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God Parents Children
By Loren M. Chamberlain
“These commandments that I give 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 6:6-7
Moses, after recalling for his audience the awesome meeting they had with God when they actually heard his voice, turned to the present, emphasizing the significance of these events for the present and the future. Responding to God’s instruction was the way for them to possess and enjoy the riches of the land promised to them.
Moses was directly commissioned to teach the Israelites so, they would, “walk in all the way the Lord God has commanded [them]” (Deuteronomy 5:33) and that they and their children, “may fear the Lord [their] God” (Deuteronomy 6:2) and “be careful to obey” (Deuteronomy 6:3).
Teaching Children
Not only were the Israelites to “walk, fear, and be careful to obey” they were also to teach their children to do the same, thereby passing along all the commandments of God to the next generation. If parents fail to pass on the Word of God to their children the truth of God can be lost in that generation. When my wife and I had young children we would encourage them to write out every verse the minister mentioned during the sermon. Not only did this keep them busy, they also learned God’s Word in two ways, by hearing and by writing. At home we would have a contest to see who could recite the most Bible verses by using flash cards. It was great fun to beat Mom or Dad!
With God given authority, Moses proclaimed to all Israel, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” These words express the unity of Israel’s God in contrast to the belief in “gods many and lords many.” This verse has been called the keynote of the Jewish faith, and should be understood by Christians as well (Deuteronomy 6:4).
Heart Soul Might
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:5). It is to be found that these words are central to the Book of Deuteronomy and are the core of God’s entire revelation through Moses to the Israelites. Jesus Himself taught, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37).
Loving God is the greatest of human acts. God’s laws are never burdensome and they can be reduced to two simple principles, love God and others. When you love God completely and care for others as you care for yourself, then you have fulfilled the intent of the Ten Commandments and the other Old Testament laws. According to Jesus, these two commandments summarize all of God’s laws. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:30-31).
God’s Expectations For Parents
“Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching” (Proverbs 1:8). From the previous scriptures we have read it is clear that God expects us to be good role models for the children of the family and there is no better place to model good behavior than in the home. Children learn values, morals, and priorities by observing how their parents act and react everyday to life experiences. By applying godly principles to everyday life we show children how to make life-oriented decisions using God’s Word.
Deuteronomy 6 sets a pattern that helps us relate the Word of God to our daily lives. We are to love God, think constantly about His commandments, teach His commandments to our children, and live each day by the guidelines of His word.
As we go about our daily tasks, we must remember, God is working in our life in ways we may not even notice. While it may seem to us that our children are not absorbing much in the way of God’s Word we must be patient and be aware God is our partner. We must never stop sowing the seed of God’s Word in the lives of our children. We must not close the door on what God can do in the lives of our children. Events do not occur by luck or coincidence. We should have faith that God is directing our life and the lives of our children through His Word and for His purpose.
As parents, we must make a commitment to love each child in a warm, affectionate, and supportive way and establish clearly defined and understood rules in the home; limits the children know they cannot violate without some consequence. By doing these things we will have fulfilled God’s instructions in Deuteronomy 6.
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