Revelation 3:20: "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears my voice, and open the door, I will come into him and will sup with him, and he with me."
Genesis 3 described Adam and Eve as having a close relationship with God. They had such great rapport and intimacy with God that they strolled with Him in the garden and even spoke directly to Him.
But when they sinned, they forfeited this liberty, and man’s closeness with God was severed. However, after centuries of suffering, God sent his beloved son Jesus Christ to take on our sins. Jesus was slaughtered and then rose to life again, demonstrating His victory over sin and death.
Romans 8:1 says, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
Accepting this gift makes us acceptable to God and allows us to establish a relationship with Him. A personal relationship with God begins when we recognize our need for Him, admit we are sinners, and accept Jesus Christ as our Savior in faith. God, our heavenly Father, has always wanted to be near us and have a connection with us.
When children have a personal relationship with God, He is included in their daily lives. They, too, pray to God and read His words to better know Him. They seek wisdom (James 1:5) and pray through Christ Jesus (John 15:16) because they acknowledge God's love for us, treasuring that He gave His life to bridge the gap between God and us.
John 15:5: "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing."
Having a personal relationship with God means they abide in God, and God dwells in them. This can be a complicated concept for children to fully grasp and, thus, fully invest in. However, here are four ways you can help your child develop a personal relationship with God on their level:
1. Acknowledge God's Omnipresence
Teach your child to take time to find a quiet place to calm their minds, tune out the worldly noise around them, and acknowledge God's presence with an open heart. When they do this, their heart becomes open to receive the Holy Spirit. Perhaps their treehouse, swingset, or indoor fort is a place they enjoy, so encourage them to retreat to these places where they can talk to God in the comfort of familiarity.
We also need to teach our children about the omnipresent nature of God. Let them know that God is present all around them, and His Holy Spirit is in them. Remind them that whether they or at school, at home, in karate class, or at sports practice, God is with them, cheering them on.
Teach your children to ask God for help, especially in times of stress or need. Encouraging them to do this regularly helps them seek God on their own.
2. Pray Together
Children are often faced with lots of problems, either at school or among their peers. Whenever they share their concerns with you, make sure to ask if you can pray about it together.
It is important as parents to teach your children to take their concerns to the Lord in prayer. Offer your counsel and guidance, but most importantly, encourage them pray about it.
Whenever they are sick, struggling with a difficult situation, or need provision in some way, teach them to pray to God. This way, you are preparing them for a time when you will not be around to help. It also helps them develop confidence in their heavenly Father.
Sometimes, little children don’t pray because they don’t know how. You can help by giving them a step-by-step approach, which is thanksgiving, asking forgiveness, and then making special requests to God.
Another approach is to teach your little kids specific prayers, like the Lord’s prayer in Matthew 6:9-13. You can also teach them to speak out phrases in Scripture, like in Psalm 23, Psalm 91, and others. These will serve as a spiritual weapon and boost their confidence in God when faced with challenges.
3. Exhibit the Art of Worshiping God with a Pure Heart
As parents, we must teach our children from a young age the importance of worshiping God. We must let them know how much God cherishes worship and rewards those who worship Him genuinely.
To worship God effectively, they must observe the two major rules of worship as stated in the book of John 4:23: "But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him." Afterward, Jesus emphasized these two rules: "God is a spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth" (John 4:24).
Teach them various worship songs and introduce worship in everyday events: riding to school, cleaning up the playroom, or even preparing for bed.
4. Teach Them to Discern God’s Voice
As your children grow older and need to make bigger life decisions, encourage them to seek God in ways they haven’t before. You can do this by including them in the decision-making process in the home when you are praying about a situation and don’t know what to do.
In times like this, make them understand that the family prays to God and asks Him to speak to their hearts, revealing the right decision to make.
Including your children in the process of discerning God’s voice as a family helps them strengthen their relationship with God. It also helps them accept the final decision even when it isn’t suiting their natural desires.
When children are taught from a young age to listen and be able to discern the true voice of God, it strengthens their faith. They also become more eager to seek God's guidance in every aspect of their lives as they continue growing and making bigger and bigger life decisions.
Children who have learned to discern the voice of God are not easily misled and are not gullible to the deception of the devil. Helping your children develop an interest in hearing the voice of God will also improve their relationship with Him.
It is your responsibility as a parent to teach your children the ways of the Lord. Even though God gave you these children, He expects you to lead them back to Him and offer their hearts and souls to Him. Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” As a parent, you can't teach your child everything they need to know; you can only help them know everything by teaching them to listen and discern the voice of the Holy Spirit.
Showing your child how to develop a personal relationship with God is not as hard as you might think. After all, children mimic what you do, so the more you invest in a relationship with God, the more eager they will be to pursue Him.
When you pray and meditate on Scripture, you teach your child that God is trustworthy, and when they believe in God as their Sustainer, they will certainly have a stronger bond with Him.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Undefined undefined
Emmanuel Abimbola is a creative freelance writer, blogger, and web designer. He is a devout Christian with an uncompromising faith who hails from Ondo State in Nigeria, West Africa. As a lover of kids, Emmanuel runs a small elementary school in Arigidi, Nigeria.