I don't know if you've heard, but there is a new member of the Murray household. His name is Banks (taken from a song by NEEDTOBREATHE) and he is a Bernadoodle. He's sweet and affectionate and seems to love everyone he meets. He is fun and playful and energetic. But let's be honest, he's a puppy. So he's also a lot of work at times. He has to be fed and walked. He has accidents, from time to time, that need to be cleaned up. He jumps up on people and particular loves to nibble on people's hands, toes and anything else that he can. The truth is, he needs to be trained.
Training a puppy can be a lot of work. It takes time and effort. It requires consistency. But in the end it is worth the effort. It is an investment. Because if we put in the hard work when he's young, he is going to be a great family dog for many years to come. I was thinking about that this morning when I felt like God was saying ”it's the same with people.” The Bible says “train up a child in the way they should go and when they are old they will not depart from it.” We have a whole generation of young people, growing up all around us, who need love and guidance. The kind of training and guidance this generation needs will not come from the world. It must come from the church, the people of Christ.
We probably all realize that raising up a generation of children with a knowledge of the truth, and a faith in Christ, will be hard work. That is particularly true in light of our current culture that not only does not support a Biblical worldview, but is often antithetical to it. But I believe it is worth whatever time and effort it will require to raise our children in the faith. It is an investment in our greatest treasure, our kids.
I believe God is calling us at Rock Church to make a significant investment in the next generation. More than ever, our kids need the truth of scripture and the hope of Jesus in their lives. And no one will provide that for them but us. There is no doubt that children's ministry, youth ministry, personal mentoring and other aspects of our investment in our young people, is hard work. But the return on this investment is life-changing. In fact, I can't think of anything we do as a church that has the potential for a greater impact.
I want to encourage every one of us to be in prayer for our children and youth. Please pray every day for those within the church and beyond. We also need people to get involved in a hands on way. I am praying that many of us will sense God's call to find a way to intentionally invest in this generation through children's ministry, youth ministry or some other area. Yes, it can be hard work. But there is no greater investment.
Have a blessed week.
Love you all,
Pastor Steve