I loved our babies passionately. I would smother their faces with kisses, just as my mother would do with us. I was also passionate about God, and I yearned for our children to have that same passion.
I enjoyed talking to my babies, but I didn’t want to talk baby talk. We did play “This little piggy went to market,” and they loved “Hickory dickory dock” when my fingers played mouse from their toes to their nose. But this mom wanted something meaningful to talk about. So as well as nursery rhymes, I recited Scripture!
The idea came to me after reading Isaiah 55:11 (NKJV) “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” Wow! God’s Word would prosper our babies!
I also read in Deuteronomy 11:18-19 that we are to teach our children God’s Word and talk to them about it when we walk down the road, when we sit in our homes, when we lie down and when we rise up. In other words, all the time!
I began praying aloud with them when they were newborn. It soon became routine to recite Scripture aloud when I changed diapers. I spoke with expression, careful to enunciate each word as if I expected them to understand. After all, God’s Word is alive and powerful! I was amazed to discover God’s Word had a calming effect on my babies—even and especially when they were crying.
Memorizing comes easily for the very young, especially when put to music. So I would also sing Scripture and simple hymns. Soon after our babies could speak their first words, God’s Word began spilling out of their mouths: John 3:16-18, Proverbs 3:5-6 and later the Lord’s Prayer.
Of course, it was reinforced through the years. The kids are now grown. It blesses me to see them raising their children, in the same way—on God’s Word.
Children need to learn God’s Word at a young age. As they grow, they need to learn to appropriate God’s Word in their lives. They need to see their parents doing the same. We learn God’s Word so it becomes a part of us—so that when life gets difficult, when temptation is there, we can use what we have stored in our hearts. We can cling to the promises and claim them for ourselves.
- So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:11 NKJV
- ONLY ONE LIFE – Lyrics by C.T. Studd, circa 1900; Music by Kathleen
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[This life is temporary. This life is short. When this life is over, our bodies will die and become empty shells, but our souls will continue to live forever. Where will the “real you” live? Will you live for all eternity separated from God? Or will you spend eternity in the presence of God in heaven? Learn more so you can make your most important decision: http://www.godlife.com/gospel/ and http://www.godlife.com/en/about-christianity
