Psalm 127:3-5 – Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him.
Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court.
Children are indeed a heritage and a reward from the Lord. As parents, we should cherish and value them as such. Having children can bring an immense amount of joy and peace to a parent's life. It's an opportunity for us to express our gratitude to God for this precious gift. Raising children in the fear and admonition of the Lord is a sacred responsibility. Teaching them to love and obey God is one of the greatest acts of love a parent can offer.
Proverbs 22:6 – Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.
Parents have a unique responsibility and opportunity to instruct and guide their children in the path of wisdom and righteousness, as directed by God's word and will. Training a child in the way he should go not only benefits the child but also the parent in the long run, and it honors God and His commandments. This training can take various forms, such as teaching them the Scriptures, praying with them, modeling godly behavior, and disciplining them with love.
Ephesians 6:1-4 – Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
Children and parents have mutual duties and obligations to each other, as ordained by God for His glory. Children should obey their parents in the Lord, as this is right and pleasing to God. Similarly, parents should not provoke their children to anger, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Fostering a healthy and harmonious relationship between children and parents involves respecting each other, communicating effectively, forgiving each other, and supporting each other.
Deuteronomy 6:6-7 – These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
Parents have a duty and a privilege to teach their children the commandments of God and His statutes, as they are the foundation of life and happiness. Teaching your children the commandments of God will help them to love God with all their heart, soul, and strength, and to love their neighbor as themselves, as these are the greatest commandments. This teaching can be done by memorizing the commandments, meditating on them, applying them, and living them out.
Isaiah 49:15-16 – “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.
God is the ultimate and perfect parent, who loves His children with an everlasting and unconditional love, and who will never forsake or forget them. God has engraved His children on the palms of His hands, and He watches over them and cares for them at all times, even when they are unaware or unfaithful. This provides comfort and assurance to parents and children who may feel lonely, abandoned, or rejected, and reminds them of God's presence, promises, and power.
1 John 3:1 – See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
God's love for His children is incomparable and incomprehensible. He has lavished it upon us by calling us His children and making us His heirs. This love is demonstrated by His sending His only Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins and to give us eternal life, and by His sending His Holy Spirit, to dwell in us and to guide us. Let us express our gratitude and praise to God for His amazing love, and encourage parents and children to respond to His love by loving Him and one another.
3 John 1:4 – I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
Parents' greatest joy and delight is to see their children walking in the truth, that is, in the gospel of Jesus Christ and in obedience to His word. Parents can rejoice and thank God for His grace and work in their children's lives, and they can pray for their children's growth and perseverance in the faith. Let this serve as motivation and inspiration to children to walk in the truth, and to honor their parents and God by their words and deeds.
Proverbs 17:6 – Children’s children are a crown to the aged,and parents are the pride of their children.
Grandchildren are a blessing and a reward from God, and they bring honor and glory to their grandparents. Grandparents can enjoy and cherish their grandchildren, and they can impart their wisdom and experience to them. Let's show appreciation and respect to grandparents for their role and influence in the family, and encourage children to listen to and learn from them.
Malachi 4:6 – He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.
God's desire and plan is to restore and reconcile the relationship between fathers and children, and to prevent the curse of sin and division from destroying the family. God can turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, by His grace and power, and by His sending of the messenger of the covenant, Jesus Christ, who came to make peace between God and man, and between man and man. Let's provide hope and healing to fathers and children who may have a broken or strained relationship, and urge them to seek God's forgiveness and restoration, and to forgive and love one another.
Matthew 19:14 – Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
Jesus loves and welcomes the little children, and He considers them as the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus blessed and taught the little children, and He rebuked those who tried to hinder them from coming to Him. Let's extend an invitation and instruction to parents and children to come to Jesus, and to trust and follow Him, as He is the way, the truth, and the life.
Proverbs 31:28-29 – Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.”
A godly mother is a precious and priceless treasure. She deserves honor and praise from her children and her husband. A godly mother can influence and impact her children and her family for good, and she can exemplify the qualities of a virtuous woman. Let's show appreciation and gratitude to mothers for their role and service in the family, and encourage children to bless and thank their mothers.
