The Children For Christ by Andrew Murray

evealed. He may not entrust this work to school or church; it is
astonishing how vague the knowledge thus obtained often is. Let family
worship be so ordered as to be really helpful in the knowledge of God's
Word. Try always to make it clear at what stage in the history of the
kingdom and in the progress of revelation it was that the word you read
was given. Take trouble to lodge in the mind not only the truths and the
history of the Bible, but specially to store the memory with some of
God's own words. Be not content with the child's learning and saying
his text at fixed times; it is often forgotten as soon as said. But seek to
have some of these words, by frequent repetition, so rooted in the mind
that nothing can efface them. Teach the child to know the book itself
too; to be at home in it, to feel at home and more at ease in it; to be
taught by unfeigned faith thus to know the sacred writings is an
inestimable blessing.
Teach your child to love God's Word. This is more difficult than to teach
it to believe and to know it. There is often the assent of faith, and an
interest in the knowledge of Scripture, with very little of real love to it.
To teach this is no easy task. Its first requisite is, of course, that we love
it ourselves. 'Oh, how love I Thy law,' is an expression of piety which
many an earnest believer will be afraid to utter. Love and joy ever go
together: what I love I rejoice to possess. Reverence and respect for
God's "Word, the earnest study of it, and the desire to be guided by it,—
these are good,— but they do not necessarily breathe that bright spirit
of delight which says to God, 'Oh, how love I Thy law!'
And yet it is love of which a child's heart is specially susceptible.
Childhood is the age of feeling and impression; the child can be won
before it can give a reason of its hope. And a parent's holy, tender love
to the Word of God will be the surest means of inspiring the child's
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