by Elizabeth George May 10, 2022
No matter what you do with each day or in your life, doing anything God’s way is a matter of the heart. Whether it’s deciding how to spend your money or your time, how you treat people, how you dress, or how you accomplish your work, your choices reveal the treasure of your heart. The same is true when it comes to how you raise your children.
The heart is the chief organ of physical life. It’s obvious to everyone that the heart occupies the most important place in the human system. But the heart in the Bible also represents our entire mental and moral activity, including our emotions, ability to reason, and our will. According to Vine’s Expository Dictionary of the Old and New Testament, the heart is also used to describe the “the hidden springs of the personal life.”
God warns and instructs us to “keep [our] heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23). What does this have to do with being a mom? We need to know the importance of the heart of our child. As a mom, our job assignment from God is to raise children after God’s own heart—children who seek to follow God and hopefully experience salvation through Jesus Christ.
Where does all of this mothering, committing, praying, dedicating, and disciplining begin? It starts in your own heart, dear mother! We need to recognize the importance of godliness in our own heart, for we cannot give to our children what we do not possess ourselves.
Following through on God’s plan for us and our children is all about our own hearts. It’s all about fulfilling God’s instructions to us. He wants us to focus on giving our heart, soul, mind, strength, and time to influencing and shaping the hearts of our children toward God and His purposes.
Dear Mom, no matter what your situation at home is—whether your children believe in Jesus Christ or not, whether they are young or old, whether their dad is a Christian or not, whether or not there is even a dad involved, whether you are new in the faith or have been a believer for years—with God’s help, do your best.
You want your children to love God and follow Him, so set the focus of your heart on God and let them see you love Him and follow Him. Be a mom after God’s own heart. He’ll help you take care of everything else that goes with parenting.
Lord, give me a sense of purpose and priority as I teach my children what matters most. Help me show what it means to build a life of faith and love for Jesus.
Every woman who desires to let her light shine will find a treasure trove of truths and applications that enable her to follow in the footsteps of Jesus in A Woman Who Reflects the Heart of Jesus.
How can I show my children my love of the Lord? How can I better keep my own heart as I serve the Lord in all areas of life?
We need to “keep our heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23).
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Jim and Elizabeth George are bestselling authors and national speakers dedicated to helping people live a life after God’s own heart. Together, they have written over 150 books with more than 14 million copies sold around the world. For over 35 years, the teachings and steadfast example of Elizabeth and Jim have helped countless men and women:
Jim and Elizabeth George are bestselling authors and national speakers dedicated to helping people live a life after God’s own heart. Together, they have written over 150 books with more than 14 million copies sold around the world. For over 35 years, the teachings and steadfast example of Elizabeth and Jim have helped countless men and women:
by Elizabeth George October 29, 2024
by Elizabeth George October 15, 2024
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