What Does God See In Your Child’s Heart?

What Does God See In Your Child’s Heart?

Joey & Carla Link

September 2016

 

“For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.”

2 Chronicles 16:9

                           

When the Lord looks down from heaven and sees your child’s heart, what kind of heart does he see? One that is tender and teachable or one that is selfish, arrogant, conceited and judgmental?

 

I Samuel 13:14 describes King David’s heart as “A man after God’s own heart.” Does your child (for his age) have a desire and passion that would seek after God’s ways or the world’s ways?

 

It’s one thing to live in this world that God has given us and to enjoy the things He has made for us, but it is another thing to turn them into idols making them more important and valuable to us than He is.

 

One primary teaching we worked to instill in our kids was to get a good job that would provide for their needs so they could use their other time to serve the Lord. Today many people encourage their kids to get a great job to have a great life, but ultimately our great life is in heaven with as many people as we can take there with us.

 

In the Old Testament the Israelites focused on trying to fulfill their life by only seeking the pleasures of this world vs. seeking how they could please God with their lives. They fell into adultery by worshiping idols vs the God who made them and who had done so much for them. How easily we forget.

 

It’s one thing for your kids to enjoy playing soccer, cell phones and television, but can they enjoy reading Bible stories and learning how their lives can bring glory to God through playing soccer? Do they understand how they play the game, how their team spirit, fair play and hard work can testify to their teammates and friends who Jesus is in their lives?

 

A young man we know was the best player on his soccer team. He forgot one of his soccer shoes for a very important game. Another player who wore the same size shoe offered to switch off shoes with him throughout the game. The boy who forgot his shoes later said to his mother, “I don’t think I would have even considered doing that for someone else”. His teammate had been taught to think of the needs of others just as much as his own.

 

It is important to teach your kids that God doesn’t have to wait to hear what comes out of our mouths to know what is in our hearts. He sees the motivation of our hearts which we live out in our actions.

 

I encourage you to share this story with your kids at meal time and ask them what they would have done and why they would have considered those choices. Then ask them “What does a man after God’s own heart look like?”

 

 

The start of school is a good time to start or pick up good habits, like having a consistent devotion time with God. If your child can read he can have his own Quiet Time. If not, take 5 minutes before he heads to school and have one with him. Check out great Devotionals for kids in our bookstore!