So lately I have been so upset about the fact that our children- children raised in church- raised with Godly parents don't know basic Bible stories. Yet those same children know every Disney star, current singer, and even scores of their favorite basketball team all year.
I don't want to sound "preachy" or that I am a soap box- but maybe I am. My heart has been so burdened about this. I am not telling you HOW to raise your children- I just know that this has hit me so hard and fast in my OWN face that I am doing something about it - in my own family. The decision as to what you do in your house is up to you.
I fear that we somehow one day are going to held responsible for this. Last night I was at Kids Church- and then had a meeting. I got home at 10:00- I told the girls to run up to bed and to say their prayers. I did not have dinner yet so I was pretty wiped out- I sat ate a sandwich and tried to catch up on John's day. Emma called out to me from upstairs. Mom we have not read our daily Bible together (this is a daily Bible story book for her age). I said that is okay Emma - I will do it when you get home from school tomorrow.
I sat there and ate my sandwich and tears began to flow. I thought if it would have been her calling me up there to study for a last minute quiz for school- I would have been up there. If she would have had an urgent physical need- I would have dropped my sandwich and helped her. Since it was just the WORD of GOD- I pushed it off till the next day.
God forgive me- Forgive us. Forgive our slothful selfish nature. How did our worlds get so upside down?
Tonight as we read and talked and prayed- we talked about the ark of the covenant and it entering into Jerusalem with David. She and Seanna talked about how that was David doing his own victory lap. After I turned off their lights and turned on their nightlights I left their rooms. I prayed over each of them silently as I left them. I DON'T WANT their Sunday School teacher to teach them those things- AS A MOTHER- I want to put that into them. I WANT TO SHARE HIS WORD with them.
I have been working in Children's Ministry since I was 15. That is a long time. Okay- So I am old- get over it. I remember one time a parent telling me that it was my responsibility to teach her child the Bible- and not hers. I turned back and looked at her and said- really how does that work? Because I only have them for 45 minutes a week- and you have them for all of the rest. I probably had to repent later for that sour remark. But the words still ring true.
At our church we have a program called "Stepping Stones". Each year -each age group has either scriptures, or things from the Bible that they have to tell their teachers to be promoted. I am always amazed at the excuses each week why kids don't know them. I realize we are busy people- but WE HAVE time for what we FEEL is important in our homes.
Again- I am not preaching to you- I am REMINDING myself that the Word of God will not be second to anything in my house. That HIS principles, Prayer, and the Word will always have priority.
I know that that the man is the spiritual leader of the household- but the woman does set the spiritual tone, or atmosphere. I am determined to crank it up like never before.
I even hesitate to blog this as I don't want this to come across as being weird or that I feel like we all need to be floating on our spiritual clouds. I just want this to resound in my own heart. This blog is really meant to be a sounding board for things to get into my own head and heart. I want the girls to have a record later on in their life that they had a mother that was serious about teaching them the things of God.
You and I don't know what God has in store for our children-
What if in your house tonight is:
The next missionary
The next evangelist
The next Doctor
The next Lawyer
The next store clerk
The next school teacher
Whatever they are called to be- they are called first of all to be Christians. If it is not a priority our lives - how can we ever expect it to be in theirs?
God- take away my selfish nature- fill me with your daily grace.
You have to be a daily priority for my family!
3 comments:
don't be sorry! this needs to be said! i wholeheartedly agree. it's our responsibility to teach our kids the word of God and to lead by example...
thank you for saying it!!!
I have run into this same problem in our YOUTH Sunday school class!! I've been shocked at how few basic concepts they understand. Things I knew as a child.
I vividly remember when I was about 10, my friend, Jeff, calling every Sunday morning asking for the "memory verse." There were no excuses.
Instill it in your girls and preach it here!
Girl keep on saying it!!! I was somewhere recently where kids raised in church didn't know the plan of salvation. The Bible needs to be in the homes and not just as a decoration.
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