1) Personal Gospel living

The principle of Deuteronomy 6:4-9 shows that the prerequisite to teaching our children about God, and by implication then sharing the gospel with them, is to live the gospel ourselves. Sharing the gospel with our children must be preceded by a love for the Lord our God. This is the first step. If we do not truly worship God as the only God and love Him more than anything else with all that we have, our children will simply see us as hypocrites and this will cast doubt in their mind over the Gospel. They need to see us, their parents worship God daily, not only in our quiet times or family worship, but daily in every task that we undertake, our love for the one true God should be evident. It is true that with children many things are caught rather than taught.

Children learn well by observation. Therefore our example of Gospel living or our devoted love for God is a nonnegotiable in imparting the truth of the Gospel to our children. We are aware that our example cannot be perfect, even though we are saved, we still sin. But this also provides the perfect opportunity for the Gospel as we point them to the only perfect example, Jesus in whom we have forgiveness when we fail. As parents we need to ask forgiveness from our children when we have wronged them, when we lack compassion or when we exasperate them. They should see that we have a very deep and real need for forgiveness from our heavenly Father.

2) Personal teaching of the Gospel

In our endeavour to share the gospel with our children, it is of utmost importance that the gospel is evident in every aspect of our daily lives, because it is so relevant for every circumstance that we find ourselves in. There are countless opportunities every day to share the gospel: when we discipline our children, when we share a meal, when we experience nature and when we take them to church. As parents we need to be on the lookout for every opportunity to teach the gospel to our children. Nowhere in Scripture is it mentioned that we must start engaging in this process from a particular age, nor is it mentioned that we must ever stop engaging in this process at any given time.

The Lord’s commandments are to be the continual subject of daily conversation, it doesn’t require a special occasion, but should be linked to every aspect of daily life. As a parent of young ones, I am constantly aware of their depraved nature (and mine) and therefore I cannot reason any other way that they have a need for the gospel from the very first breath that they take. From that very moment they are little sinners that are in need of a Saviour. They need to hear the gospel proclaimed to them throughout each day, for without hearing how will they believe? (Rom 10:17)

I was blessed as my boys and I read through parts of Daniel, Ester, Jonah and Ezra as was discussed during Sunday School lessons. I was able to show them that these were not mere stories, but that Scripture has a golden thread throughout and that the memory verses that we have been learning could be seen as tangible evidence in some of these characters’ lives.

For example, we were able to see that Daniel was a living example of Proverbs 1:7a and therefore he did not fear or refrained from praying to God when orders were given to do so, he also had wisdom as given by God to interpret various dreams. Another fitting and challenging verse (to both children and parents) that we recently encountered in our home is Galatians 5:22 “The fruit of the Spirit”. Again it fitted a Sunday School preparation. In Esther 6, we were able to see that Mordecai did what was right in the eyes of the Lord as he demonstrated love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. We do not teach the Word of the Lord to our children so that they can become Pharisees who are able to recite Scripture and catechisms in vain conceit, yet inwardly remain unchanged.

We do not teach Scripture to our children so that they can become outwardly obedient and pleasant children. We also do not teach the Word of the Lord to our children in order to save them ourselves. 1 Corinthians 3:6-7 says “I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. Neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth.” God is the one who saves, not by our works of wonderful parenting, but by grace through faith, salvation is a gift from the Lord. Yet, we do acknowledge the stewardship we have from God in this regard. If the law appeals to our conscience and makes us aware of our sin (Romans 7) then knowing the Word of God would become a compass for the conscience of our children that should drive them from the folly that is bound up in their hearts, safely into the arms of Christ.

3) Corporate worship

Our children need to see that we have a desire to worship God along with other believers and for this reason they should from a young age learn to be part of a corporate worship service so that they can see how to praise God appropriately in a corporate setting through singing, prayer and preaching. This gives them the opportunity to see God worshipped by other Gospel transformed believers. We should not underestimate the impact a Gospel believing, Gospel preaching church has on our children. Therefore, we ought to make the most of corporate worship gatherings.

Robbie Castleman describes in her book “Parenting in the pew”, that our goal in church is not to teach our children merely to behave and sit quietly so that they are not a hindrance to other worshippers. She explains that many adults still do just that, sit quietly in a service while they are unmoved by the Word of God. Worshipping God in spirit and in truth does not come easily or naturally, it is hard work. We want to teach our children to be attentive during worship as we come into the presence of the Holy God. It’s a matter of training the heart to hear and respond to the Gospel, not just the outward result of sitting still without disturbing anyone. In this corporate setting children see much of the Gospel lived out. Every aspect of the worship service is a proclamation of and response to the Gospel. At church children are confronted with the Gospel through the Gospel prayers, the Gospel singing, the Gospel read out loud form the Scriptures, the Gospel expounded upon through the preaching, the Gospel administered through the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. As our children watch us worship God corporately at church they should see that we come before the Lord with alert minds and our hearts that are open to worship the King who save us from our sin.

