WISDOM FOR FATHERS
It’s Fathers’ Day in the United
States, so I looked up some verses on fathers and children, and the Lord opened
my eyes to some really interesting things. Ephesians 6:4 says: “Fathers,
provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and
admonition of the Lord.”
In Abraham’s time, the
ways of God were verbally passed down from fathers and mothers to their
children. Then later, God gave Moses written words. Traditionally, the telling of
Bible stories continued in families, but they had the written word of God as a
backup. God knew the people would turn away from Him and out of their mouths
would come different stories, stories that erred from His truth. They would
need the true physical words when they were ready to return to God’s ways. In
Deuteronomy 31-32, we see that God also gave people songs that contained the
truths of the Bible. Moses was given a song that he was to record for his
children and generations to come. It’s a very long song, so here, I’m putting
in a plug for memorization—a really useful skill for parents to teach to their
children, for sure.
I believe that it’s
important for all of us to first to all read the Bible stories, but then also
to memorize them to the point we actually could tell them accurately to our
children, or to anyone else for that matter. The fact that God gave Moses a
song is interesting too, because it seems that memorizing a song can be easier
than memorizing other things. We don’t need puzzles to work our brains; we have
the ability to enhance our brains with memorization. How many adults and
children actually do that anymore?
Just imagine, what if our
internet connections were totally blacked out? We wouldn’t be able to hear our
favorite preachers and wouldn’t be able to look up Bible stories online. And
what if we didn’t have a physical Bible to refer back to? How much Bible truth
would we know or be able to communicate, before error started to creep in? I’m
not trying to be negative, but it happens. God, Himself knew it would happen so
He’s constantly reminding us in His Word, to remember the stories of old and to
teach them.
I think that fathers and
mothers are very fortunate to have children to teach. It’s great for the
children to learn Bible stories, and it great for the parents to tell them, and
tell them accurately. Parents that take the time to teach, are ones who are
learning at the same time and establishing them in their own lives!
God inspired Moses to
write a song that the people of Israel could have and could teach their
children:
“And Moses went and spake these words unto all Israel. And
he said unto them, I am an hundred and twenty years old this day;
“Gather the people together, men, and women, and
children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may
hear, and that they may learn, and fear the Lord your God, and observe to do
all the words of this law: and that their children, which have
not known anything, may hear, and learn to fear the Lord your God, as long as ye live in
the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.
“Now therefore write ye this song for you and teach it
to the children of Israel: put it in their mouths, that this song may be a
witness for me” (Deut. 31:1-2, 12-13, 19).
God’s songs, stories, and
wise ways are what good fathers teach their children.
Love, Carolyn
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