Luke 15:11-32 – The parable of the prodigal son
This parable illustrates the love and forgiveness of God for His sinful and rebellious children, and the joy and celebration of His grace and mercy. The father in the parable represents God, who waits and longs for His children to return to Him, and who welcomes and restores them with open arms and a lavish feast. Let's apply this to our lives and challenge parents and children who may have a similar situation, urging them to repent and reconcile, and to rejoice and celebrate.
Colossians 3:20-21 – Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.
This verse repeats and expands on the commandment in Ephesians 6:1-4, and it applies to all aspects of life, both spiritual and secular. Children's obedience to their parents is for their own good and well-being, and parents' kindness and gentleness to their children is for their encouragement and edification. Let's provide some examples and tips on how to obey your parents in everything, and how to avoid embittering your children.
Exodus 20:12 – “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.
This is the fifth of the Ten Commandments, and it is the first commandment with a promise: that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. Honoring your father and your mother means respecting, obeying, caring, and supporting them, and it pleases and glorifies God. Let's provide some ways and opportunities to honor your father and your mother, such as by speaking well of them, listening to their advice, helping them in their needs, and praying for them.
1 Timothy 5:8 – Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
This verse teaches the responsibility and the priority of providing for your relatives, especially for your own household, and it is a mark of true faith and godliness. Providing for your relatives, especially for your own household, means meeting their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs, and it honors and imitates God, who is the ultimate provider. Let's provide some resources and strategies to provide for your relatives, especially for your own household, such as by budgeting wisely, saving diligently, giving generously, and working faithfully.
Psalm 103:13 – As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;
This verse compares the compassion of a father to his children with the compassion of the Lord to those who fear him, and it reveals the character and the heart of God. The compassion of a father to his children means being tender, merciful, and sympathetic to their weaknesses, troubles, and needs, and the compassion of the Lord to those who fear him means being gracious, forgiving, and faithful to his covenant promises. Let's provide some comfort and confidence to parents and children who may need or experience the compassion of God, and remind them of his unfailing love and care.
Proverbs 1:8-9 – Listen, my son, to your father’s instructionand do not forsake your mother’s teaching.They are a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck.
This verse exhorts children to listen to and learn from their parents' instruction and teaching, marking the beginning of wisdom and knowledge. Parents' instruction and teaching can guide children to avoid evil and do good, adorning and beautifying their lives. There are incentives and rewards for children who hear and heed their parents' instruction and teaching, such as the promise of long life, prosperity, and favor.
Genesis 18:19 – For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, so that the LORD will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.”
This verse describes God's choice and purpose for Abraham, the father of faith and the friend of God, setting an example and a standard for all parents. Abraham was chosen by God to command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord, that is, to obey His commands and follow His plans, and he did so by faith and obedience. This provides inspiration and guidance to parents who want to command their children and their household after them to keep the way of the Lord, such as by sharing their testimony, leading by example, and making a covenant with God.
2 Timothy 1:5 – I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.
This verse commends the sincere faith of Timothy, the beloved son and co-worker of Paul, and acknowledges the influence and the legacy of his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice. Lois and Eunice passed on their sincere faith to Timothy, taught him the Scriptures from childhood, and Timothy followed their example and became a faithful servant of God. This provides encouragement and appreciation to parents and grandparents who have a sincere faith, and who pass it on to their children and grandchildren, commending them for their service and sacrifice.
Matthew 10:37 – Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
This verse challenges the loyalty and the devotion of the disciples of Jesus, setting a high and a hard condition for following Him. Loving father or mother more than Jesus means putting them before Him, pleasing them instead of Him, or obeying them contrary to Him, and this is not worthy of Him, or of His reward. This provides a warning and wisdom to parents and children who may love father or mother more than Jesus, urging them to love Him above all, and to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness.
Psalm 68:5 – A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.
This verse praises God for His care and protection of the fatherless and the widows, revealing His justice and compassion. God is a father to the fatherless, providing for their needs, defending their rights, and comforting their hearts. This provides support and encouragement to the fatherless and the widows, reminding them of God's presence, promises, and provision.
