What do children need most from their parents? The answer to this question can be easy to forget as we prepare their meals, change diapers, help them with their schoolwork, or drive them to practice.
My son is almost two years old. He is at the stage where all his words sound like jabbering. The other day I could just make out what he was singing: “Hallelu! Hallelu! Hallelu! Hallelujah! Praise Ye the Lord!” This is a song we occasionally sing together as a family. Only a mother or father would have been able to decipher his words. Yet in that moment, I was reminded how glorified God is in the praises of our children.
Psalm 8:2 says, “Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger.” Our children were made to bring praise to the Lord. What children need most is for their parents to teach them how to praise God (Deuteronomy 6:4-8). We are raising the next generation, and we must show them how great our God is! We can’t simply rely on others to teach our children the things they should learn about God. This doesn’t mean we need to be perfect, but it does mean we need to be diligent. A simple way to teach them is to pray, sing, and read Scripture with them every day. Taking just five to ten minutes a day to do this together as a family can impact the rest of their lives. There are other things we can incorporate into teaching our children, but modeling these things consistently will have a great impact on their worship.
Out of all the things we do for our children, teaching them to praise God should be our top priority. After all, this is what we were created to do… regardless of age (Isaiah 43:7). As Scripture tells us, we should believe that our children actually receive joy and strength when they do this. In the most vulnerable and weakest individual, the Lord can establish His power and strength. The moment our children are born, the devil will begin to attack them. But with God’s power working in our children, they are able “to still the enemy.”
I’ve seen what impact family worship can have on our two older children, but to see our youngest being able to sing songs of praise is such a joy. I know God is being glorified in his singing, and I know God can be glorified in your family, too. Let’s be diligent in teaching and modeling to our children how to pray, sing, and read Scripture. As a parent, the greatest gift you can give your children is showing them how great God is, so that they can follow Him and make Him known.
Meet the Author
Brock Heller and his wife, Shannon, have three children (Tenley, Beckham and Beau) and are expecting their fourth child in February. Brock currently serves on our elder board and has served in our Student and College-Age Ministries.