Conclusion…

I am convinced that Deuteronomy 6:7 uses the word diligently to encourage us as parents because this is no easy task. Yet two things drive us to this tenacious devotion to gospel ministry to our children: a passion for God’s glory, and a compassion for our children.

a) A passion for God’s Glory Our task of living and sharing the gospel with our children primarily is a matter of obedience, obedience because we are commanded to do this just like Israel was commanded in Deuteronomy 6. And our obedience glorifies God.

Furthermore, until our children submit to the One True and Living God by turning away from their sin to trust in the cross of Christ, they are not glorifying God. We should be grieved by their sin because they are committing it against the Holy God and not because it is making our lives difficult.

b) A compassion for our children The task demands patience and endurance as well as compassion that flow from a heart that has been forgiven by our Master and Maker. Jesus had compassion on His children and therefore endured pain, suffering and separation from God on the cross. Because Jesus had compassion on us, we ought to have compassion on our children also. Grace has been demonstrated to us, we too should be gracious onto our children, and teach them the Word of the Lord so that they will glorify God through their lives.

In my own life I have seen that parenting is still a joy even when it is hard to discipline and disciple our children, but it’s only when I look to my Saviour for grace and to give me the compassion that I need for my little ones.

May we be encouraged by the sufficiency of Scripture and it’s relevancy in every situation of our daily lives however mundane the situation might seem. There is peace and comfort in the daunting task of sharing the gospel with our children as we find our rest and assurance in our great God and Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.

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My name was M*. My home consisted of my biological mother, the man she was living with, an older sister and a younger brother. I have good memories of engaging with my little brother, but other than that, there weren’t many good childhood memories.

My biological mother made me believe I was ugly and worthless; she did this through her harsh words and emotional rejection. I knew no such thing as celebrating Christmas or any of my birthdays. I was there and had to be tolerated. There was no mistaking that I was unwanted and unloved. For a little girl, all I can remember was that I wanted was a loving family.

In 2006, my biological mother told me I needed to pack my things and that I was going on a trip by myself. She told me that a lady would come and pick me up and that I mustn’t be at home when she got back from work. And she left me there, standing in my room. L*(the social worker from Abba Adoptions) came and fetched me. I asked her if she was going to be my ‘new mom’ but she said ‘No’ and promised me that she would find me just the right mom and ‘forever family.’ Until then I was to stay with Tannie B* who was a place of safety. She also looked after special needs babies. I stayed with her for a year. My memory of that time was just of her loving me, caring for me and being so kind. It was the first time real love was shown to me.

While I stayed with her, an Afrikaans family sometimes looked after me on weekends, but it was always temporary, so I figured no-one would ever love me permanently. I remember my first day of becoming a Johnson so clearly. Dad_and_Mom were crying when they came to fetch me and my two brothers were so excited. I was so excited to be going to my new home with my new family who had chosen to love me and make me part of them.

I remember my mom asking me to do something and I just said ‘Yes,’ and she instructed me to say, ‘Yes, Mom.’ It was weird and new and wonderful and strange.

Before I was adopted, Mom lovingly made a scrapbook to introduce each member of my new family – Dad, Mom, my two older brothers and my sister in Heaven. It also had pictures of my new home and a pretty bedroom – just for me.

At the back of the scrapbook was a letter my mom had written explaining why they were giving me a new name; Mika Hope. I asked Tannie B* to read it over and over to me:

Dear M*

We already love you. We have prayed that if God wanted to bring a little girl into our family, He would do it when the time was right and would find the perfect little girl for us.

I know it might seem a little scary for you – but remember, my sweet little one, that God has prepared our family for you and you for our family.

In the Bible, God sometimes changed people’s names when He adopted them into His family. We would like to change your name to one that is similar to your name right now, but will be unique for you in our family.

We would like to change your name to MIKA HOPE. Mika is a name that comes from Japan and means ‘beautiful fragrance.’

We have chosen ‘Hope’ for your second name because no matter what has happened in our lives or what sadness we have gone through, God always gives us hope in Jesus.

We can’t wait for you to become part of our family so that we can start making special memories together.

All my love,

Your new mommy.

In the beginning I kept thinking that no-one would love me permanently. I believed the dream of a family would end soon. But as I began to settle in, I began to realise that I was good enough no matter my stubbornness and faults. As my parents showed God’s love to me, my heart softened and my independent will started changing. God was working in my heart and in all our hearts. He was writing new chapters to my story.

