Devotionals by Dr. James Dobson
God’s Lamp
The Lord will guide you always.
Isaiah 58:11
Trying to talk with an unresponsive older teenager is like inserting dollar bills into a broken change machine—your words go in, but nothing comes back out! Yet it’s vital that you stay in touch with your sons and daughters preparing to leave the nest. At a moment when you least expect it, they may ask for your advice on life’s “big questions”: “I want to follow Jesus, but will He tell me what to do?” Or, “I think God is calling me to the ministry, but how can I support a family on a pastor’s salary?”
These are the times to gently put your arms around your kids and remind them of God’s infinite love: “As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him” (Psalm 103:13). God, the ultimate parent, will never abandon any of us or ignore a request for guidance. His Word is “a lamp to my feet and a light for my path” (Psalm 119:105). That doesn’t mean He gives us a three-hundred-watt beam that reveals the entire landscape. But the Lord will illuminate our next step, and we must trust Him to lead us through the darkness beyond.
Your teen won’t be ready to discuss these deep scriptural insights every day. But if you stay close to your son or daughter, you’ll know just the right moment to drop in a few wise words from the Lord.
Before you say good night…
- What “big questions” are on your kids’ minds right now?
- What advice do you want to give them? Is it based on Scripture?
- Are your kids trusting God to light their paths, one step at a time?
Father, we pray right now that You would grant us divine discernment. Help us to know our children as You know us, to see beyond their resistance and facades. Give us words of love and wisdom as we respond to their greatest struggles. Amen.
Listen to today's broadcast of Dr. James Dobson's Family Talk at OnePlace.com. For more from Dr. Dobson, visit the resource center at drjamesdobson.org.
This devotional is taken from Night Light for Parents. Copyright © 2000 by James Dobson, Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission.
About Family Talk
Family Talk is a Christian non-profit organization located in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Founded in 2010 by Dr. James Dobson, the ministry promotes and teaches biblical principles that support marriage, family, and child-development. Since its inception, Family Talk has served millions of families with broadcasts, monthly newsletters, feature articles, videos, blogs, books and other resources available on demand via its website, mobile apps, and social media platforms.
The Dr. James Dobson Family Institute (JDFI) is a Christian non-profit ministry located in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Founded initially as Family Talk in 2010 by Dr. James Dobson, the organization promotes and teaches biblical principles that support marriage, family, and child development. Since its inception, Family Talk has served families with broadcasts, monthly newsletters, feature articles, videos, blogs, books, and other resources available on demand via their website, mobile apps, and social media platforms. In 2017, the ministry rebranded under JDFI to expand its four core ministry divisions consisting of the Family Talk radio broadcast, the Dobson Policy and Education Centers, and the Dobson Digital Library.
Dr. Dobson's flagship broadcast called, “Dr. James Dobson’s Family Talk," is aired on more than 1,500 terrestrial radio outlets and numerous digital channels that reach millions each month.
About Dr. James Dobson
Dr. James Dobson is the Founder Chairman of the James Dobson Family Institute, a nonprofit organization that produces his radio program, “Dr. James Dobson's Family Talk.” He has an earned Ph.D. from the University of Southern California and holds 18 honorary doctoral degrees. He is the author of more than 70 books dedicated to the preservation of the family including, The New Dare to Discipline, Love for a Lifetime, Life on the Edge, Love Must Be Tough, The New Strong-Willed Child, When God Doesn't Make Sense, Bringing Up Boys, Bringing Up Girls, and, most recently, Your Legacy: The Greatest Gift. Dr. Dobson served as an associate clinical professor of pediatrics at the University of Southern California School of Medicine for 14 years and on the attending staff of Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles for 17 years in the divisions of Child Development and Medical Genetics. He has advised five U.S. presidents and served on eight national commissions. Dr. Dobson has been married to Shirley for 64 years, and they have two grown children, Danae and Ryan, and two grandchildren.
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