Choosing a Life Verse for your Child

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Choosing a life verse is more than something you will pray over your kids, but a verse you want to plant in their heart. That comes through memorization and repetition. First of all, pray it over your children, using your Bible each night. After you have quoted it out loud to them, you will be surprised how quickly they learn it. Or, if you want to make it more fun, have them do movements with the scripture. For an example, here are my kids doing Psalm 1 with movements...

Click on Psalm 1 below to view the video clip.

Psalm 1

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord , and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. (Psalms 1:1-6 ESV)

When our son was born, we named him Israel. Such a big name!! This is Israel, one day old, with his head on his daddy's Bible...open to Deut. 6:4, which is His life verse.
The Shema - "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. (Deuteronomy 6:4-7 ESV)
We have continued praying this each night...and by the age of two, each of our children could recite it in its entirety. (and finally, so could I!! ;)
Recently, I felt moved to add this scripture:

The [uncompromisingly] righteous shall flourish like the palm tree [be long-lived, stately, upright, useful, and fruitful]; they shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon [majestic, stable, durable, and incorruptible]. Planted in the house of the Lord, they shall flourish in the courts of our God. [Growing in grace] they shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be full of sap [of spiritual vitality] and [rich in the] verdure [of trust, love, and contentment]. [They are living memorials] to show that the Lord is upright and faithful to His promises; He is my Rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. (Psalm 92:12-15 AMP)

How powerful is that?? (this would be an awesome life verse, but in a different version for easier memorization)

Maybe you already have a life verse, but you would like to choose a verse over a particular season of their life, I think that would also be extremely powerful.

Here are a few wonderful scriptures to consider:

Samuel 12:24 , “Only fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you.”

Psalms 70:5-6 "For you have been my hope, O Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth. From birth I have relied on you. You brought be forth from my mother's womb. I will ever praise you."
Jer. 17:7-8: "Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”
Lam. 3:22-26 "Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD."

But now thus says the Lord , he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. (Isaiah 43:1-3a ESV)

Teach me how to live as you have promised. Don't let any sin be my master. (Psalm 119:133 NIRV)

Post your child's life verse in the comments, I would love to hear from you!
Kristen

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