Your word, Lord, is eternal;
Psalm 119:89-91
it stands firm in the heavens.
Your faithfulness continues through all generations;
you established the earth, and it endures.
Your laws endure to this day,
for all things serve you.
Okay, so there is a lot I could post. It’s been a beautiful week and pictures abound. So I will share this first, then a traditional “Photo Friday” a little later in the day. I have something extra special for Saturday.
Last week I shared Rebekah’s weekly “letter to the congregation” at Howard Memorial Presbyterian Church (A Letter from Rebekah on Personal Bible Study). The post generated a lot of interest, becoming one of the more popular of the year to date!
But I should not have been surprised. Rebekah has always been enthusiastic about connecting people with the scriptures more intentionally, and they respond positively to her passion – it has been one of the hallmarks of her ministry.
Here then – and in response to many requests – is her follow-up from this week:
“Going Deeper” letter March 13:
Hello Fine People,
This week I’m thinking about how we expose our children/youth to God, and to God’s Word. Here’s a question – or a bullet-list of questions – for thought.
- When you were growing up, were you raised in a community of faith that had age-appropriate Sunday School for all ages?
- Did you go to church camp each summer with a group of peers from the church?
- Was church/worship a weekly probability, or did your family “wait and see how everyone feels about it” every Sunday morning before deciding whether or not to go?
- Was VBS (vacation Bible school) always in the schedule for summertime activities?
- Did each day have a devotional time where a Bible passage was read, and prayers were given before turning off the light?
- Was there a Bible in your home that was used to collect dust? Or was it read as a family routine?
So how were you exposed to God’s Word? I am sure that most of us did several of these things that took us into Scripture. How then, are we exposing our church/youth to God’s word today? As a parent are you feeling good about your own Bible knowledge, and therefore qualified to engrain some of the basics into your children’s memories? Well… I never felt fully qualified, but Derek and I tried, and that’s what mattered the most.
Why Go Deeper?
My experience has been that the more I go deeper into God’s Word, the more I feel like a novice just getting started! That’s what happens to every student of the Bible… and it’s a good thing. It helps us grow in our relationship to God. It teaches us about God’s character and the depths of God’s love for us.
Going deeper informs our faith journey. It gives us direction in how to approach our troubled world as Christians.
Here’s an idea! I want you to try something. This is the season of Lent. We are moving toward Easter. Our Lenten Bible Study is about the Gospel of Luke. And so, as a family – or on your own – read a portion of Luke’s gospel every day, and end it with a simple prayer of gratitude.
If questions are asked, discuss the possibilities – as a family… and grow together.
Howard Memorial Presbyterian Church is a place worth knowing and sharing. Invite a friend this Sunday to join you. I look forward to meeting them.
Peace, peace and more peace – Rebekah