Surrounded by His Words

The Bible tells us plainly to give our children a distinctively Christian education at all times.  In a glorious passage, God declares, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up . . . You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates” (Deut. 6:4-9).  

God teaches Christian parents six truths in Deuteronomy 6.  

First, God Himself speaks directly to us—“I command you today.”  This passage is not someone’s opinion but rather comes to us directly from the very mouth of God.

Second, God speaks to us as parents—“And these words that I command you today.”  He speaks to all believing parents who love Him, to those Stephen called “the church in the wilderness” (Acts 7:38).    

Third, God directs us to place His words in our hearts—“And these words . . . shall be in your heart.”  He promises to write His Word on our hearts and gives us His Spirit to guide us by His Word of truth (Ezek. 36:26-27).

Fourth, God tells us to surround our children with His words—“You shall teach them . . . to your children” because our children matter to Him (Matt. 19:14).  Our children belong to Him, and He gives them to us and tells us to raise them for Him and His glory.

Fifth, God encourages us to teach His Word to our children in a certain kind of way—diligently— “You shall teach them diligently to your children.”  We are to teach our children His words intentionally and purposefully. 

Sixth, God helps us see that we are to surround our children with His words everywhere and at all times—“You shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. . . You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

So God commands us as Christian parents to surround our children diligently with His loving and joyful words from the time they get up until they go to sleep at night, whether they are walking or sitting.  Simply put, our children belong to God all the time, including the hours from 8:00 a.m. till 3:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, August through May.  

At Regents Academy, we serve Christian parents by helping parents to diligently surround their children with God’s words everywhere and at all times.  In every class, at every place on our campus, we strive to teach our students to think like Christians, to apply God’s Word to every area of their lives, to see through the lens of God’s story of the world, to worship and serve their Creator and Savior. Together we are obeying God’s words in Deuteronomy 6, and we trust Him to add His blessing and favor so that our obedience is fruitful in our children’s lives. To Him be the glory!