There is a beautiful song whose lyrics include, “Children are our future.” Nowhere are those words more true than in the family of faith.
As a child, my future faith life lived in the legacy of those who went before me, who loved me and loved God. I am humbled by the fact that I sit on church pews bought by the tithes of my parents and grandparents. My grandmother had the most sweet alto tone to her voice. I would sit beside her in church, playing with the raised veins on the backs of her thin hands. Listening with my heart more than my ears, I would hear her sing the hymns better known to that generation and almost lost to mine. She loved them so. “The Old Rugged Cross”, “This is My Story, This is My Song”, “I Go to the Garden Alone” were all favorites and above her kitchen sink with her hands soapy and her apron dampened, she would quietly hum and sing these as we worked together. As a four-year old and a twenty-four year old, I loved those times best.
A child’s faith is blessed by the example of parents and grandparents. It’s not up to a church program to train children. To teach faith to a child. Parents and churches must work hand in hand to nurture a child’s faith. Meaningful Bible studies and church-centered activities for children can benefit the faith-growth of families in local congregations. But parents cannot rely solely on the church’s programs for their child’s faith. Parents must also be in the Word, in prayer, and living a life obedient to God’s will in front of their children. Children depend on their parents for clear spiritual guidance. Grandma and Grandpa’s example is invaluable and imprints impressions of faith often far beyond their years left on earth.
If you want your child’s faith to be firm and full of life, you help your child the most when you pay close attention to faith matters in your family.
Let me ask you: what at is your plan for growing your faith?
Let me suggest: Join a Bible study. Read through a daily devotional book. Join with a friend in a weekly prayer time. Learn the ancient stories by reading aloud from a children’s Bible during your family devotional time.
