A Firm Foundation
The Importance For Us and Our Children
It’s all about relationship. Trust is built when relationship is strengthened.
We see this often in our human relationships. I have friends who I’ve known nearly my whole life. We’ve grown up together, we’ve learned each other, and we understand each other’s character. I am confident in who they are as a person, and I trust them with more than I would trust most other people with. I can be super weird around them in ways that I wouldn’t be (purposefully) around most people.
Why? Because a foundation has built for that relationship.
It is no different with God. That foundation has to be built.
God has not asked us to blindly trust him all of the time, which he could have done because, quite frankly, he is God. But God loves us so gently and so patiently. He has given us his Word, and he has given us example after example of who he is.
When I have studied God’s Word that foundation is being formed. When I read about his character more work is done to create that foundation. When I trust him to work in my life and find that he proves himself faithful again and again, that foundation continues to be built and strengthened.
The more I work to build that foundation, the more I come to fully know he is worthy of all my trust.
In the same ways we can help our children have a firm foundation in their relationship with Christ. This is how they come to know him for themselves and experience his goodness for themselves.
This foundation is crucial for a child. Life will not always make sense. Confusing things will happen. Questions will arise that we might not be able to answer this side of heaven. We will be asked to do things, we cannot understand.
We 100% will need to simply have faith at times.
Hebrews 11:1 says -
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Assurance. Conviction. That is where our foundation comes in. Our foundation is what builds that assurance and that conviction.
If we read through Hebrews 11 we see several examples of people who didn’t know what would happen, but had faith, because they knew the One who led them.
Sarah had faith she would give birth to a son. Why? “She considered him faithful who had promised.” (Hebrews 11:11)
Abraham offered his only son as a sacrifice, why? “He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead” (Hebrews 11:19)
And on and on it goes.
They knew who they were following.
How can we build this foundation in our children’s lives? Below are ideas that we enjoy in our home, but the options are endless!
Read the Bible with kids. Read them Bible picture books, read to them from your Bible, or read to them from Bibles for children that may have
easier-to-understand words. The important part is helping them know the Bible. Help them know it is true and not a fairy tale like other books you might read
together.
In our house, we love listening to Christian music; In the house, in the car, while we do an activity. We listen to a lot of worship music in our house, but I encourage you to research and find Christian music that might interest your kids. Do your homework, and ensure it’s solid and does not give a false message. Our kids love music and are going to listen to some kind of music. I’d rather help them find Christian artists who make the genre they enjoy… even if it’s not my favorite genre.
Read Christian children’s books. Depending on the child’s age, you could read them picture books, chapter books, or both. There are so many Christian books with incredible messages. These are great conversation starters!
Answer the questions! Do your best to find answers to their hard questions. There are so many resources out there; you just have to put in the time, and of course, your best resource is your Bible. I have personally loved utilizing the Blue Letter Bible app on my phone. I can quickly look up scripture, and there are a lot of trusted commentaries available for free that have helped me understand things I didn’t before.
Do family devotions
Pray together as a family
Share with your kids when God is working in your life, a time when you’ve had to rely on him, or when he has answered a prayer for you or someone you know.
Praying in the car together. Praying before bed together. Now our boys constantly ask for prayer before we leave them. Trying to move this into praying for others, but we’ll get there. I also love listening to verse songs to memorize scripture!
So good!