I preached a sermon Sunday that included a reference to Psalm 127:1 that says, “Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain.”
The point, of course, is that God is to be the architect, foreman and ultimate beneficiary of our efforts to build an immediate family or a congregation or some other faith-based group.
And so I was inspired this morning because of two passages in the devotional reading for today from the One-Year Bible.
“After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the LORD nor what He had done for Israel. Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD and served the Baals. They forsook the LORD, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed and worshiped various gods of the peoples around them. They aroused the LORD’s anger because they forsook Him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths. In His anger against Israel the LORD gave them into the hands of raiders who plundered them. He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist.” (Judges 2:10-14)
“The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.” (Proverbs 14:1)
It’s tragic that the Hebrew moms who had been delivered by God into the Promised Land did not teach their children the scriptures given them by God through the pen of Moses.
God explicitly stated in Deuteronomy that if the parents taught their children the Word and will of God, the generations to follow would be showered with blessings and safety.
If they didn’t teach the kids as God ordained, bad things would happen.
Sadly, the moms were “too busy” to teach their kids about God.
Judges 2 clearly states what resulted.
That’s why Proverbs 14:1 is SO chilling.
If we’re not teaching children the ways of God, we’re teaching them the ways of the world.
And that is a sure formula for destroying our heritage and legacy.
Churches are less filled today than in the past because parents are “too busy” to teach their kids about God.
It’s no surprise that family life among too many Christian households is crumbling.
Please, in whatever role you have with your children or grandchildren or nephews or nieces or neighbor kids or any other kid over whom you have influence, teach them as often as possible about God’s love, His Word, His grace, His holiness and His desire for all to know Him through Jesus Christ.
Let’s build God’s household of faith rather than tear it down, one failed stone at a time.
As always, I love you
Martin
