Jesus gave them this answer, “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.’” John 5:19

How often do I ask the Father what He is doing in a situation and then pray accordingly? I am usually quick to cry out for rescue prayers. Help! Fix this. Change this. I need ____. I know God is my Healer, Provider, and so much more, so why don’t I go to Him first? Even Jesus checked in with the Father. I need to do the same. I need to learn to sit in the presence of God and ask Him questions.

What are you doing in this situation?

What is your desire?

What shall I do?

As I hear God’s voice, I can celebrate the possibilities and begin to pray together with my Father.

I believe there is nothing more important than teaching our children and grandchildren how to connect with the Living God. The Word tells us that because of Christ’s death on the cross, we have the right to be friends of God.

Teaching children to hear from God, to ask Him questions, and then listen for answers can be modeled in our daily life. God speaks to all of us in many different ways—through our different senses, our imagination, our creativity, our minds, our dreams and visions, our thoughts, art, and nature. Of course, He also uses His Word (the Bible). As we urge our children to ask and listen, it is then we will see the creative ways He will speak to them.

Here are a few simple steps to begin with.

1. Encourage your child to ask God simple questions before trying to answer them yourself. When struggles occur like a bully at school or a failed test or a sibling squabble, stop and say, “Let’s ask Jesus what He thinks about it.” My 5-year-old great niece asked me why God caused it to rain on her every day. My inclination was to go into detail about how God did not cause it to rain on her and teach her a science lesson about the weather. Instead, I said, “That is a good question. Let’s ask Jesus. Jesus, Sophia wants to know why you cause it to rain on her every day. Will you tell her?” We sat quietly for a few minutes and then she said, “He loves to water the plants!
2. Keep a journal by your child’s bed and encourage them to listen to God and write down or draw pictures of what they are hearing or seeing. Before bed, allow them to share a picture or thought that the Holy Spirit has shared with them.
3. In a crisis or even a meltdown, stop and invite Jesus into the situation. “Lord where are you now?” “What do you think about this?” Your child may not hear or get an answer from the Lord every time, but if you continue to pray like this, you are giving them the opportunity to build a relationship with God. Teaching them to stop during their day and direct their attention to Him is one of the most important things we can do for our children. This lets them know that the One who is the Creator of all things and who loves them more than we do longs to celebrate life with them.

Linda Withers is the guest writer today. I have always admired her deep faith and love for Jesus. After being devoted to local church ministry for more than thirty years, Linda co-founded Pathway Insights, a speaking and teaching ministry that encourages people to experience Christ in new and surprising ways transforming their lives in deeper intimacy with the Father. In her book Journey, Walking into the Heart of Jesus, she invites readers to draw closer to their heavenly Father and be set free by His love, grace, and truth.

How can I pray for you today?