Do your children know God as real and personal in their lives? Many children grow up in “Christian” homes and yet never have a personal experience with Jesus Christ. They don’t get to know God in a personal way. And yet our God is a personal and relational God. He longs for fellowship with His people.
One of the names that God calls Himself is “The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Our God is the Creator of the world and yet He does not call Himself “the God of Creation.” He is the creator and upholder of the whole universe, but He doesn’t call Himself “The God of the Universe.” He calls Himself by the names of His covenant people.
As we read through the first book of the Bible, only two chapters tells us of the creation of the whole world. The rest of the book until chapter 50 is all about people—about His chosen servant, Abraham, and his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. This is our God. He is a family God. He says in Jeremiah 31:1: “I will be the God of ALL THE FAMILIES of Israel, and they shall be my people.”
When God introduced Himself to Moses out in the backside of the desert, He said: “I am the God of thy father (that would be Amram), the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”
When God gave the commission to Moses to tell the Israelites back in Egypt that God was coming to deliver them, He told him in Exodus 3:15: “Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, the LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is MY NAME FOREVER, and this is my memorial UNTO ALL GENERATIONS.”
He also wants to be your personal and family God. He longs to be your friend. He wants you to teach your children to be friends with God. God created us for His fellowship. Of course, we can’t be frie3nds with God if we have sin in our hearts as our sin separates us from God. That’s why He did to save us and free us the power of sin so we can enjoy fellowship with Him (Isaiah 59:2).
Don’t let your children grow up in your home without knowing God. Teach them who God is. Draw them close to Him so they will love Him with all their hearts and minds and souls and strength. Teach them to talk with Him and be friends with Him so they not only know about God but learn to know Him experientially.
I pray that God will be personal and real to you and in the lives of each one in your family.
Blessings from Nancy Campbell