Four a.m. I awoke. This has been a tough year. I have experienced a great deal of loss, and sleeping doesn’t come easily. My heart aches with sadness. This crisp and cold morning, however, it wasn’t the inability to sleep that woke me — it was a voice. It clearly said, “Come, let me show you what I have been teaching you.”
Sadness and sorrow bring the question why to the beginning of many thoughts.
As a Christian, it is one thing to know and remind ourselves the truths we are taught in Scripture: All things are of him, by him, and through him. All things are for his glory, but the heart still aches.
We are also blessed to have Genesis 3:15, for this answers so many of the why questions. Sin has entered the world, and through it, so has the pain and suffering that we will all experience.
For me, the comfort for this painful year came through a voice. What was said next calmed my spirit, made me realize the vast love of our God, and brought fresh understanding while renewing my faith.
I have taught you to number your days.
I quickly bolted out of bed to grab my Bible. You see, I have heard these words before — number your days. After a quick Google search, I came to Psalms 90:12:
So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.
That morning the Lord, through the Spirit, used the Scriptures to minister to my aching soul. As a mom, in the days that followed, I thought often of our children and how I should prepare them to hear from God. You see, this is not the first time I have heard from the Lord — with Scripture memory, journaling, copying verses, and daily reading, the words of God are etched in my mind. No, I cannot recall each verse by memory, but when the Spirit speaks a memory ignites and grace is experienced.
So how can we help our children ready themselves to hear from God?