Help Them Experience It!

Part of what we do to pass on a heritage of faith to our sweet grandchildren is to help bring the teachings and lessons of the Bible into our grandchildren's everyday lives. When the hear about the Bible event where Josiah chose to read God's Word and obey it, they need to understand they can make this choice, too! When they hear about how Caleb chose to trust having God on his side was better than being "giants", they need to understand how they have God on their "side", too! When they hear about how Daniel chose to talk with God even when it meant he could become the main dish on the lion's menu for supper, they need to understand they can talk to God about anything and everything at any time, too!

My sweet grandson Caleb learned and experienced this recently. He is almost four years old - his birthday is tomorrow! His parents and we have been working for some time on potty training, but Caleb just has not been terribly interested. So, last weekend Caleb and I prayed and asked Jesus to help him remember to use the potty - and apparently He did because now Caleb is a big boy who happily uses the potty! He told me Jesus told him to go use the potty!

 Caleb was so happy to see how Jesus answered our prayer and now he is the first to volunteer to pray at mealtime and bedtime! He was able to understand - and most importantly experience how Jesus heard and answered his prayer and now he believes he can talk to Jesus, He will listen and answer those prayers!

Passing on a heritage of faith is not a one-time, one-experience thing, but it is more of a building of one experience on top of the next. Helping Caleb - and his brothers as they watched this happen - experience how Jesus not only hears, but listens to and answers his prayers is an important foundational "brick" which we will build upon over the days and years to come.