Lord’s Day, Vol. 5 No. 13
Bringing Up Children God’s Way (Part 2)
Deuteronomy 6:6-7, And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: 7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
Parents are encouraged to set priority to dwell on God’s Word with the family. The basis of our authority and instruction must be the Bible. Are you building your home on God’s eternal Word, the Holy Bible? Is it the most read book in your home?
The father, being the head of the family, must be the chief instructor of the values and principles of the Bible through godly example, planned family worship times and applying God’s Word to everyday situation.
A Christian pastor testified, “I read the Scripture to my family in some regular order, and am pleased to have a lesson found for me. I look on the chapter of the day as a lesson sent for that day; and so I regard it as coming from God for the use of that day and not of my own seeking.”
The JC Ryle Expository Thoughts of the Gospels has been adapted for family devotion. We have the gospel of Matthew in three volumes available for your family’s edification. We are in the process of adapting JC Ryle’s expository thoughts on the gospel of Mark.
3) Shepherding Purposely, Patiently and Prayerfully
If there are three words that summarise verse 7, they are: Purposefully, Patiently and Prayerfully.
There is no substitute for this dedication and devotion given to child training. The process requires much patience and love on the part of parents.
The training is focused. It is in the knowledge of the Bible, in the habits of prayer – a child is taught at a young age to pray, to develop dependence not on himself but on God. We can hardly be exhaustive but the objective is in teaching the child godliness. We are being reminded that the sacred task of shepherding the next generation is decidedly important and urgent yet we realise also it is the most neglected task.
It is apt to give a godly example of the training of Timothy in the New Testament. The influence of a godly grandmother on her grandson bore fruit in Timothy’s life. Lois was a devout Jewess who instructed her beloved daughter and grandson in the Scriptures. The Apostle Paul testified of the faith of the mother and grandmother in the spiritual instruction of Timothy who became his son in the faith.
Timothy’s father was a Greek, possibly not a believer. The grandmother and mother did all that was in their power to train Timothy in the fear of God and in the knowledge of the Scriptures. The Scriptures were an important part in the home life of Timothy.
In 2 Timothy 3:15, the Apostle Paul testified this of Timothy’s upbringing. “And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”
We realise that the converts of the Apostle Paul in Lystra had to endure persecutions as the land was largely pagan and un-evangelised territory. Lois had to make a stand for her faith when she was converted in such an environment that was hostile to the Christian faith. It was in such an environment that the Christian Church grew and thrived.
The converts valued the faith and had the opportunity to witness the power of God protecting and blessing and watching over them. We may say that Lois was a first generation Christian together with Eunice who might have been converted when the Apostle Paul first went to Lystra in his first missionary journey as accounted in Acts 14.
Recall the account of God’s power of healing which authenticated the gospel as witnessed by the people in Lystra in Acts 14:6-11. Recall also how the Apostle Paul was stoned by the people of Lystra after he preached to them. All these must have an impact on the faith of Lois and Eunice who saw that there was something special in this man Paul. Surely, God must be with him.
The Apostle Paul boldly returned to Lystra again to build up the faith of the converts and to establish a leadership to shepherd the congregation. Lois was probably a pious serving member of the congregation in Lystra, a church that grew out of persecution and hardship.
Parents are shepherds to their children. As such, parents need to cultivate a heart prepared for the sacred task of child rearing by their life of godliness. To shepherd your children’s heart, parents are to set priority on having a home life. Parents are to set priority to dwell on God’s Word in the home with their children.
Shepherding children’s heart is to be done purposefully with God’s Word as the guide, the salvation and spiritual progress of the child as the goal. Parents are to exercise much patience to train their child for it may take time to form godly habits in their child. Quantity time and not just quality time is needed – quantity time and yet quality time. Finally, and most importantly, these endeavours must be undergirded with prayer – except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it (Psalm 127:1). May the Lord bless every parent and child seeking to walk in His ways! Amen.
Yours lovingly,
Pastor Lek Aik Wee