Helping Kids See God’s Provision
Bible Verse
7 Isaac said, “Father, we have the coals and the wood, but where is the lamb for the sacrifice?” “My son,” Abraham answered, “God will provide the lamb.” The two of them walked on, and 8 Genesis 22:7-8
The account of Abraham sacrificing Isaac reads a little differently when your child sits on your lap. You understand how great a parent's love is for their child and how hard that walk must have been for Abraham. You know the difficulty of anxiously waiting for God to provide. You recognize the joyous relief when God delivers the substitute.
It is not always easy to wait for God, and your kids are watching you to see how you live in your moments of waiting. Sometimes this seems possible, but most of the time waiting is hard enough without someone watching. Thankfully, God does not leave you alone but gives you the Holy Spirit and the church as encouragement.
Here are some ways to help your kids see God's provision.
Point out God’s provision. Keep a journal of the different ways that God has provided for you each day. There may be days when the most significant thing is sunshine on a cloudy day and others when it is an answer to a long prayer. As you show your kids how God has provided in your life, they will begin to look to see when God has provided in a similar way for them. This journal is also a beautiful reminder of God's faithfulness in delivering when the waiting gets hard.
Go for a walk. Sometimes the best thing to do in an anxious situation is to take a break and walk. As you go for a walk, you can talk with your kids about how God provides for the different plants and animals you see, like the birds and the wildflowers (Matthew 6:25-34). Your kids' amazement about the little things will remind you how amazing God is.
Donate. Sometimes God uses us to be the way he provides for someone else. Go through the items you do not use anymore and donate them to a thrift store; as you go through your stuff, you can encourage your kids to think about what toys they might not play with and have them think about people who might appreciate it. Giving to others can enable you to wait for God’s timing to answer your prayer.
The only reason Abraham could offer Isaac in faith (Hebrews 11:17-19) is that he knew God's promises. One of the best ways to reflect God's value and trustworthiness to your kids is to make a regular habit of spending time with God. Show them that he is worth basing your life on when life is going well and when life is going poorly. Pray out loud, read the Bible often, and think biblically about things together.
Want to do a deep dive? Check out Family Fire's article Searching for God in the Waiting.
Philip Vander Windt
Philip VanderWindt is the pastor at Champlain Valley Christian Reformed Church. In his free time he enjoys building “tall-tall towers” with his kids, analyzing worldviews of films and music with his wife, photographing the beauty of God’s creation, dabbling in leathercraft and woodwork, and writing.
