The Word Will Not Return Void
CBN.com So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. (KJV)
Our friend, Dr. Dick Foth, once told us about a dynamic young pastor whom he was mentoring who suffered a brain aneurysm. There was little chance that he would live, as he lay in the hospital bed in a coma. As the days wore on, family and friends took turns at his bedside, hoping for some sign of recovery. They would speak to him, looking for some response – even a flicker of an eyelid or a squeeze of their hand.
Dr. Foth loved the young pastor and sat there alone with him one day, weeping, telling him how frustrating it was to remember all the deep spiritual discussions they used to have about the Word. And now, there was nothing there but a shell. Finally, Dr. Foth began to sing to him, “Jesus loves me, this I know. For the Bible tells me so. Little ones to Him belong. They are weak but He is strong.” Suddenly, the young man’s lips begin to move and he began to silently sing the song, too.
Day by day, the young pastor began to respond more. Despite the initial medical prognostications, he recovered somewhat, returning to a mind like that of a small child. Amazingly, in response to scripture being read, or at a time of prayer, a glimmer of his former brilliance would return. Dr. Foth came to understand that that was a response by his spirit, the God-breathed existence within him, that never changed despite his mental capabilities.
We were working with teenagers at the time we heard this story. That can be a frustrating ministry, because, often, it seems that nothing you say or nothing you do seems to break through to teens. Sometimes they are loud and distracted, and sometimes they are sullen and cold. The momentary glimmers of breaking through become too infrequent to maintain motivation and inspiration.
Then, when we had children of our own, the problem seemed to be even more evident. Despite our best efforts, we weren’t always certain that our kids were receiving our attempts at bringing God and His word into their lives. Daily interruptions, childish irresponsibility and sometimes just their ordinary obstinate human nature make it difficult to be intentional about consistently ministering to your children.
So, how can we be certain that is truth that we can build on? When there are no signs that God is at work in the lives of family and friends, what keeps us going? As Dr. Foth recognized, God’s Word is more powerful than the limitations of the human mind. Yet, the spirit of every human being is tuned into it. Never is the Word empty and meaningless.
As parents, we continue doing the things that bring Christ into our kids’ lives. He assures that His Word is at work. is a powerful promise for parents.
“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
Hebrew mothers practiced a method that taught their brand new babies the sucking action so that they could be well nourished. They dabbed olive juice or date juice on their finger and then rubbed it on the palette in the baby’s mouth. The procedure would produce a sucking response and, soon, the baby would be trained to react with that response whenever it was time to be fed. It became a conditioned reflex, so natural to the baby that it became a part of who he was.
This training was probably what intends for us to notice. It involved a parent’s dedication to the task at hand, and an intentional and consistent process that would bring the baby to achieving the desired results.
Training a child is not only a discipline for the child. It’s even more of a discipline for the parents. The ultimate goal is to eventually develop an adult who is seeking and fulfilling God’s personal purposes for his life. It’s not our task to determine how that will look or what form we’d like it to take. Our task is to encourage a lifestyle that’s ingrained from an almost habitual practice of following Him and knowing His Word. That direction is a result of a parent’s tireless effort to direct and redirect their child to God for wisdom, purpose, help and inspiration.
This is not going to be accomplished, though, through mere instruction. And, while discipline and correction are necessary in a child’s life, those are not the elements that will give them a heart that eagerly seeks God. Just like the Hebrew mother trained her child, we first need to create within children that hunger for His Word. And that can’t happen unless they can taste it for themselves. God’s Truth through the Scripture, offered to them intentionally and lived out in our lives consistently, bring life within the spirit of a child. Despite circumstances and responses God’s Word assures it.
Martha and Greg Singleton have, for 30 years, met the challenges of balancing successful careers and raising a faith-filled family, and in the process, they have gained some valuable insights. Their first book, Setting Up Stones: A Parents Guide to Making Your Home a Place of Worship, was released by New Hope Publishers last year. It redefines worship in light of todays world, and presents practical examples and specific activities that parents can use to involve their family in dynamic, relevant worship, moving beyond the quickly read daily thought to engaging, entertaining exercises that captivate the whole family. This year, New Hope will release the Singletons' second book.
Chosen as one of Texas Top Ten Teachers by the University of Texas last year, Martha was also named by the Dow Jones Newspaper Fund and the Wall Street Journal as one of four Distinguished Newspaper Advisers in America in 2007. Since 1972, Martha has built some of the nations most highly acclaimed scholastic journalism programs. Greg has structured a successful career in marketing and public relations. He has been a partner for the past 20 years in a consulting firm that has provided creative sales and marketing direction for numerous companies across the country.
