RAISING GOODLY CHILDREN

TEXT: EXODUS 2:1-10.

Key Verse:“And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months” (Exodus 2:2)

Many years ago, there lived in London, England, a master musician, who adopted a street urchin. Each day, the musician took the boy to his studio and taught him. Over the years, the boy grew to become a genius in music. He made his first operatic appearance at the age of twenty-one. Music lovers within the country came to see him play. The master musician said to the young man, “Son, do not pay any attention to the people. Fix your eyes on me.” Each time he played, the crowd went wild with enthusiasm, women threw bouguets at his feet; but he failed to notice them. His eyes were fixed on the old master who was standing on the top gallery.

Moses was born at a troublous time in the history of the Israelites. His parents found him a goodly child and hid him three months from Pharaoh’s rampaging army. At three months, when they could not hide him any longer, they put him by the river’s brink and set his sister to watch. Through divine arrangement, he was adopted by Pharaoh’s daughter but trained by his parents to fulfil the purpose of his life as the eventual deliverer of Israel.

It is never the will of God for Christian parents to have ungodly children. From an early age, there is need to teach our children that the Christian life should be lived as though they are in a race which must be won at all cost. Let every conversation endear them to holiness, which qualifies for heaven.

The master musician in our introductory story, instructed the young musician to focus on him, and not on the public. Christian parents should point their children to Jesus. “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith…” (Hebrew 12:2)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: It is better to have the womb shut than raise ungodly, vagabond children.

COVER to COVER:. PSALMS 131; 138-139; 143 - 145.

• PONDER: Secret of raising your Moses

1. Both parents were godly v1. The man married from the most consecrated tribe- the levites.
2. Both of them had strong faith in God v2,3. Hebrews 11:23 shows both had the faith. Faith swallowed fears.
3. They put their faith to action v3,4.
4. The parents were united in the upbringing. It was not a one man business v2,3, Hebrews 11:23.
5. They showed diligent care and concern for him v3,4.
6. They had the same care for all their children without partiality. Miriam (about 6years old) was smart and fearless v5-7. Aaron was consecrated and spiritual. All from the same family.
7. Reward of godly training: Moses was state sponsored with the best education possible v9; all the children were used of God to deliver the nation.
8. Godly parents must produce godly seed Malachi 2:15.

HYMN: Gracious Spirit, dwell with me