Lately, I have been talking with the children that I am currently living with...(both age 7)
I asked them who the first person is that they talk to in the morning?
I received confirmation from them that Jesus is their best friend, so I asked them if they spoke to Him in the morning.
I was told they speak to Him at night.
So, I made a point to them that they go all day without talking to their best friend, and then at night they ask Him to give them their desires. I asked what kind of a relationship is that?!
I asked the 2 boys that are friends, How about the two of you go all day not talking to each other and then tonight ask each other to give you stuff.
They registered in their minds that that did not sound right.
Making the point again: If Jesus is your best friend like you both are friends and you are so excited in the morning to find each other first thing and talk to each other shouldn't you do the same with Jesus when you wake up in the morning?!
Shouldn't you say, Thank you God for giving me life this morning, that I have good food I can get up and eat, and clean water I can drink, and all that You have done for me! Please help me to make good choices today, to obey my parents....
I told the boys that I believed if they started their morning out by talking to their best friend and asking Him for help for their day, that I believe their days will be much more successful and that they will get in less trouble and be making better choices...especially if they remember their best friend throughout the day.
How can they say Christ is their best friend and only talk to Him at night?
We may need to ask ourselves the same if we do this also.
Christ wants to naturally be chosen as our best friend, not because He is prideful; simply because He loves us so deeply and it's natural when one loves to want to be loved in return. He does not need us to love Him, but it pleases Him as it would please us when those we love, love us in return.
I know I need to do better with how I interact with my Best Friend Christ.
Don't ever be discouraged when you see your shortcoming, just make the adjustments needed to make things right. And if at first, you do not succeed, keep trying; just don't give up!
When we have a friend that fails us we don't want to see that friend depressed over it, moping around. We just want them to change so we can enjoy one another even more!
So it is with God, He just wants us to make some changes so that the relationship grows deeper.
This morning I put the children in remembrance, like the Scriptures say, exhort one another daily (= "But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin."-Hebrews 3:13)
They came to my room to see me and I asked them, Who was the first person you talked to this morning?
Big eyes "uhhhh" expression....
one says, "My dad!"
the other says, "You."
So you didn't talk to your best friend?!
I shared with them how I lived in houses in the past that the space under the stairs that they have been using for a fort was actually a prayer closet where I would enjoy going and talking to my best friend for hours!
( I wasn't married then.)
And it was during those times I grew so much and God did such a work in my heart! He showed me in a prayer closet, someone I hated ever since I could remember (about the age of 5 ) up until that day in my 20's in that closet.... and He took the hatred and bitterness out of my heart!!!! (That's another story)
Suddenly, the boys were inspired to turn their fort into a prayer closet and straightway went to it ready to talk to their best friend! But as they entered the closet they got into some strife about a spider that was in the closet. Apparently, one of the boys thought it was best to kill the spider, and the other over-reacted and dramatically resisted the killing of the spider...Mom got involved, spider was caught in a cup and released outside, and on to prayer, they went.
The first boy begins to emphatically Thank God for numerous things he listed, including candy, and all the nice things God gives them, and they "take for granted". I couldn't exactly hear all that he prayed but it was such a delight to hear...he went on to saying something about Trump and Biden and how he knows Jesus is the President of all :-) it was incredibly sweet and hilarious. He finished up his prayer and urged the other boy to pray. The other boy starts talking of other things not engaged in this serious endeavor to pray. So, the boy who prayed rebukes him saying something along the lines, that the devil is distracting him from prayer and obviously doesn't want him to pray...
They came out of their prayer closet and I asked the one who didn't pray why he didn't pray.
He said because he already listened to the other boy pray.
Oh, ok, so how about you go all day not talking to your friend and just listen to his brother talk to him.
--look of distress on the boys face--
Well, if you don't need to talk to your best friend because your other friend talked to him?
What kind of a relationship would that be?!
Thank God for the things we learn from children!
My friend, what is your relationship with Christ like?
It's good to see where we can improve and I trust if we make the needed adjustments our relationship will deepen and we will become more prosperous in the ways of the Lord.
A note to parents and mentors: Take time to teach the children, to open their understanding by pointing out these kinds of things. It's so beautiful to inspire children to have a relationship with God. Praying shouldn't be presented as an obligation or a chore....teach them Jesus is the Greatest friend they will ever have and to be conscious of Him all the day long.
