As For Me and My House
“But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Joshua 24:14
Background
Maybe you have heard those words before, but you may be questioning how to live that out in your daily leadership as a single parent. Grab your Bible and join me as we look through the book of Joshua to see how Joshua kept the Lord forefront for those he was in charge of spiritually.
Dedication
Joshua told the people, Consecrate yourselves,
for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.
Joshua 3:5
Many churches have dedication ceremonies for infants. Some churches baptize infants. Whatever our philosophy, infants are not making a decision for Christ, but the parent is making a decision to raise the child for Christ.
Whether you do this formally or just before God, write out a prayer pledging, with God’s help, you will raise your children to know their Creator. Regardless of the ages of your children, it is never too late to dedicate your parenting and your children to God.
Although I encourage you to do this at a church, as single parents we know that it is not always possible. Sometimes we have to get the other parent’s permission or sometimes there is disagreement about faith.
Click here to access a simple prayer to get you started. Add your own thoughts that meet your children’s unique personalities. Pick a special scripture verse for your child. Type or write it out, place it in a spot where you are reminded of your vital role and your child is reminded of their special verse.
Read the Bible Together
This will look different at different ages, but God wants us to read His Word to our children.
In Joshua 3:9, Joshua calls the people, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God.”
In Joshua 8:34-35 it says, “Afterward, Joshua read all the words of the law – blessings and the curses- just as it is written in the Book of the Law. There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded that Joshua did not read to the whole assembly of Israel, including women and children, and the foreigners who lived among them.”
Note that even children are specifically mentioned in the above verse.
Set Up Stones of Remembrance (not literal but maybe!)
I love it that here again children are specifically mentioned.
- In Joshua 4:6, it says, “in the future, when your children ask you, What do these stones mean? tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off…” Joshua repeats something similar in verse 21 as well.
- In chapter 5, the Israelites have crossed the Jordan. The nations are melting in fear. They are a 20 minute walk from Jericho. Doesn’t this seem like the perfect time to attack? However, they stop and celebrate the Passover to remember God’s goodness in delivering them from Egypt.
- In Joshua 24:26-27, it says, “And Joshua recorded these things in the Book of the Law of God. Then he took a large stone and set it up there under the oak near the holy place of the Lord. “See!” he said to all the people. “This stone will be a witness against us. It has heard all the words the Lord has said to us. It will be a witness against you if you are untrue to your God.”
Find ways to celebrate and remember God’s goodness. On an everyday level, this can look like keeping a Thankful Jar where everyone writes on slips of paper things they are thankful for and adds to the jar. Periodically take out the cards and reread them to remember glimpses of God’s goodness.
Click the praying hands for a free printable to paste on your jar and to get your family started.
Holidays like Christmas and Easter often get mired down with everything but Jesus. Be intentional about focusing on Jesus during the holidays. Check out this book Celebrations That Touch the Heart. The same author, Brenda Poinsett, has a newer book as well Holiday Living: Using Year-Round Holidays to Build Faith and Family.
Family prayer journals are another way to God’s goodness. Write down prayer requests each week and pray. Have a praise section for answered prayers.
Encourage Your Children
Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
Ephesians 6:4 NIV
Can I just tell you some antonyms for “exasperate”? Please, satisfy, assure, reassure, comfort, console, cheer, solace. Does your child experience this when he or she is in your home or in your presence? Joshua encouraged those under his care while at the same time instructing them.
Look at Joshua 10:26. “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous.”
Look at Joshua 23:6. “Be very strong; be careful to obey all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, without turning aside to the right or the left.”
Where did Joshua get these words from? Moses used similar words as Joshua was succeeding him as leader. See Deuteronomy 31:6, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you, he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
How wonderful that the encouragement is being passed down! Look back also at Chapter 1 where we have already seen God giving Joshua encouragement. Joshua is passing those same words on.
Bless your Children
Blessing our children is a lost art. See Joshua 22:6 as Joshua is sending the eastern tribes home, he blesses them. Find some simple blessings to say over your child, when they go to bed or when they leave for school. For further study on blessing your family, read The Family Blessing by Rolf Garborg.
Go to Church
Notice that church is the last caveat I am mentioning. As parents we are instructed to raise our children to know God first and foremost. The church can come alongside us, but there is no passing of the buck on this one. That being said, weekly (or bi-weekly depending on custody schedules) church attendance should be a priority.
Look at Joshua 24:1. Joshua calls all the people together and “they presented themselves before God”.
And now be encouraged, dear reader, with these words from Joshua 21:45. God is faithful. He keeps His promises.
“Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to the house of Israel failed; everyone was fulfilled.”
Take Away
ETL means we accept the role as parents to raise our children to know God. We encourage our children with the same encouragement we receive from God.
Pick one idea from above and implement it in your family.
- Start a thankful jar
- Begin saying a daily blessing over your child.
- Pick a meaningful scripture verse for your child and post it in your home.
- Start a family prayer journal.
How does each of your children receive encouragement?
- Encourage them in their love language. Use the quiz to find out what their love language is. Take the quiz for younger children. Teenagers can fill out their own.
- https://5lovelanguages.com/quizzes
Sources
https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exasperate
Find this recipe at Gundry MD. This is another one dish dinner. We use steak and substitute veggies based on what we have in the house. Here we used sweet potatoes and broccoli. Most of our family members are not mushroom fans so that is something we leave out. I have also put this in an old sheet pan on the grill with good success.
