Training Up in Worship: Begins at Home
Maybe you are thinking, “What’s the big deal? They are just kid’s let them be.” The big deal is these babies, toddlers and children will not remain children for very long. They will soon enough grow up and begin to form their own opinion, their own choices, and they will become responsible for their own actions. They will be responsible to the Lord God of Heaven for the choices they make. Your job as a parent is to train up or prepare their hearts for these choices. If you wait until you can reason with your child, it may be too late.
We are talking about the eternal souls of your children. If you teach them to seek the Lord from the earliest part of their lives you are preparing them to have hearts of righteousness. You as parents are responsible to the Lord God of Heaven for the choices you make in the training up of your children. As a parent you need to heed the warnings of Jesus Christ.
“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” Matthew 18:6.
The big deal is that not teaching your little ones to seek the Lord, you are teaching them disinterest, apathy, or even disdain all of which lead to sin, and ultimately lead to death. Perhaps this sounds harsh to you. But keep in mind, this training is not something that will take place in their schools, or society. The responsibility lies solely with the parents. How much do you have to hate your children to lead their souls into eternal damnation? That is the big deal.
It is not only about their souls but your own as well. Jesus desires for our children to come after Him. As parents, you are responsible for the training up, the leading ,and the truth being written upon their hearts. Solomon wrote in the Proverbs:
“My son, keep my words,
And treasure my commands within you.
Keep my commands and live,
And my law as the apple of your eye.
Bind them on your fingers;
Write them on the tablet of your heart.” Proverbs 7:1-3.
“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, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” Deuteronomy 6:4-9.
You see, God commanded the Israelites to teach His laws to their children from the rising up in the morning to the going down to bed at night. It was a commandment that was to be a way of life, not one to do when it felt like the right time. Perhaps you are thinking, “Yes, but that is the Old Testament.” Ah, this is one of those statements that really gets me upset.
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:8.
God does not change. He is forever and eternal. His ways are righteous and pure. The Apostle Paul in the book of Timothy stated:
“But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:14-17.
So then, if ALL scripture is profitable for doctrine, reproof and correction as well as instruction in righteousness, would not the passage from Deuteronomy be profitable for a parent to understand that God desires us to train up our children to know Him, to know His will and to seek Him with all of their hearts?
Training Up in Worship Tip #3
Worship training beings at home. Teach your children how to praise God and listen to His word with their hearts while at home.
Begin training your child in worship at home. Sing worship songs throughout each day. Wake them with “This is the Day,” every day. God created all of the days, not just the first day of the week. Sing hymns in the car. Sing from your heart. When they sing along with you, let them know how happy it makes your heart to hear them singing praises to God. Teach them that it makes God’s heart happy too. Instruct them that it would also be good for them to sing songs to God when they are in the worship assembly. Let the training become a part of your everyday life, so that when they are in assembly they are familiar with what is happening.
“Both young men and maidens; Old men and children. Let them praise the name of the Lord, For His name alone is exalted;His glory is above the earth and heaven.” Psalm 148:12-13.
Read scripture with your children. Preferably several times a day, morning when you rise, as you sit at the table, before bed at night. By teaching them at home, where you are able to speak clearly to them teaching how to have respect for God’s word, you are preparing their hearts for the time in the worship assembly. If at home you say,“Ok, we are now going to read God’s word. During this time, I want you to be quiet, and listen with your heart.” You are beginning the process of teaching them how to listen to God’s word.
Pray with them. Teach them how to bow in prayer, thinking about talking to God their Father, and lead them. Teach them how to pray, instruct them on proper respect in prayer. They can not know, until you teach them.
Children learn through play. Some of my favorite memories are of when I was a little girl playing “church” with my brother and sisters. It is through such play that children learn what the pattern of worship looks and feels like. You as a parent, should encourage your children to play church. In fact, play with them, so that you can gently guide them in what is right. Set up some chairs with a table at the front. Decide who will do which role and then play out “church.” Using a play scenario takes the pressure off but allows you to engage in worship training in a kid friendly way.
As you are reading, praying or singing, watch their reaction to you. Let them see your eyes and help them to focus on your face during this time. Then when you are in the worship assembly with your babes, they will already be comfortable with the gentle control you have been training them with at home.
Before heading out to the worship assembly remind them, through repetition, that when God’s word is read they are to be quiet and listen with their hearts. Remember your goal is to help your children to make it to heaven. So in order to do that you must dedicate your role as a parent to the God-given responsibility to “train them up,” Ephesians 6:4. This begins at home.
This post is the 3rd part of my Training Up in Worship Series.
*Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
