Thursday, April 8, 2021

The Shema

Deuteronomy 6:4 (NASB)
“Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!

Moses said to the children of Israel, that they shall love the Lord their God with all of their heart, and with of their soul, and with all of your might; (Dt 6:5) the New Testament adds, “and with your mind.” (Lk 10:27) Moses goes on to teach the Israelites that all the words that he is charging them with today, shall be on their hearts, and they shall teach them to their children. They shall talk of them when they sit in the home, when they are walking, when they lie down, and when the rise up. (Dt. 6:6-7)

What is your greatest regret in life? 
In the Baptist tradition, believers in the church present their children before the congregation, (baby dedication) vowing to raise them in the way of the Lord; other denominations baptize their children. Whether presenting or baptizing, all agree, that children are very important in the life blood of the church.

My greatest regret in life is that I did not catechize our children. I did not teach our children they way of the Lord Jesus Christ. I cannot blame the Lord for the way that my children are going, all blame is mine, for it is the duty of fathers to teach their children the way of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I came to the Lord Jesus Christ late in life. I was converted at the age of 41. When I came to repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, our son was 20 and our daughter 16. Even then, I did not turn to teach our children, but began evangelizing the world, passing out gospel tracts, and preaching in the open-air.

I cannot catechize our children now, that time has past, but I encourage all who might read this blog to love and teach your children the way of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Beginning tomorrow morning, for the next 107 mornings, I will be going through the 107 questions, and answers, in the shorter catechism; I will be writing about them in this blog.