Luke 11: 54 “Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering.”
As I stated yesterday, we are “experts in the law” from our children’s perspective. They look at us to see what walking with the Lord looks like. So if we are not walking with the Lord in a daily, hourly kind of way then we have taken away the key to knowledge. If we have not entered into a personal relationship with our Savior then our words are empty. When our actions and our words do not line up, then we actually hinder our children from experiencing the fullness God has for them.
So how do we turn this “woe” into a “wow”…..get real! Start by stripping away the Christian image and replacing it with authenticity. If it has been awhile since the Lord has felt near, it may take some practice but start by purposefully quieting yourself and then start a real conversation with Jesus. Remember the Lord is near all who seek Him. He wants to commune with you too.
I will often imagine myself sitting on a porch swing or a dock with a soft breeze blowing. As I sit I expect my Jesus to join me. He is such a good listener. And when I listen He often speaks gently even when He has to correct me.
The Lord is all knowing, so I don’t worry about getting my words just right. I’ve read Psalms, and thus conclude that the Lord is not shocked by my ups and downs.
The Lord is all powerful, so I ultimately trust His ability to control my life. I will often talk through all that is running through my brain, but in the end I ask the Lord to protect me from myself and to have His way. “Your will be done” is my desire although I bumble all over trying to get there.
As parents we do not want to hinder our children from knowing the Lord, I know that each of us want our children to follow Jesus more than any other thing. So WE must enter into the Lord’s presence in order to not hinder our children from entering. So simple; yet so difficult.
Let’s get what we need, so we have something to give our children.