Encouragement for Today - Sept. 6, 2007
September 6, 2007
Table Talk
“For the Lord God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 (NKJ)
Devotion:
I have found that teaching my children about the presence of God in their lives has been a difficult thing. While there are signs giving evidence to the fact that God’s presence is all around us, we have to open our eyes to see Him. We must be alert to the presence of God and His work in us and around us. Otherwise, we will miss Him altogether and the blessings that God’s presence brings.
One way that I teach my children to notice God’s presence in their daily lives is by sharing His activity in mine. The meal table is a great place to talk about God with your children. Sometimes at the dinner table I will say, “Guess what God did today?” Then I will proceed in sharing my encounter with God. Other times, I try to help my children see God through what they have experienced. For example, if one of them notices it’s a beautiful day outside, I simply agree by adding, “Yes, God did create for us a beautiful day today.” When appropriate, I also share my failures with them and the lessons that I learned as well. Table talk about God is one great way to settle in our children’s hearts and minds that God is always with us.
One day, God confirmed in my heart that my children were not only learning about His daily activity in their lives, but they were beginning to see it for themselves.
It was a Wednesday night and my three kids and I were on our way to church. We were having a good time laughing and cutting up in the car. Instead of paying close attention to the curvy road, I was watching their smiling faces in the rear view mirror, unaware of the danger ahead. Suddenly, I looked up and saw a big truck coming at us head on. I immediately jerked the wheel to the right turning the car into a neighbor’s yard. The laughter that had filled the car was silenced while everyone was trying to catch his or her breath. From the back seat of the car, my daughter’s voice broke the hush as she exclaimed, “Thank you, Jesus, for being here to protecting us.” At that moment, we all became aware of God’s presence in the car and gave thanks, too.
While I was grateful for God’s protecting presence that day, I was also pleased to know that our table talk about God was becoming a reality in my children’s lives. What about you? Is God’s presence a reality in your life? Do you take time to notice His protection and provision each day? If so, in what ways are you making God visible to your children and others? Don’t miss out on God’s daily presence in your life—it’s really something to talk about!
Dear Lord, I find comfort in knowing that Your presence is always with me. Open my eyes so that I can see Your daily activity in my life. Then, give me the courage to share my encounters with others so that You may be visible to them as well, in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Related Resources:
Discerning the Voice of God by Priscilla Shirer
Raising Godly Kids: The Pocket Guide for Parents
Application Steps:
Watch for God’s activity in your life. If you ask Him to do something, watch what happens next. It’s God at work in your life! Next, make God real to others by sharing your experiences with them.
Reflections:
What keeps you from seeing God’s presence in your life? Is it doubt, fear or sin?
If God promises to be with us always, then where can you go that He is not?
If you’re always in the presence of God, whether you acknowledge it or not, how can that affect your life?
What adjustments need to be made in order to make God’s presence a reality in your life?
Power Verses:
Psalm 139:7, “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?” (NKJ)
Acts
Romans 8: 31, “What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?” (NIV)
Proverbs 31 Ministries
616-G,
Matthews, NC 28105
www.Proverbs31.org
