“Daddy, Read Bible?”
One of my daughter’s favorite phrases right now is, “Daddy, read Bible?” I remember the first time I heard her say those words out loud. It was everything a Christian parent dreams of. Hearing your child cry out for the one thing that can truly change their life leaves you breathless. Surely, the Lord has put that desire in her heart. And now I have a choice to make:
What will I do?
Will I stop what I’m doing, sit down, and open the Scriptures with her?
Or will I selfishly walk away and tell her, “No, it’s time for bed”?
John 7:37 says:
“On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.’”
Everyone is thirsty. I am. You are. My daughter is. The world is. As Mae cried those words out to me, I was reminded of this verse. Her heart is longing to hear the words of her Heavenly Father. Jesus tells anyone who thirsts to come to Him—but in this moment with Mae, I had a decision to make.
Will I deny her a drink of the Living Water?
Will I keep her from tasting and seeing that the Lord is good?
As parents, we can either be conduits of God’s grace—or we can become barriers to it. We can redirect our children’s longing for Jesus toward things that will never truly satisfy. In a world where we can have anything we want, we can easily offer our children things that leave them empty, broken, and still thirsty for more.
We can offer them satisfaction in sports—and leave them thirsty.
We can offer them academic success—and leave them thirsty.
We can offer them social media approval—and leave them thirsty.
We can offer them popularity—and leave them thirsty.
We can offer them the latest technology—and leave them thirsty.
We can offer them money and material things—and leave them thirsty.
We can even offer them a busy church schedule without a vibrant faith—and still leave them thirsty.
Their hearts were made to drink. To drink of the Living Water. And yet, as parents, we too often offer them dead water—things that promise life but leave them dry. Your heart, my heart, and our children’s hearts are all longing for something—but they can only be truly satisfied by Someone: Jesus.
He invites us to “come and drink.” It’s our calling not to overwhelm our children’s hearts with things that won’t last. It’s our duty to give them Jesus—to take them to the One who promises they will never thirst again.
So that one day this verse will be true of their lives:
“Out of their hearts will flow rivers of living water.” (John 7:38)
That’s what I want. I’m sure you do too. So, the next time your child reaches out. Whether with words like “Daddy, read Bible?” or with a longing look, a hard question, or a restless heart— Don’t miss the moment.
Don’t hand them a substitute. Give them Jesus.
Because one day, when we’re no longer there to guide them, they’ll still be thirsty. And the question is—will they know where to go for a drink?
Let’s be the parents who don’t just pray they follow Jesus— Let’s show them how. Let’s go first. Let’s drink deeply from the Living Water—and invite them to come and drink with us.
