The Glory of God in a Home III
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Important messages
Priorities in the Home
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| Dan & Shelly, Raquel & Tom |
Raquel: “We were brought up in the ways of God.”
“I am so thankful to
have had parents, who taught us early about Him. And family devotions were
going to happen no matter what. I remember when Steve got a job and
had to get on the train to Munich early every morning. We just had to get up
extra early to have family devotions before he left. There was no
skipping. And there were family devotions at night too. Dad would share what
God was teaching him at the time, would always encourage us to know God
for ourselves and not just what we are taught.”
“And we were always
memorizing a new Bible chapter or reviewing a past one. They stay with you
always.”
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| Raquel as a little girl |
“I was still young
(six-years-old), when I realized that I was a sinner and needed a Savior. I
remember, I was playing outside under a big tree. My older brother, Steve, told
me that if the tree would fall on me and kill me, I would go to hell, because
Jesus hadn’t saved me. That shook me up and I didn’t feel like playing anymore.
I wandered around our yard, pondering what I should do. I finally went to find
Mom. She took me into Dad’s study, where she explained to me that everyone was
a sinner and needed to be saved. When she asked me if I wanted to pray to Jesus
to ask Him to save me and live in my heart, I became excited. I was very happy
after praying. I wasn’t afraid of trees falling on me anymore, because Jesus
had saved me!”
Daniel: “We had ‘family devotions’ every day
before being picked up for school. Scripture memory, listening to testimonies,
reading through the Bible together and then praying.”
“You wouldn’t allow us
to go places where other Christians were letting their kids go. We’d ask,
‘What’s wrong with it?’ and sometimes you’d answer, ‘What is right with it?’ As
I look at where many of them are today, I’m so thankful you didn’t let us go
all the time where we wanted to go. Thank you for saying, ‘No.’”
“One night after a
service there I can remember being so concerned over the state of my soul. A
fear came over me because I knew I was a sinner deserving of hell. I remember
standing behind Dad’s seat as we drove home asking questions. Dad took me into
Grandma & Grandpa Peterson’s sewing room and explained the gospel to me and
I remember you leading me in prayer to receive Christ (I think I was around 5
years old or so).”
Train up a child in
the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it
Proverbs 22:6
I don’t know how to
better start this third and final article on the Christian home than to place
before you this beautiful poem, written by our daughter-in-law, Karyn:
Good and Faithful Parent
A child so fearfully and
wonderfully made,
Into my arms you have
graciously laid.
A precious heritage sent
from the Lord,
Fruit of the womb, an
undeserving reward.
O Lord what a
blessing! What gratitude do You expect?
To be wise, not a fool
and walk circumspect.
Not only train him in the
way he should go,
But by word and action
the right way to him show.
Take up this arrow in
your quiver and aim
Down My separate path, do
not mock My name.
Show My law perfect, My
testimony sure,
That fear of Me is clean
and will forever endure.
Help him love Me and seek
Me with all of his heart,
Do not be lazy, it’s not
too early to start.
Write on your doorposts;
make sure I am heard,
While his heart is like
sponge, soak him in My word.
Faithfully teach him my
statutes to keep,
Be diligent, in this
child - what you sow you will reap.
Redeem your time, seek My
kingdom first,
He will be watching where
you quench your thirst.
You won’t need to tell
him I am your life’s authority
Because he will see how
you give to Me first priority.
Together on your knees
come and worship at My throne
Until he is able to come
on his own.
Do not be anxious; come
with him in prayer
And with thanksgiving
your requests with Me share.
When his heart is broken
and for salvation he cries,
His simplicity and
youthfulness do not despise.
The work I begin when his
heart is committed
I will be faithful to
finish, but you must be submitted.
To walk humbly before Me
is what I require,
Find out what pleases Me
and of My ways never tire.
With you I have entrusted
this tiny, little talent;
Invest in Me and I will
name you a good and faithful parent.
And not only this child
that inherits your name,
But of one born
spiritually I ask you the same.
Remember how you treat
him, as to Me it will be,
And you’ll have no
greater joy than to know he loved Me.
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| Karyn, Steve and family |
There is no mistaking
the fact that the Bible teaches that parents are responsible for their child’s
spiritual education. It is not primarily the Sunday School teacher, not Veggie
Tales or songs and stories on Christian children’s videos, that provide this
foundation for such a tender life, but Mom and Dad. They are to take time to
teach the great Bible stories to their children and ground them in the
principles of the Word of God.
There should be a
regular time of family devotions, something my parents called ‘family altar’.
Raquel and Dan, in their comments above, said enough about what that time
should entail, but I will reaffirm that the main events must be Bible reading
and prayer. It is an excellent time also for Scripture memorization. Then the
father, as priest of the home, should share his knowledge of the ways of God
and his personal relationship with Him. I can remember also giving the older
ones a chance to give a short Bible study to their siblings (and parents).
