Placement: Obedient Heart

RELATED VERSE: THY KINGDOM COME, THY WILL BE DONE, ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN

A Letter to Read/Use As A Guide With Your Children

Dear Children,One of the hardest tasks your daddy and I have had as parents, is to teach obedience. At the same time, one of the hardest lessons for you as children, has been to learn obedience. The determined look in each of your eyes of “I do it my way!” is all too familiar. However, this look is quickly retaliated with the words that either your daddy or I say so often: “choose to obey.” Know this, children: you can choose to take one of two, and only two, paths. One path is the path of obedience, which brings an abundance of blessing; the other is the path of disobedience, which is full of consequences. For example, take a look In the Bible:

• Noah ‘s obedience saved his entire family.
• Abraham’s obedience gave birth to a nation.
• Moses’ obedience brought freedom to a nation.
• And Jesus’ obedience brought freedom to you and me.

On the other hand,

• The Israelites’ disobedience brought forty years of wandering.
• David’s disobedience brought death to his first-born son.
• Sodom and Gomorrah’s disobedience brought ruin to entire cities.
• And Adam’s disobedience brought the fall, now, until eternity.

Children, do you see the choices you make, good or bad, can affect all those around you?Please regard the rules we make for you as a means of protection rather than a means of entrapment. For instance, a little sting on the bottom for running in the street is much better than being hit by a car, isn’t it? We love you, and that is what is behind “the sting.” You know, God deals with us the same way. He makes rules for our protection; and He disciplines us because He loves us. He wants us to “choose to obey,” and we can obey through the help of His Holy Spirit.If you practice learning obedience to your parents now, it will become the foundation for obedience to your Heavenly Father later in life. Believe me, I know, giving up your own will is a very hard thing to do, and obedience will continue to be hard as you get older. Yet, “choose to obey, “ dear ones. Remember, He loves you, and His strength is ever-present. He is there to help you when you’re standing at the crossroads. Seek Him, and He will make it very clear which path you should take. Trust Him, then walk down the one He has for you. Then, expect blessing upon blessing.

I love you

Teaching Tools/Activities For Your Children

• Practice obedience by playing the “Yes Ma’am, Mommy” (“Yes Sir, Daddy”) game. Give simple, fun-filled orders such as: touch your head, do five jumping jacks, turn in circles three times. Each order needs to be echoed with “Yes Ma’am, Mommy” or (“Yes Sir, Daddy”). Enjoy the smiles and laughter together.
• Use this skill later in the day when giving “real orders.” Tell your children to call on Christ to help them obey. Also remind them of God’s blessings concerning first-time obedience.
• Parents, realize, one of God’s “blessings” of first-time obedience can be as simple as a loving hug from you!

A Prayer To Pray Over Your Children

Dear Heavenly Father,I thank you for the great amount of determination You have given each of my children. (I have to admit, sometimes that’s a hard thing for me to be grateful for!) I do pray, however, they will commit to use their strong minds for Your glory only. May they always stand firm in You as they fight the good fight of faith, knowing and believing that Your way is the best way. I pray they would study Your Word and listen to the beckoning of Your Spirit. May they recognize quickly when their human desires are not in alliance with what You are asking them to do. As hard as it will be for them to “let go” of their will, I ask that You would give them the strength to do so.Thank you, dear Jesus, for Your perfect example of submission when You went to the cross. Your obedience to Your Heavenly Father has given us access to Your Holy Spirit! O God, may my children understand the magnitude of this gracious act on Your behalf. Please give them this same submissive Spirit in their own hearts, dear Father, so that they, too, may be able to say on bended knee, “Not my will, but Thine be done” (Luke 22:42).Help them, dear Lord, to realize that obedience to You brings blessing- the greatest blessing being the gift of Your unconditional love. For when we obey, we are able to comprehend the awesome truth of Your love being better than life! May they take this love they have received from You, dear Father, and use it as a mighty instrument in leading others into a life of obedience as well. May Your Holy Spirit reign forever in the hearts of my children, as well as in the hearts of those they have brought to You.

Amen

Scripture references in letter:

Eph. 6:1-3; Gal. 6:7-8; Gen. 6:8-9,22 and 7:23; Gen. 22:9-18; Ex. 14:29-30; Rom. 5:19; Num. 14:27-30; II Sam. 12:7-14; Gen. 19:24-25; Ps. 32:8-1-; Heb. 12:5-11; Pr. 22:6; Pr. 3:5-6

Scripture references in prayer:

I Tim. 6:11-12; Ps. 119:9-10; James 4:7-8; Luke 22 40-44; Ps. 63:3; Rom. 1:5