A Place of Refuge for my Children

 This morning my Bible reading took me to the end of the book of Numbers.  As I read the instructions to  the Israelites, I came across the passages where God commands them to set up cities of refuge. I love how God, in His foreknowledge, knew that the wrongly-accused, or those that had committed a mistake without any malice in their heart, would need a place to run to.  He knew that the world can be harsh.  Unforgiving.  Tough.  Assuming.  Just sometimes a hard place to be.

Doesn't that sound like today?

I'm in the season of my life that I have adult children, and also teenagers.  As I am still raising these teenagers, they are starting to see and realize more of this world and recognize that at times it can be harsh, unforgiving, tough, assuming, and sometimes a hard place to be.  When they were younger we tried to shield them from as much of it as we could.  They weren't totally aware of the news and events of the day.  They knew a little, but we protected them.  Now that they are older they are exposed to more.  They hear more current events and they are recognizing what is happening in the world.  

So as I read this morning, I felt more inspired to make sure my home is a place of refuge for my family...for my children, for my husband, for me, too!

How does that look concerning my children?  How do I create a home that is a haven, a retreat, a refuge for them?  Of course the Bible is the place we find the answer to this question!  You can find the answer to this on so many pages!! So what I am going to share with you is not an exhaustive list, but it is a good starting place.  You can find it in Deuteronomy 3:28.  God is continuing to give Moses instructions to pass down to the people.  He says,

"But charge Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him..."

Moses would soon pass from the scene and the leadership would be given to Joshua.  Moses was to encourage him and strengthen him for the future.  And that's what I want for my children, too.  I want the home that I create for them to be a place to encourage them and to strengthen them for their future.

Encourage  What exactly does it look like in a home that is a refuge?  It means I will balance my words.  It's so easy to get caught up in training, training, training.  Then, correcting, correcting, correcting, that we leave the encourgement behind.  Yes, we are to train.  And we are to correct.  But I find it compelling that the Lord tells Moses to encourage Joshua.  As our children face the world and learning to live in it, they need a cheerleader.  They need someone in their corner.  They need to know that in spite of their failures, they can get up and try again!  They need to hear, "You can do it!  I'm so proud of you!"  They need to hear times when we have failed but tried again and had success.  They need to see that it is possible to live for the Lord!  A home that is a refuge will be a place they feel safe and uplifted. And that begins with our words.  Are they sweet?  Do I encourage more than I correct?  Ephesians 4:29 says, "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grae unto the hearers,"

Strengthen   The best way to give strength to our children is to have a Biblical focus in our home.  What does this look like?  There are so many possibilities!  But, the best way is for them to see it lived out in us.  Do I have real devotional time with the Lord?  Is He my very best friend, my confidante, the one I can't spend a day without?  Your children know the answer to that question.  If you're brave enough you will ask them. ;o)  It starts with you first, dear Momma!  It's easy to point our finger somewhere else to pass the blame.  But you can have that relationship with the Lord that strengthens you first!  And then let it overflow.  Let your children see your walk with God and desire that for themselves.  It's a convicting thought, and it's hitting me first, but it is so true!  Our children need a home where they are strengthened, and that strength must come from fellowshipping constantly with our strength-giver.  When you spend time with Him, it overflows into our thoughts, our decisions, our goals and into our homes.  Exodus 15:2 says, "The LORD is my strength and my song."  

"He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength."  Isaiah 30:29

"But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength;  they shall mount up with wings as eagles;  they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."  Isaiah 40:31

My home.  It can be a place of refuge for all of my family.  That's what I want.  I want that peacable habitation that is talked about in Isaiah.  But it does take work, doesn't it?

Soon I want to explore how to make a place of refuge for our husbands.  They sure do need,too it as they go through this life!  

Seeking to please Him,

Kami