Teaching Children Good Habits.

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“These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.  Impress them on your children.  Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”
Deuteronomy 6:6-7

It was a habit I learned at an early age: brushing after every meal with Crest toothpaste.  It was guaranteed to stop cavities and prevent tooth decay.  I became zealous, almost fanatical about brushing every time I had eaten something, even a snack.  My friend, Betty Jo, who is a dental hygienist, would heartily approve of this healthy habit.

Teaching children habits to give them healthy bodies is important.  Lessons learned at an early age will stay with us all our lives through and save us much trouble and may even extend our lives.

But what about our souls?  What healthy habits have you learned to stop the decay of sin and prevent temptation from harming you?

The Lord, in Deuteronomy, tells His people that He has given them His commandments, His Word.  And He commands His people to impress this Word upon their children on a regular, daily basis.  Parents are to talk about God’s Word daily at meals, as they travel, and when they get up and lie down.  The goal is obvious, that children would learn daily habits of Word and prayer early and would continue in them their whole life long.

How is the health of your devotional life?  Do you “brush up” with God’s sin cleansing Word daily?  Are you in daily communication with the Lord of Life, He who forgives all your sins?  Or do you skip time with God in the morning, promising yourself you will spend time with your Best Friend later, only to become preoccupied with other busyness?

There is an old proverb: ignore your teeth and they will go away.  Much the same can be said of our necessary alone time with God, if we ignore Him, He will go away.  Praise God that though you and I are often remiss in our daily devotional habits, our Heavenly Father, with a universe to govern, is not too busy for you and me.  He keeps His promises and is daily available for all His people in the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Dear Lord, please forgive me for forgetting to spend time with you regularly.  Convict me and strengthen me by Your Holy Spirit, that I might learn the joy of spending time alone with you, dear Jesus. Amen.

Text and Picture Copyright Steve Nickodemus