The Israelites as a nation and the Jews today have always been
very good at making religion a part of their everyday life. They
have always kept up with their religious practices, even though
their religion later on became more of a ritual than a true love
for God. Just think of the Pharisees in Jesus' day. They were the
most pious of people, walking the path given to them by God through
Moses. Their hearts were of course not right as we all know, but
they were following their religious practices down to the tee and
looking down on all those who didn't.
The point I am trying to make is
that religion was part and parcel of the nation of Israel. Why?
Because they shared it continually with their children.
"Repeat these commandments
again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at
home and when you are away on a journey, when you are lying down
and when you are getting up again. Tie them to your hands as a
reminder, and wear them on your forehead. Write them on the
doorposts of your house and on your gates." Deuteronomy
6:7-9
If we look at these verses, it
basically says, talk about the commandments of God all of the time.
And not only talk about it, live it, let your children follow your
example. The Israelites were very good at this and they still are.
We can learn from them. Even though Jesus has freed us from the
obligation of adhering to the Jewish Law, we still need to tell our
children about the Old and the New Testament and how it all fits
together.
The problem is we are so rushed in
our modern day society. If I look at my own life, I drive my kids
from swimming lessons to tennis lessons to reading lessons to
hockey lessons and by the time we get home we need to do homework
and prepare for the next day. It is only at night that I maybe read
them a Bible story at night, but for the most part I am too rushed
to talk in length about God. And I realise that this is not right.
Even though I try to live by the principles of God and try to be an
example to them, I fail sometimes. I try to tell them about God in
between the rushing, but somehow it doesn't have the same effect. I
have come to the realisation that if we don't have time or energy
to tell our kids about God, we are too busy and we need to make
some changes. I know that I have to do this as my greatest wish is
that my boys will grow into mighty men of faith. But even though it
is my greatest wish, I spend the least amount of time developing
it.
We can learn from the Israelites.
We need to teach our kids the walk of God. We need to create in
them a love for God and His ways that they never want to depart
from it. How do we do that? With the help of the Holy Spirit and
time spent in prayer. May God lead you and me as to the best way to
ingrain in our children, the holy, timeless ways of God.
Father, at the birth of our
children we promised to lead them in Your ways. But as time goes
on, we are more and more pressed on all sides and we forget to
teach them. Please forgive us Lord and help each parent reading
this today as to the best way to present You to their children and
to guide them in Your everlasting ways. In Jesus' Name. Amen