The BIBLE tells me so....

Yesterday, I was shopping in Costco and as ususal found myself lingering in the book aisle. I LOVE books! Although, I am a tad bit selective about my reading choices. I love the feel of a book in my hands-not to mention the smell of a library filled with them! You can keep your 'Kindles' and other hand-held reading devices! Give me something with pages to turn! ANYway, I was particualry drawn to the children's books. To the intriguing covers and brightly illustrated pages. I noticed that a significant portion of those books were educational in nature. And that got me thinking about the goals and the dreams we have for our children concerning the things we want them to learn. This is particularly on my mind because I am soon to become a grandmother for the first time.

Quite honestly, I believe the task of child raising in this hour is more challenging than at any other time in the history of the world. Especially, but not specifically for Christian parents.Even a casual understanding of the time preceding the Lord's return (and that time is now)- lets us know that all things Biblical will be denounced and pushed increasingly out of our society in vitually every area-including churches. Even in churches that claim to be 'Christian.' We are living in the day prophesied of by Isaiah, when people "call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter." [5:20]

And what, you ask, does this have to do with books?

ALOT!

The kinds of books we choose to have in our home and to use in training our children is important.

I can't think of anything more imperative than for our children to know and to love Jesus Christ. We parents have been given the awesome task of making every provision for this to happen. Children are the heritage of the Lord. The fruit of the womb is HIS reward. The world uses virtually every form of media to tell us what is important for our children to know and to have and to be. I could see this in the books I looked at yesterday. I'm not saying they were all bad or unnecessary. I'm just saying that for believing parents-the goal of helping our children to know God ought to be reflected in our book choices.As a former homeschooling mother, I know there are plenty of absolutely wonderful Bible based resources available to us. Materials that can be used to accompany the Bible in introducing our children to Jesus Christ, and in teaching the principles of Christian living.

I remember my very first visit to our local Christian Bookstore. I know I spent every spare penny I had on books for Alex. Delightful books that brought the truth of God's Word to life for my daughter.  An elderly pastor's wife approached me one day after I had been shopping there awhile. She said she was pleased that I was making an investment in good Christian books for my daughter. I guess I hadn't thought of it as an investment. But it's true. You reap what you sow....most especially in the garden of a child's soul. If you don't take the time and make the effort to plant spiritual seeds you can't expect anything spiritual to be produced in their lives.  Furthermore,We wouldn't think of feeding our children just two or three times a week. Obviously, it would stunt their physical growth. It wouldn't be enough to sustain them.Christian parents cannot and should not depend on pastors and/or Sunday school teachers for the spiritual growth of their children. The Bible clearly commands that fathers bring their children up in the training and admonition of the Lord. (1 Cor 6:4) As the spiritual head (overseer) of the home, Dad ensures that the sowing of God's Word is taking place in the hearts of his children every day. That the Bible is not just a coffee table ornament but a  manual that is read daily and referred to when questions about life and living arise. It isn't enough to simply take your children to church. We, the parents, are to 'train' them. That's the word the Bible uses.

TRAIN:
-To make proficient with specialized instruction and practice
-To coach in or accustom to a mode of behavior or performance.

Being a trainer necessitates being intimately acquainted with what  and/ or who we are teaching about. In this case -with Jesus Christ and His Word. That we have been with Jesus will be obvious to our children. I'm not suggesting that parents ought to be perfect in all things, or that we never make mistakes-but rather that our children see us spend time in prayer and in God's Word. That they see our love for and our dependency upon Jesus.That when answers are needed we go, first, to our knees and to the Bible. That they hear us calling out their name to God on a daily basis.

 
It's hard to believe that a stroll down the book aisle at Costco could be a catalyst for these ramblings. But it is. I attend a church with a high percentage of young couples with young children. My heart is burdened for each and every one of them.In a world that bombards the minds of children with SO much anti-God propaganda, it seems to me that we cannot be too diligent in our homes to help our sons and daughters obtain God's views on literally EVERYthing!!

"Woman, how divine your mission
Here upon our natal sod!
Keep, oh, keep the young heart open
Always to the breath of God!
All true trophies of the ages
Are from mother-love impearled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world."

~William Ross Wallace