The Missing Component in My Parenting

Scripture: You shall tell your son on that day, ‘It is because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.’ Exodus 13:8

Observation: After engineering his people’s escape from Egypt by his own strong hand, God sets forth a feast to help his people always remember their salvation. In the instructions for this feast, God calls parents to tell their children what the ceremonies mean.
But three words in this command make it personal. “Did for me.” God is calling parents to get personal with their faith and their kids. Not just to give dry religious lectures, not to just cover the bases of spiritual talk or check off the list, but to tell their kids what God did for them.

Application: I think I am doing better at trying to help my kids learn about what God has done. But I don’t think I share enough about what God has "done for me." The facts of faith can be passed on without the reality of it in my life. My kids need more than to hear information; they need to see transformation in my life. I want to share more with them about the whys of my faith—why I pray, why I worship, why I follow Christ. How I feel about what the Lord has "done for me."

Prayer: God, help me to tell my sons and daughter “what the Lord did for me.” Give me opportunities to go below the surface and share my story with them. Help me to listen when they ask questions, and not just give them the theological definition. Let me share my heart as I share my faith.