Introducing God To Your Children

Children laugh without thinking about who is watching them. Especially as toddlers, they laugh at things that we as adults don’t think is funny. We may even think it’s annoying. They have such a huge sense of humor and I love it. Looking back now, I remember the days of peekaboo with my kids, telling them some of the stories I heard while growing up to engage their imagination and bring them to laughter. Sometimes I make up the stories, but they still laugh and ask questions about the events in the story.

If I can make my children laugh at such a young age with some of my fictional stories that some adults may not find funny, how much more will God our Heavenly Father love to make our children laugh. Not every child is from a happy home. Not every child has food on the table every day. Some must get up early in the morning to open the store with their parents. Some have to start working at a young age to help their parents make ends meet. Not every child has heard about the love of God and how much He wants to make them laugh as their creator and a loving Father. Sometimes our childhood experiences with our parents can shape how we see or visualize God. If those experiences are traumatic or leave us wounded in our soul, it can play a negative role in our relationship with God.  Subconsciously we may have some lines drawn as to how far we will allow God into our lives and in our decision making. God wants us to feel very free with Him, and allow Him to have a say in every area of our lives because He created us and knows what is best for each one of us.

As adults, the best gift we can give to our children is to introduce God to them as loving, kind, full of humor, compassionate, sweet, beautiful, tender, and a best friend. We may try to be the best role model for our children, but there are times that we miss the mark because we are human. We should encourage our children to see God as the One that will never leave them or forsake them. Even if they must go through their own trials or challenges in life, they should call on God first because He is closer to them than anyone else could be.

Our children should see God as a loving Father that is merciful, gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth (Exodus 34:6).  He is not waiting to use the rod of discipline each time we make a mistake. He will not treat us as inferior because of our weaknesses, the color of our skin, eyes, height, or the size of the clothing we wear. God sees our children as special and precious.  A parent will find it very hard to count the hair on their children’s heads, but God knows each strand of hair on our children’s heads. He is our Maker. He knows us and our children inside out. Let your children know that as a parent you cannot go everywhere with them, but they can rely on and trust God to take care of them. As parents, we can give our children to God, to protect, shield, and keep them from all evil.  We can enter into God’s rest (Matt.11:28-19) by taking a step of faith to trust in His promises. He said, “I will contend with those who contend with you and I will save your children” (Isaiah 49:25). God will protect and guide our children, so they will not miss their path in life. He is a Covenant God!