Rob Rienow, founder of Visionary Family, believes God’s original design was for the family to be a ‘discipleship center’. We all know the value of being part of a small group in the church where we study God’s Word and encourage each other to walk in the truth in all areas of life. It’s part of what we call discipleship. Rienow points out that “God wants every person to be in a discipleship group from birth. He calls them families!”
Families are by nature multi-generational, but without intentionality they may not actually be very inter-generational. Discipleship requires building and cultivating trusting inter-generational relationships. That’s what Deuteronomy 6 is about. God has established the pattern for engaging inter-generationally so that we will know what it means to truly love God with all our being, and to love one another.
My last post dealt with the first two patterns God has given parents and grandparents for cultivating this intentional inter-generational culture. Here are the remaining two patterns:
- When you lie down: Close the day talking about life. My daughter spends each evening at bedtime reading a story (often a Bible story) with my grandson. He’s now twelve and still loves this time reading and discussing the story they are reading. When he spends the night with us, I get to do it. This is when some of the most important issues of life surface and we get to talk about them together.How are you ending the day with your children or grandchildren? When they lay down what is the last thing they remember—the conversations you had with them about life, or a television program?
- When you rise up: Start the day focused on the opportunities ahead. Some people are morning people; some are not. Either way, it is important to establish a pattern in your home and family for beginning the day. What pattern are you cultivating? Is it a pattern of rushing around at the last minute, or a pattern of peace? Is it confrontational or encouraging?
Mornings are a great time to build the habit of speaking words that speak hope for the day ahead. We choose whether the words we speak will be words of blessing or cursing. Parents and grandparents set the mood. Let Scripture and a good word establish the pattern for starting the day.Here’s an idea for those teenage children or grandchildren. Send them a quick text before school begins to affirm God’s blessing and to remind them this day is the day the Lord has made for them to enjoy and see God at work.
Share with us some of the ways you practice these last two patterns in your family. Grandparents, what are ways you can make these patterns part of your time with your grandchildren? Parents, what are some of the obstacles you face trying to establish these patterns?
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