“I Will Not Neglect Your Word”
A man sees the warning label on the cigarette package every time he buys a pack. And when the doctor tells him, “There’s this spot on your lung…”, he thinks, “Why didn’t I listen?” A young woman is in love. Her parents tell her they see lots of red flags the more they get to know the guy, but she marries him anyway. And a year later, mistreated and miserable, she wonders, “Why didn’t I listen?”
God doesn’t want us to suffer because we did not listen to him. So in the Bible he has given us examples of those who paid a high price for ignoring his Word. The other day, in Pastor Tullberg’s devotion on the seventh plague the Lord sent on Egypt, we learned that God told Pharaoh that a destructive hail storm was coming the next day, and that people and livestock should take cover. Here is what happened:
Those officials of Pharaoh who feared the word of the Lord hurried to bring their slaves and their livestock inside. But those who ignored the word of the Lord left their slaves and livestock in the field. It was the worst storm in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. Throughout Egypt, hail struck everything in the fields- both men and animals (Exodus 9:20,21,24,25)
Parents, God wants to spare your children from the folly of rejecting his Word, “the word of life” (Philippians 2:16), the only source of eternal life through faith in Jesus. That is why he tells you:
“These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” (Deuteronomy 6:6-8)
God wants you to know what is at stake in our children hearing his Word, so that you confess with God’s people of old:
“We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done…so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands. They would not be like their forefathers– a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose hearts were not loyal to God, whose spirits were not faithful to him.” (Psalm 78:4,6–8)
If you have not exactly been faithful in teaching your children God’s Word at home, find comfort in the fact that the central message of God’s Word is that our sins are all forgiven in Jesus. Leave your guilt and regret at the cross and walk away free, at peace, and eager to carry out this important task with renewed joy and commitment in Jesus.
If you need guidance or resources for teaching your children, call one of your pastors. We’d be thrilled to help you! Use the daily email devotions your church sends out. Or consider taking the Bible Discovery Class to get reacquainted with the main teachings of the Bible. And by all means come to the adult Bible Class this fall while your children attend Sunday School. By faith, say with David: “I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.” (Psalm 119:16)