John 3:16 – For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
This verse summarizes the gospel and the love of God, and it is the most famous and beloved verse in the Bible. God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for our sins, and to rise again for our justification. Whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life, as a gift of grace and faith. This provides an invitation and testimony to parents and children who have not yet believed in Jesus, urging them to repent and receive Him as their Lord and Savior.
Proverbs 23:22-25 – Listen to your father, who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.
Buy the truth and do not sell it— wisdom, instruction and insight as well. The father of a righteous child has great joy; a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him. May your father and mother rejoice; may she who gave you birth be joyful!
This verse instructs children to respect and honor their parents, and it warns them against neglecting or despising them when they are old. Listening to your father who gave you life means valuing his wisdom and experience, and not despising your mother when she is old means showing her love and care. There are benefits and blessings to children who listen to their father and do not despise their mother, such as the promise of long life, joy, and peace.
1 Samuel 1:27-28 – I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the LORD. For his whole life he will be given over to the LORD.” And he worshiped the LORD there.
This verse expresses the gratitude and dedication of Hannah, the mother of Samuel, the prophet and judge of Israel, and it shows the power and the faithfulness of God. Hannah prayed for this child, and the Lord granted her what she asked of him, after years of barrenness and sorrow, and she gave him back to the Lord, as a sign of her devotion and obedience. This provides inspiration and hope to parents who are praying for a child, or for their child, reminding them of God's sovereignty and goodness.
Ephesians 5:25-33 – Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— for we are members of his body. “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
This verse teaches the duty and the model of husbands' love for their wives, and it compares it with Christ's love for the church, his bride. Husbands should love their wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, and they should nourish and cherish them, as their own bodies, and they should respect and honor them, as their partners and helpers. This provides tips and resources to husbands on how to love their wives, as Christ loved the church, such as by communicating effectively, serving sacrificially, leading spiritually, and romancing passionately.
Psalm 139:13-16 – For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
This verse celebrates the creation and the value of human life, and it acknowledges the sovereignty and the wisdom of God. God formed our inward parts and knitted us together in our mother's womb, and He knows and loves us intimately, and He has a plan and a purpose for us. This provides affirmation and appreciation to parents and children for their uniqueness and worth, encouraging them to praise and thank God for their life.
Titus 2:3-5 – Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.
This verse instructs the older women to be godly and to mentor the younger women, outlining the roles and the responsibilities of the younger women. Older women can teach what is good and train the young women to love their husbands and children, and they can model and impart the qualities of a godly woman. Let's show appreciation and respect to the older women for their role and influence in the church and in society, and encourage the younger women to learn from and follow them.
Joshua 24:15 – But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.
This verse declares the commitment and the choice of Joshua, the leader of Israel, and his household, to serve the Lord, challenging the people of Israel to do the same. Joshua and his house decided to serve the Lord, followed His commands, trusted His promises, and witnessed His mighty deeds and His faithful love. This provides motivation and guidance to parents and children who want to serve the Lord, urging them to make a decision and a declaration, and to live it out.
Luke 2:51-52 – Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.
This verse describes the childhood and the growth of Jesus, the Son of God and the Savior of the world, revealing His humanity and His divinity. Jesus went down with His parents and was submissive to them, honored and obeyed them, and His mother treasured up all these things in her heart. Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man. This provides admiration and emulation to parents and children who want to be like Jesus, encouraging them to grow in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.
Romans 8:15-17 – The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
This verse celebrates the privilege and the inheritance of the children of God, affirming the work and the witness of the Holy Spirit. We have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!", and the Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and we are heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him. This provides joy and assurance to parents and children who are children of God, reminding them of their identity and their destiny.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Bible is full of verses about parents' love for their child, and God is the source and example of this love. These verses provide guidance, inspiration, and comfort to parents and children, and they reveal the heart and the will of God for the family. We invite you to share your thoughts, questions, or experiences in the comments below, and to explore more articles on our website.