Durruck
Pirate!
A Young Indiana Jones
By Jon Walker
“Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6)
I recall one Wednesday evening after church when I followed my two-year-old son as he wandered through the halls of the church building. To you and me, it would be a walk as mundane as dry toast, but to my young Indiana Jones, it was an adventure where every turn revealed a fresh and fascinating find.
During the service my pastor had asked for those who were “saved” as adults to raise their hands, and I wasn’t surprised to see a smattering of hands go up. I remember reading some research several years ago that indicated few adults in the United States embrace Jesus as their Savior. In fact, Islam has more adult converts than Christianity.
My pastor then asked how many had been saved when they were teenagers. Again a smattering of hands were raised, including mine. When he then asked how many had been saved as children, a majority of the people raised their hands.
It struck me that I had precious little time to tell my son about God.
Now don’t get me wrong; I’m not advocating pushing a two-year-old down the aisle, but we are told to train up a child in the ways of God. Although it would take years for him to fully comprehend the Gospel, I was reminded that I must not wait to tell him about the wonders of his Heavenly Father.
While I’m not responsible for whether he embraces Jesus, I do have a responsibility for laying a foundation that will help my son understand that salvation comes through God's Son – and God’s Son alone.
My prayer today is that every young Indiana Jones – with the help of a convicted parent struggling through an ancient text – will one day discover for himself the face of God.
May we all be strong stewards of the children God places in our lives.
So what?
* First things first – If you have a child, pray that your child’s heart will be open to God. Then, pray with your child so he will know God is there. If you don’t have a child in your life, ask the Lord if he has one who needs your influence.
* Take them to Jesus – Find a good children’s Bible story book and begin introducing your child to them. Be sure to point out how much Jesus himself loved and cared for children.
* Family time – In addition to giving Christ his rightful place in your family’s life at home, find a church home so other believers can come alongside you and help model Jesus to your child.
© 2007 Jon Walker. All rights reserved.
The above content is provided in its entirety from purposedrivenlife.com and used with the full permission of the website. Additional archives of the Purpose Driven Life devotionals can be found in their archive.
By Jon Walker
“Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6)
I recall one Wednesday evening after church when I followed my two-year-old son as he wandered through the halls of the church building. To you and me, it would be a walk as mundane as dry toast, but to my young Indiana Jones, it was an adventure where every turn revealed a fresh and fascinating find.
During the service my pastor had asked for those who were “saved” as adults to raise their hands, and I wasn’t surprised to see a smattering of hands go up. I remember reading some research several years ago that indicated few adults in the United States embrace Jesus as their Savior. In fact, Islam has more adult converts than Christianity.
My pastor then asked how many had been saved when they were teenagers. Again a smattering of hands were raised, including mine. When he then asked how many had been saved as children, a majority of the people raised their hands.
It struck me that I had precious little time to tell my son about God.
Now don’t get me wrong; I’m not advocating pushing a two-year-old down the aisle, but we are told to train up a child in the ways of God. Although it would take years for him to fully comprehend the Gospel, I was reminded that I must not wait to tell him about the wonders of his Heavenly Father.
While I’m not responsible for whether he embraces Jesus, I do have a responsibility for laying a foundation that will help my son understand that salvation comes through God's Son – and God’s Son alone.
My prayer today is that every young Indiana Jones – with the help of a convicted parent struggling through an ancient text – will one day discover for himself the face of God.
May we all be strong stewards of the children God places in our lives.
So what?
* First things first – If you have a child, pray that your child’s heart will be open to God. Then, pray with your child so he will know God is there. If you don’t have a child in your life, ask the Lord if he has one who needs your influence.
* Take them to Jesus – Find a good children’s Bible story book and begin introducing your child to them. Be sure to point out how much Jesus himself loved and cared for children.
* Family time – In addition to giving Christ his rightful place in your family’s life at home, find a church home so other believers can come alongside you and help model Jesus to your child.
© 2007 Jon Walker. All rights reserved.
The above content is provided in its entirety from purposedrivenlife.com and used with the full permission of the website. Additional archives of the Purpose Driven Life devotionals can be found in their archive.