24 Scripture Verses that help with parenting
My friend Jacob’s story
A good friend of mine passed away recently. His parents named him after the Biblical patriarch Jacob. You can find the story of Jacob the patriarch in Genesis 25 to 35.
My friend Jacob grew up in a small town in Germany. Jacob’s wife did not believe in God. Every time that I heard his wife speak about The Lord in a derogatory tone, Jacob would tell this story.
He would say, “Mimi, let me tell you about my Mum.”
“All young fellows in my town were recruited to fight in the (second world) war. None of us wanted to go but we weren’t given a choice.
My Mum said to me; “You’ll be right son, trust in The Lord.”
To be honest, I cannot remember if I always said my prayers, there was so much happening. But I trusted in The Lord.
One by one I saw my mates around me perish. It was the most awful time in my life.
Out of 23 young lads that left our village, how many do you think returned home after the war?”
I shook my head and shrugged my shoulders, didn’t dare hazard a guess.
“Just me.” He said. “Just me, I was the only one that came back home whole.”
What could I say? I said, “Wow.”
Then he would look at me and say, “You know, my Mum prayed for me every single day that I would return home safely. I was gone for three years and every single day she prayed for me.
I’m not saying that the other Mum’s didn’t pray cause I don’t know about that. But I know for sure that my Mum prayed for me, every single day. I was the only one that came back home in one piece.”
He would then nod, shake his head, nod again and mumble under his breath, “I’m just saying.”
I like Jacob’s story. The Biblical one as well as my friend’s story. Both are stories of great faith.
Patriarch Jacob hung on to his faith in situations where it would have been easy to throw in the towel.
My friend Jacob also kept his faith in situations of great adversity. First, during the war and later also during his marriage with a wife who was hostile towards His God.
I never heard him oppose his wife but he spoke about his faith often.
Jacob’s story demonstrates to me that God is good and hears prayer.
Raising children in difficult situations
Some children are easier to raise than others. But most parents despair every now and then, wondering if it will all turn out for good. Jacob’s Mum unexpectedly had to hand her teenage son over to authorities who placed him in life-threatening situations, again and again. What was she to do? She couldn’t go with her son to protect him. So she prayed. I dare say that she did not pray every single day, but that she prayed throughout every single day and put her trust in The Lord.
Jacob’s Mum was not disappointed when she put her trust in The Lord.
I have never been disappointed either. Disappointed with my impatience, sure.
But disappointed in The Lord? Never!
Parents are people too
Parents are people too. Where did (and do) I find my strength when the children and I don’t agree on major issues such as house rules, work, health, contributions etc? Or when they insist on having it their way, when maturity versus immaturity turns ugly? Or when they go out into society and bring home devilish attitudes?
I’ve discovered that it is good practice to pray for the health and wellbeing of my children and family daily.
All throughout the Bible, we’re told that God hears prayer and responds to our prayers.
Below I list some Scripture Verses that have helped me over the years whilst raising my children. These are not just Scripture Verses to pray over my children but this is God’s Word speaking encouragement and hope to parents.
God’s Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. There are hundreds of Scripture Verses that encourage and strengthen me with whatever I do and wherever I go.
I selected some verses for parents needing encouragement. Who parents the parent?
God’s Holy Word for Parents
When your parents are not there ‘anymore’ to take care of you, the promise is that the Lord will take us up and teach us His way.
There are many Scripture Verses that are applicable for parenting and the following were specifically chosen for parents who feel challenged as they parent their children.
Godly Offspring
Pick your partner well. Pray over it.
Read Malachi 2 to understand that, The man who hates and divorces his wife, does violence to the one he should protect,” says the Lord Almighty.
So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful.
I grew up in the flower power era. The word unfaithful did not even exist in those days.
God does not like it when people have affairs, move from one to the other and so on. He’s after Godly offspring. If you end up with not so Godly offspring you may be severely challenged whilst you’re raising your children.
For This Child I Prayed
The Bible gives many examples of childless couples. In all the instances mentioned, after prayer, the women became pregnant. If God gives children to couples who ask for this, how much more will He help you to take care of this child? Think about it. You want a child, here it is. “You’re on your own now?” No, of course not.
Ask away because the Lord hears prayer and He will help you.
“Thank you Father, for helping me raise my child. Thank you for hearing my prayer, so that I can sleep soundly.”
Hannah’s prayer reminds me of the goodness of God and how children do not belong to us but to our Father.
You wove me in my Mother’s Womb
It is God who made us and our children. Clearly He knows me and my children better than I do myself. Think about it… The heart, the veins, the bones, the flesh, the other organs, the hair, eyes, mouth, ears, nose and the spirit. God created all of this. He knows all about my children in a way that I cannot even imagine.
Thank you Lord!
For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well …
Children are a heritage from the Lord
As I said before, children belong to The Lord. A heritage, made in his image.
“Father, these children that I received from you, that are made in your image, they feel like a gift indeed and my life is so much richer because of them. As I grow alongside them and am becoming more patient, kind and compassionate, can you please help me correct whatever needs correcting in myself as well as my children?”
A Good Future
God’s Holy Word promises us a good future.
I never have had any preconceived ideas as to what I expect my children to do in life, for a job or relationship or whatever.
Together we plan according to the talents we were given. And all throughout our lives we’ve had ample opportunities to contribute to society in a meaningful way, whilst utilising our talents and following our passions.
I trust in the Lord for a good future for both my children and myself.
