My kids were waiting patiently for the alligator to roar and open its giant mouth to reveal gnarly white teeth.

We were outside a jungle-themed restaurant, so fortunately it was just a replica of the reptile and not the real thing.

As soon as its jaw opened, the kids giggled with delight.

Trust me, had we been at a real swamp, our reaction would have been way different.

As my kids have grown, I’ve realized that protecting them from REAL predators gets harder and harder.

The enemy doesn’t always show up with scary teeth and slithery skin.

He shows up as a:
-little white lie
-smooth-talking friend who is really a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
-seemingly innocent character on a show with questionable motives.

There were some other children from Bible who also needed guidance: the children of Israel.

God wanted to create a new nation through the Israelites, and as they were headed to the Promised Land, God knew they needed guidance.

Otherwise, they would have been like sheep without a shepherd…like a child without a parent.

God needed to establish boundaries, and He did this by giving them Ten Commandments and a total of 613 laws.

Admittedly, some of the laws are hard for us to understand in today’s context, but God knew there were predators ready to capture these Israelites. There was a purpose for each law.

God wanted to protect them from:
-idol worship
-dishonoring parents
-disrespecting neighbors
-destruction
-death

My kids don’t always understand my rules, but I love them so much that I need to put them in place.

My own parents had a lot of rules…and as hard as it was to obey them, I get it now. They loved me too much to let me run wild. And I’m grateful for that.

God loves us too much to let us make up our own rules. In fact, we find FREEDOM when we do things His way.

2 Corinthians 11:3 says this:
“But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.”

The enemy is cunning.

Don’t be deceived- he can lead you astray.

Our God is a good Father, and He wants to protect you from the lies of the enemy.

I implore you to stay in the Bible DAILY and to teach your children His laws.

As hard it is to raise our children these days, no matter what generation you are part of, there’s only one way to do it- God’s way.

~Elizabeth/Betsy