Building Foundations

Description: Reflecting on the recently celebrated Mother’s/Father’s Day, this devotional encourages moms, dads, and grandparents to stay the course in all aspects of raising families and to consider the bigger picture of God’s calling in this matter.

Day 1: 

 “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand”. Zechariah 4:10

When I started thinking about this devotional, the phrases that came to mind were: don’t despise small beginnings, and don’t sweat the small stuff. Zechariah 4:10 talks about when the Israelites started to rebuild the temple. God was excited and rejoiced when the work began. Our work as parents and grandparents is to lay the foundation of faith in our kids’ lives. He is excited and rejoices when He sees us lay this foundation for the children He has given us.   

The absolute most important job you will ever do is raising your kids. It’s also the hardest job. These sweet little dears will test you. When you’re in the midst of it all, elbow deep in dirty diapers and knowing that the older kids are being way too quiet, dreading what you might find, you have to decide to not sweat the small stuff and instead, build the foundation of Jesus for your kids. 

Like looking out the window to see a little barefoot girl with the horse pulled up to the gate and stretching her leg out to climb on for a ride. Or, when the big sister wants to show you how well she can carry the baby, so she drags her through the bedroom by the neck. Or, when they want to sleep in the same bed, but one ends up vomiting all over the other one’s head in the middle of the night. Or, when you are awakened by a little black child, which wouldn’t be noteworthy except for the fact that you didn’t have any black children when you went to bed the night before. Upon investigation, you find the industrial-sized chocolate milk powder on the bathroom floor with the toilet brush in it, which is apparently what she used to paint herself with the chocolate milk powder. When you are carrying groceries in, hear a noise, and turn to see your 2-year-old hanging by her fingertips out of the front window. When you are so exhausted that you think you made a bottle for baby in the night but can’t figure out why she won’t drink it. Then you wake up and realize that you are holding the can of cooking spray in her mouth. When your walls are covered in crayon and marker and when you have to keep your makeup in a tackle box with a padlock because it’s the only nice thing you have left, but they just won’t stay out of it. Even though it doesn’t seem like it when it’s happening, these are all small things. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Don’t let the small things distract you from the true task at hand, which is building the foundation of Jesus Christ for your kids.

Don’t despise these small beginnings. The Lord rejoices when He sees the plumb line in your hands. The foundations aren’t really built in the church building. Church is the mortar that seals the stones together. The foundation stones are laid, the slab is poured, in your homes; in the small moments when we live out our faith for our kids to see. When we teach our kids how to pray and how to trust God when life gets hard. When everything is going wrong and you want to give up or throw a fit, but instead you cry out to God. When we listen to their problems and are able to pray with them and for them. When we pray for hurting tummies and scraped knees and sick pets. When we listen to Christian radio at home or in the car and end up worshiping God while we’re cleaning the house or driving to the store. These small moments teach huge lessons. That is how the foundation is built. God rejoices; He celebrates when He sees these foundations being put down.

These little sponges soak that up. And just like a sponge, whatever they soak up gets wrung out when they are put under pressure. So, as parents and grandparents, we have to make sure they are soaking up the love of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.

Proverbs 22:6 says, “Direct your children onto the right path,and when they are older, they will not leave it.”

This is a promise from God. When we build the foundation, we can depend on God to nudge our kids back to Him if they wander. Never stop praying for your kids!

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 4 “Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed, and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

Build the foundations. Love God wholeheartedly. Talk about God to your kids and use the small moments to teach big lessons.

Reflection:

Have I been intentional in my parenting? Am I just getting through another week hoping at some point in life to have time to put more effort into my kids? How big is my view of what God wants to do in and through my family?

Father-

Give me Your perspective. Help me to see what You see and hear what You hear. You have entrusted this family and these kids to me, and I need Your wisdom. Help me to see the bigger picture of what You are doing in them as well as our family. Help me not to lose sight of what is important or allow the urgent to override my priorities and skew my focus. You are the ultimate Father, help me to be more like You and to enjoy every moment I have with this blessing You gave me.

Scriptures:

Zechariah 4:10

Proverbs 22:6

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 4

Galatians 6:9

This devotional was provided by members of Faith Chapel Church. For more information or to contact us, visit faithchapelchurch.com.