Homeschool Prayer Challenge Week 3: Serving in Our Homeschools

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The following post is part of my 52 week series of prayer for our homeschools. You can learn more about the series (and sign up!) here. This week’s prayer & devotional focus is on serving in our homeschools, and what it means to do our work for the Lord.

As moms, there’s no doubt that we serve our families day in and day out. There always seems to be laundry to do, dishes to wash, groceries to buy and prepare, not to mention all that goes into homeschooling our children.

Once in a blue moon, everything runs so smoothly during the day, and my mood is so great that I am overflowing with gratitude for my home, my husband, my kids, and the blessings of homeschooling.

However, on other days (more often than not), if I’m not careful, my daily duties can easily become a burden and lead me to be a grumpy, stressed out mom. One who might snap at her kids or feel resentful that I don’t have enough time for me.

I know that this is not the attitude I’m supposed to have – and I’m so thankful for God’s grace and the Holy Spirit that gently prompts me when I’m missing the mark. This week I was drawn to Colossians 3 for a reminder about what it means to not just serve for our families (or myself), but serve for the Lord.

There is a lot that could be said about serving, but here are a few things that stood out to me this week as I meditated on this passage.

Serving Helps Us Represent Christ

I was reading a devotional a while back about marriage. The point the author was trying to get across was whether or not we were reflecting Christ in our daily interactions with our spouse. The question they asked was, “Could your husband/wife say they feel like they are married to Jesus?”

Talk about a gut punch. Even on a good day, I’m sure I fall far from this standard. It really made me think, though. As Christians, we are to reflect Christ’s nature in all we do (or strive to, anyway, with the help of the Holy Spirit). How would my actions and attitudes have to change for my husband to be able to say he was married to Jesus (figuratively)?

What about your kids – how close can they come to claiming Jesus is their homeschool teacher? Likewise, are we seeing Christ in our kids – who were created in the image of God – and treating them as such?

Humbly serving is one way we can reflect Christ more in our homeschool. Jesus indeed sets the perfect example, showing us what it means and looks like to serve others (John 13:14-15). There are going to be many times where we struggle with our attitudes in serving, but let us remember that by serving in our homes, we have the opportunity to represent Jesus to our children.

We can reflect the character of Christ each day when we are patient, helpful, compassionate, attention-giving and selfless in serving our family. Let’s take as many of those opportunities as we can to show our kids the character and love of Christ.

Serving in Our Homeschools is an Act of Worship

We were created to worship God, to serve Him. That is our purpose (Romans 12:1). As much as we want to stake our purpose in our homeschool, or our jobs, it will never be realized there. We will only fully be fulfilled by our relationship with God, through worshipping Him. And one way we can worship is by serving others.

How often do we just think about worship as singing praise songs in church? There was once a time that this is exactly what I thought worship was. I will never forget how I read Natasha Crain describe worship in her book “Keeping Your Kids on God’s Side: 40 Conversations to Help Them Build a Lasting Faith” (highly recommend this book if you have not read it yet!). She describes worship as “responding to all that God is with all that we are.”

Let that transformative statement sink in, friends. To me, it really opens up the doors to what it truly means to worship. When we serve humbly, it’s an act of worship. When we pray with our children and study the Bible with them, we are worshipping. When we purposefully devote everything we do to God (yes, even wiping up a dirty table one more time), with a pure heart, we are worshipping and glorifying Him.

Serving Brings Us Joy

Finally, Colossians 3:34 tells us that we know “that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward.” God is self-sufficient; He doesn’t need my service. He doesn’t tell us to “work as for the Lord and not for men” because we are supposed to earn His favor. He tells us this to set us free, to help us keep our focus on the eternal and not just our current circumstance.

Oh how often I need this reminder!

We serve to pursue more joy in the Lord, to pursue a closer relationship with Him. And in serving Him with a pure heart, we will also receive a reward in our future heavenly kingdom.

This passage reminds me of who we are ultimately accountable to – God. We can perform even the most mundane tasks with joy each day because we know who our master is and how much we are loved.

Let’s let our homeschool lifestyle be one of worship, and in whatever we do, let’s do it heartily for the Lord for His glory and honor.

Strength for Serving

Most days, I can’t do this in my own strength. How often do I work to serve myself, or my family, without directing my focus where it needs to be? It is so important to remain diligent in prayer and walk closely with God so I can do my work for Him. He will give us the strength we need!

I’m praying we all have pure hearts and attitudes this week as we model the joy of serving in our homeschools.

Heavenly Father, thank you for trusting me with the responsibility of homeschooling my kids. I desire to have a pure heart that overflows with patience and love, and that I would willingly take on all of the responsibilities that come my way today.

I pray that I would see Christ in my kids and that my actions toward them would reflect this. In all I do today, help me to do it enthusiastically as an act of worship to you.

Thank you for loving me and my kids, and for the reward of joy in you when we are obedient in our service.

In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

This week I’ve also created this beautiful wallpaper for your phone, to help you keep this week’s scripture verse at your fingertips. Click here to grab it!

Join the Challenge

Finally, if you want to join in on the challenge from the very beginning, make sure to sign up below, and you’ll receive a printable prayer and journal pages each week, right to your inbox. Join in any time, and you’ll start the following Monday with Week #1!

Simply click below, follow the instructions, and you’re in.

You’ll also be signed up for the Blessed Homeschool Newsletter and receive my FREE Scripture Memory Cards (designed to complement the prayer challenge) as a bonus.

I would love to hear in the comments below: how have you seen God work through weaknesses in your homeschool?

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