As I was driving to work the other day I passed a group of kids waiting for the bus. My window must have been down slightly because I heard the familiar phrase “Punch Buggy Blue.” Sure enough, as I looked in my rear view mirror I saw them punching each other. If it’s not obvious by now, I drive a VW Beetle. When I shared the incident with my husband he commented that it’s funny how that has gotten passed down. They had to have heard it from their parents (or at least friends who heard it from their parents).
Isn’t that generally how we learn? Our parents (or teachers or guardian or neighbor) teach and guide us. It’s also true when it comes to what we know about God. It reminded me of a passage I just studied in Deuteronomy. As Moses is nearing the end of his life he wrote the law, gave it to the priests and commanded them to read it before all Israel every seven years.
“Assemble the people, men, women and little ones, and the sojourner within your towns, that they may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God, and be careful to do all the words of this law, and that their children, who have not known it, may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as you live in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess.” Deuteronomy 31:12-13 ESV
This was written for the Israelites just before they entered the land promised to them by God but the principle is certainly throughout scripture. We are to pass down our faith and teach it to our children. Not having children I could easily say this does not apply to me. But there will always be people younger in the faith than I with whom I can share. The convicting part for me is that I have to know it to teach it! The good news, though, is that I don’t have to wait for seven years to hear from God through His written word. I have access to at least ten Bibles at home in various versions, there are plenty of resources online that are free (www.biblegateway.com) and there are countless apps available for your phone.
I’m so thankful to be a part of Bible Study Fellowship but our current study is coming to a close. The challenge for me is to stay disciplined throughout the summer. What I need to remember is what Moses had to say to the Israelites just before he commanded them to read the law in the passage above:
“I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.” Deuteronomy 30:19-20 ESV
I choose life for The Lord IS my life. God’s Word and His presence are what sustain me. The choice is yours as well: death and destruction or blessings and life. Which one is true for you?
Have a good day!