I have heard some
parents foolishly state that they don’t want to force Christianity on their
children. They feel that the child must enter with his heart by his own free
will. Such do not even begin to understand the role of Christian parents. Karyn
stated it so well above: “Together on your knees come and worship at My
throne, Until he is able to come on his own.” He is to be disciplined in
the ways of God until those ways become his pleasure. The things of God are not
an option for children brought up in a Christian home. They are to be taught in
the home and in the assembly of the saints, that God’s way is the only way.
I have in my mind hundreds
of Bible verses that were memorized from the time I knew how to talk. My
parents told me that at 18 months of age, I could quote 1 Peter 1:23-25.
Someone might say, “That was no use to you at that age” That’s right, but now
it is of immense use and advantage. Also in church I learned hundreds of hymns
that I didn’t understand, but now they come back to me and enrich my soul on a
daily basis.
It is the parents’
responsibility to procure their offspring’s salvation. That ought to be the one
great priority motivating them. No, they cannot save him or ultimately decide
for him, but they can press upon him his need to be saved. They can show him
that he was born a lost sinner in a desperate condition before God and this can
be done, when he is quite young. Any indifference that they manifest in this
matter will be observed by their son or daughter. If he or she does not know
that this is the most important thing in the world, as far as his or her
parents are concerned, he or she will certainly procrastinate in the matter. I
remember my dad and mom asking me, more than once, when (not if) I was going to
surrender to Christ.
No child or teenager
is ever going to place priority in the things of God, if it is obvious to him
that his parents put other things first in their lives and in the home. In a
practical way, if their work, duties, sports, entertainment or anything
whatsoever, are put first in their lives, their children will certainly discern
it. Christianity to them, as to their parents, will become a pleasant pastime,
reserved for Sundays and maybe one other evening in the week.
A good Christian
parent will find himself saying ‘no’, far more than saying ‘yes’. There is a phobia
against negativism in Christian circles in these times, when it is more
necessary than ever for parents to deny their children those things and
circumstances which are detrimental to their souls. They must say no
concerning matters of dress and make-up. They must say no concerning
much TV, computer, and phone entertainment. They especially must say no
to damaging companionship.
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| Steve, Dan, Mike, Dave together, March 2020 |
On the other hand, a
parent must not be stubborn concerning personal prejudices or religious
standards handed down to him from his own past. There are times, when he must
give way, if it becomes clear to him that a certain practice may not be sinful,
but simply displeasing or uncomfortable to himself. To give examples of my own,
I changed my mind on two issues, to which, in the beginning. I said no. One was
when David asked if he could learn to play drums and the other was when all
three boys wanted to join the wrestling team. In both cases, in time we found
that these activities were actually beneficial in their lives and a blessing
and testimony to others.
One of the greatest
problems I see obstructing the work of God in young people is the parental
pride in the matter of higher education for their children. For some parents
this is clearly seen as the priority for their children, beyond the will of
God. Usually it is justified by the argument that their children can better
serve God, if they graduate from a university and get a degree or two. From a
biblical standpoint that premise is highly debatable. Parents often put undue
pressure on their children to perform academically. I sometimes hear them
comparing notes with other parents on their children’s achievements as
students. I think an honest confession in most cases would be that they want
their children to be recognized as successful in society, which is a very
dubious ambition.
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| After 9 years apart, Raquel gets a surprise visit from Deborah |
I will close this
final study on the home by referring briefly to a biblical example found in
Luke 1… that of Zechariah and Elizabeth. Please meditate on the comment made by
the angelic visitor to Zechariah: “You will have joy and gladness, and many
will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord…” (Lk.1:14,15a).
They did not have a chance to rejoice over John Baptist’s achievements in the
schools of men. He was in the deserts until the day of his public appearance to
Israel (v.80). They were not able to rejoice because of his sophisticated
demeanor in society. He wore camel’s hair, a leather belt, and ate locusts and
wild honey (Mt.3:4). Jesus asked concerning John, “What did you go out into
the wilderness to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Those who wear soft
clothing are in kings’ palaces!” (Mt.11:7,8) They could not rejoice in his
reputation among the upper echelons of society, because there, he was
considered a demoniac (Mt.11:18).
Luke listed the elite
of the day in chapter 3:1 and 2: “The reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius
Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, and his
brother Philip was tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and
Lysanias was tetrarch of Alilene, in the high priesthood of Annas and
Caiaphas…” These were the great influences upon the society of that day,
but they had no contact with the seat of highest authority. When God choose his
mouthpiece, “The word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the
wilderness.” What do you want from your children? You can’t have the best
of both worlds. Be honest and make your choice!
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