If someone asked you, “What can we do as Christians to bring joy to God?” how would you answer them? Thankfully, God eliminates the guesswork on what brings Him great joy.
III John 4:
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
Now that’s an answer! Walking in truth is what God wants to hear about us; and you know, as parents, we too experience great joy when we hear that our children walk in truth. When we hear them confess the promises of God as their own, boldly declare Who He is, or perhaps pray for a situation without compulsion, those are paydays in the world of parenting. They are “getting it”! God’s kids say the sweetest things. Here are a few examples of that sweetness coming out.
“Momma, God’s Word is simple!”
“After dinner I had planned on taking our young sons out for an evening bike ride. When we got to the shed where the bikes were, we found that one of my bike tires needed air. We all went to a nearby air pump at a gas station, but when we got there, I realized that I wasn’t familiar with how to use the machine. In my frustration I said out loud, ‘I just wanted to go on a simple bike ride. There’s no one here who can help us. Why does everything have to be so complicated?’
“In response, one of my sons replied, ‘Momma, God’s Word is simple! God will help us. God is here!’ We prayed about it and then took action. With a bit of focused attention, I was able to figure out how to use the machine. In just a few moments, my tire was functioning again and we enjoyed our bike ride.” A positive confession of truth from God’s Word makes an impact.
“God knows where it is!”
“Wanting to join others in the neighborhood, my young daughter ventured outside to play with them. I enjoyed watching her have a great time running, laughing, and playing with the other kids on a small hill. When it was time to come back inside, she realized that a favorite toy she had brought with her was missing. While we were searching the area for the toy, she confessed, ‘God knows where it is. We should pray about it.’ So we did. We searched a little while longer, but it was getting late and we needed to get inside. A day later a friend approached us and asked if a toy they had found earlier belonged to us. And there it was! My daughter’s simple prayer and expectation from God was answered. God knew where the toy was, and she was very blessed to get it back.”
Proverbs 3:5,6:
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
“Where do you think all of this comes from?”
“During recess, I was outside with some of my classmates. We were talking about nothing in particular when one of my classmates said, ‘There is no God.’ Initially, nobody responded to his statement. But after a moment, I decided that this was my opportunity to share the Word. I gestured to the trees, grass, and flowers in the school yard around us and asked, ‘Well, where do you think all of this came from?’ He thought for a moment and said he wasn’t sure. I said, ‘It’s from God. He made it to bless us and support mankind.’ He couldn’t help but agree with me.”
“Can we go to the next-door neighbors’ and bring some to them?”
“I recently made a tasty dessert, and my children just loved it. After enjoying their serving of it, they immediately asked, ‘Can we go to the next-door neighbors’ and bring some to them?’ It melted my heart to see that their first response to their own blessings was to share them with others.”
“God’s Word.”
“My very young daughter has quickly picked up on how important it is to pray when you get hurt. Although she’s a bit young to understand everything that goes along with why we pray for our ‘boo-boos,’ she still understands that it works. Now, if she or someone else gets hurt, she likes to walk over and put her hand on the part that got hurt and say, ‘God’s Word.’ To her, she’s praying for that boo-boo to get better!”
Psalms 107:20:
He sent his word, and healed them….
It brings parents joy to hear that their children walk in truth. And God loves to hear that His children are walking in truth too. Let’s walk in the truth of God’s Word together, knowing that our actions and our sweet words bring great joy to God.