these activities to bring my child closer to the King?
When we cloud our purpose with cultural ideals, we lose the real joy of motherhood. We lose the opportunity to guide our children into worship of the faithful, mighty, majestic God.
The story of redemption not only helps our children interpret the worth and role of their own lives – it also helps us discover our purpose in parenting them.
What’s your biggest struggle in sharing the story of redemption with your kids?
Special thanks to Sugarplum Paperie for granting me permission to use her lovely designs for this printable!
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