I remember one time, when I was eight, I was invited to a friend’s birthday party. I was the only little girl there who was not white. (That happens quite often when you are adopted into a white family.)

Anyway, my mom had just bought me pretty new sandals which I wore to the party. We then played a party game where we were divided into two teams and a sheet was placed over one team who were lying on the ground. We were covered except for our feet which stuck out. The other team had to guess who the feet belonged to. Before I lay down under the sheet, I ran to my mom and asked her to take my sandals as everyone would guess it was me because of my sandals. It didn’t dawn on me that I was the most obvious one to guess because of my skin colour!

I now have my own testimony of God’s grace and salvation in my life. As I look back, I can see God’s hand and how He was caring and protecting me.

I have been doubly adopted – physically and spiritually.

My identity is Mika Hope Johnson – I am half Coloured, half Indian and completely White.

But it is God’s adoption of me that has given me my true identity.

When God adopts us, He changes our past, our future and everything about us.

“He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace.” (Ephesians 1:4-6)

It is because of God’s adoption of me that I am not rejected because Jesus was rejected on the cross for me so that I could belong to Him and have a heavenly Father.

It is God’s adoption of me that reminds me that I am not unwanted or unloved, because He chose me before the foundation of the world.

It is God’s adoption of me that reminds me that His love is not temporary but that He will love me with an everlasting love.

It is God’s adoption of me that that promises me that He will never leave me nor forsake and that nothing can ever snatch me out of His hand.

God chose to show me this through my earthly adoption into the Johnson family. My family. My ‘forever family.’ God chose to do this through the work of Jesus on the cross. Adoption is a picture of the Gospel of Grace. I am grateful to be part of that story and to know that God is still writing my story. And because God is the author, I know it is a beautiful story and a good story and it will have a wonderful ending.

Mika is 17 years old and currently in Grade 11. Visual Art is her favourite subject at school and her after school activities include Highland Dancing and Hockey. She is planning on studying Nursing when she finishes school.

Continue to read this beautiful love story here as told from her mom’s perspective, our very own Prov31 contributor Leanne Johnson.

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Social justice has always been important to the Lord. He has always been a God for the disenfranchised and the oppressed in society, a God who cares for the widows and orphans. He is a God of Justice and He will judge wrongdoings.

Yet, why do I sense I’m getting lost in the noise and emotion of all the various movements? So much so, that I’ve somehow lost sight of the Lord in the process. What I’m hearing in the #mustfall movements seems to be shutting out the gospel, seems to almost be excluding God.

It’s just that, with all the vigour and emotion I’m seeing lately, you’d swear that #mustfall is the salvation of our people. That living in a racially harmonious society is what we truly need, that if we all had unhindered assess to good facilities regardless of socio-economic status then we could truly be free and happy. That free education is the final step in our emancipation. Granted, those are all good ideals …however, what would be the point of gaining all these privileges (rights?) and still losing your soul?

What’s Gods agenda though? Is God for #mustfall movements?

[eltdf_blockquote text=”The question isn’t which side is God on – but rather, am I on His side? God is in the business of saving souls. All souls. Our souls know no colour, but are universally tainted with the same ugly stain of sin. We’re all born spiritually equal; all born with the exact same spiritual attribute – we were dead. God is in the business of bringing dead souls to life.” title_tag=”h2″ width=””]

I’m wondering if I’ve gotten so caught up in #mustfall movements that I’m no longer being about my Fathers business. God’s agenda is so much bigger than all our issues combined. These movements are only temporarily fixes. It’s like giving cough mixture to someone suffering a heart attack. The cough mixture really can’t do much in that situation. While it is medicine, it’s not the correct prescription for the ailment.

#Mustfall movements could lead to the provision of temporally relief for the disgruntled masses, but they won’t fix the true problems we have as a people. So, even if #rhodesfalls #feesfall #zumafalls, #afrikaansfalls, #outsourcingfalls and even #Nkandlafalls…even then…your soul is still dead in your sins and transgressions. Your sins still need forgiveness. Happily ever after does not exist on this side of eternity. Once #allhasfallen, there will arise another inequality which needs protesting (and protest you must if needs be).

The Lord however, is the great physician. He’s already fixed our truest and deepest need; more than we need racial harmony, more than we need equality for all, more than we need free education, even more than we need our daily bread – we need forgiveness for our sins. That’s something you can’t buy, that’s something white privilege won’t get you, that’s something your disadvantaged background has not excluded you from. The work of Christ on the cross is freely available to all. Because all our souls are stained with sin and His blood is the only cure. Before all else…#sinmustfall… #forgivnessonlyatthecross…#dontgetlostinthenoise.

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