One of Israel’s first and most important holidays was the Passover. As the plague of the death of the firstborn ripped through Egypt, God “passed over” the homes of anyone observing the feast (cf. Exo. 12:21-23). Yet, its significance didn’t end there. God instructed each family to keep observing it – and to engage their children in it. “And when you come to the land that the LORD will give you, as he has promised, you shall keep this service. And when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ you shall say, ‘It is the sacrifice of the LORD’s Passover, for he passed over the houses of the people of Israel in Egypt…’” (Exo. 12:25-27). When proscribing the means for delivering His people and establishing an enduring ritual, God thought of the children. Of course He did: He is the “Father of the fatherless” (Ps. 68:5). His Son commanded, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God” while scooping up the little ones (Mk. 10:13-16). Ask Him what “pure and undefiled religion” is, and visiting orphans tops the list (Jam. 1:27).
God thinks of the children…and so should we. Faith is more than our personal devotion: it is an inheritance we entrust to the next generation (cf. 2 Tim. 1:5, 2:1-2). What kind of faith are we entrusting to our children? If its practice always takes a back seat to other priorities, those small daily decisions will add up to a poor future. If our homes are full of the sounds of worldly entertainment but not prayer, singing, or Scripture, how exactly do we think they will become “acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make [them] wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 3:14-15)? If our goal at worship is keeping them quiet – instead of engaging them like God taught with the Passover – don’t be surprised when they won’t worship as adults.
We are all blessed to belong to a church family that does think of the children. Our song leaders include “Jesus Loves Me” and contemporary praise songs in our worship, and our minister and secretary coordinate far in advance so our children have age-appropriate activities for each sermon. Loving adults lead Bible studies every Sunday night in-person, kid-friendly family studies every Wednesday night online, creative Bible and music classes every other Tuesday afternoon, and meaningful occasions for our children to learn fellowship and service. God loves our children and has blessed us with so many opportunities to bring them to Him. Now, you get to choose: how will you think of the children?
Learn more about how you and your family can grow with us at www.georgetownchurchofchrist.com.