TRAINING CHILDREN TO COME TO THE LORD
The Bible says children are a gift from God (Psalm 127:3). And we should train them up in the way they should go, and when the are old they will not forget (Proverbs 22:6). Jesus Christ said, I am the way and the truth and the life—the only way to the heavenly father (John 14:6). We ought to teach children to come to the Lord (Matthew 19:14).
BEING AN EXAMPLE FOR OUR CHILDREN
A woman in the Old Testament named Hannah, saw her child as a gift from God; and dedicated the child to be trained in the way of the Lord. With the approval of her husband, their child, Samuel, was trained by a priest of God named Eli. Samuel became a minister to the people of the Lord (1 Samuel 1:21; 1 Samuel 2:11).
As a child, Timothy, in the New Testament, was trained in the way of the Lord by his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice. As a youth, he was fathered in the way of the Lord by the apostle Paul. The Lord used what Timothy learned to minister the gospel of Jesus Christ to others. (2 Timothy 1:2-8).
TEACHING CHILDREN THE WORD OF GOD
We should teach children, whom the Lord has put in our care, the inspired words of God which can equips them for life acceptable to God (2 Timothy 3:16-17). They should be taught Jesus loves them enough to come from heaven to die on a cross for the bad things they do. And if they believe in him as the Bible says, when they die he will take them to live with him in heaven forever. (John 3:16; John 14:2-3).
CHILDREN REMEMBER WHAT WE TEACH THEM
If we train up children in the way they should go, they will not forget it (Proverbs 22:6). The Bible parable of a Prodigal Son tells us about a child who was taught right–but went astray when he came of age–only to later return to his loving father. Attracted by the pleasures of the world, the son asked for his inheritance so he go out into to world. When he had spent all of his money on riotous living, and was destitute, he remembered his loving father and decided to go back home. His father welcomed and embraced him with open arms. (Luke 15:11-24).
Like the prodigal son, I went astray from what I was taught early in life about the Lord. My grandmother trained me in the way of the Lord by what she said and did: I heard her often talk about the goodness of God, and pray to him. I saw her show love to relatives and neighbors. She had me read Bible stories to her about Jesus and others. As a child I accepted the Lord in church; and later, worked as youth leader. But I went astray.
However, the Lord allowed me to reach my bottom, and I wanted to come back to the Lord. I remember the Bible said, let the wicked forsake his way and return to the Lord and he will abundantly pardon. And it said, if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just (because of Jesus’ atonement for sins) and will cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:7-9; Isaiah 55:7).
After returning to the Lord he forgave me. He put me back to work in his service as his child, and promised to restore to me the years that I wasted (Joel 2:25).
We ought to train up children to come to our Lord. He will richly reward us now, and give us eternal life as his children in the world to come (Mark 10:29:30).