… of such is the Kingdom of Heaven
My Mum told me all the ‘Jesus’ stories’ from a very young age. I knew about all His miracles and parables before I even went to kindergarten. I’ve loved Jesus as long as I can remember because of my Mum’s love for Him.
Don’t deny your children because … of such is the Kingdom of Heaven.
I found great joy and pleasure in listening to those stories from an early age and sharing these with my children from the moment they were born.
Don’t allow anyone to refuse your children access to Jesus.
Talk to your children on a daily basis about our Father in Heaven and his Son Jesus.
Walk humbly with The Lord
It is never too early to tell your children what God expects of them.
What does the Lord require of all of us? To do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.
I don’t know about your children, but mine sure know all the right buttons to press to get me up and going and as such I have occasionally said things that I regret.
Don’t act in anger, but keep in mind when dealing with your children to always treat them justly, with mercy as you walk humbly with your God.
Honour your parents
Honour your parents. Teach your children from an early age that they are to respect their elders. If you fail to do so, you’ll only have yourself to blame if they don’t obey you when they should.
Not only that. But if you don’t instil respect for authority in your children, you are neglecting this very important commandment and both you and your children will suffer as a result.
In the Bible, in the old days, Jewish families were encouraged to dob in their children if they were gluttons and drunks. This behaviour was considered so evil that the tribe wanted to get rid of these wayward kids altogether. I do not encourage this (God says, ‘Do not kill’), but these verses give us some perspective on what people of old expected of their children.
Nowadays we run to doctors and stand ready with pills and therapies if our precious ones ‘don’t behave.’ In those days, they were told to behave or thrown out of the tribe.
It is reasonable to expect respect and obedience from our children.
Keep His Commandments
On that note, set house rules for your children. Give them clear guidelines to live by when at home as well as when out in the world.
If you know any better moral guidelines to live by than God’s Commandments, you can let me know about it. Till then, I tell my children to live by God’s Ten Commandments which are clearly spelled out in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5 and summed up as,
‘Love each other and do unto others, as you like them to do unto you.’
It is well. It shall be well.
Every now and then we all throw up our hands and are close to giving up. I should speak for myself here but, honestly, I cannot count the times, where I thought, “Enough already, how much can a person take?”
This has happened with ill health and also with rebellious kids to the point where it appears as if they’re dead (to me) because I’ve exhausted all options and all that’s left for me to do, is cry to The Lord. I may not always have done the right things and as such believe that I deserve what I get, however, God’s Word tells me that I have an advocate, Jesus who atoned for my sins.
Reality does not always match God’s Truth. Quite a while ago now I decided to speak out God’s Truth over the life of my children and myself. There have been many times that God’s Word pulled me through, and Scripture Verses such as this one comforted me and helped me over the rough patches.
The Bible tells the story of this ‘Great Woman, a Shunnamite.’ She was childless and received a child from God because of the kindness she had shown to one of his Prophets. When the child died, she did not break down and start wailing.
When people asked her, if all was OK, she responded with, “It shall be well.” She continued to say, “It is well,” till she saw the prophet and then ‘demanded’ that he would take care of the situation.
And Elisha, the prophet took care of it for her. He prayed to The Lord on her behalf and her child was brought back to life.
How do I apply this Scripture Verse to life? When everything is getting on top of me and seemingly too much to handle, I give it to The Lord and believe and say, “It’s all good.”
Sure, every now and then I may despair about a situation but I usually catch myself and remember this ‘Great Woman.’ Her child had died and she said, “It shall be well.” And it was. Her faith was rewarded.
Jesus said, “Be of good cheer,’ and I say Amen to that.
I will help thee
No matter what I face in life, God is with me. He is with my children. Our Father will help me, He will help my children. There is no need to fear anything because the Lord is there; the promise is that He is with me and will help me.
I believe this promise with all my heart and this is what I have experienced also throughout my life. Sometimes I need to remind myself of this because during the hustle and bustle of life I get distracted.
It is my job as a Mum to remind myself and my children on a daily basis that there is no need to fear anything because God is with us and will help us.
There is no fear in Love
Some people are easier to love than others. Throughout the generations, there have been people in my family who like to have us walk on eggshells around them, and for too many years I have. The thinly veiled threats can vary between, “I won’t like you if you cook anything other than my favourite dish” and, “If you upset me, or dare reprimand or oppose me, you may never see me again.”
I’m embarrassed to admit that I’ve bought into this for far too long and yielded and gave in and adjusted my behaviour to please those that insist on never being satisfied with any situation.
I’ve finally learned to, not only understand, but also live according to God’s promises and guidelines. One of the most powerful Scripture Verses in the Bible teaches us that,
Love has in it no element of fear; but perfect love drives away fear because fear involves pain, and if a man gives way to fear, there is something imperfect in his love. Weymouth New Testament
Living according to these verses can make all the difference in your life.
Dear Father, I choose never again to have another fearful relationship and from now on I will only maintain and cultivate loving relationships. This is how I will set the right example for my children.
Don’t give way to fear. Whatever your loved ones threaten you with: Don’t act or react out of fear when you engage with them. Instead, act with love.
There is no fear in perfect love.
The above twelve Scripture Verses helped me much when raising my children.
Thank you to my friend Kathi who encouraged me to have a look at what God’s Word says about raising children.
You can find the next 12 Scripture Verses here.
For a sympathetic ear and brilliant advice, it doesn’t come any better than this wonderful site from Empowering Parents. (not affiliated although I’d love to be because they are true angels).
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