F e a r t h e L o r d , and serve him in sincerity and truth; . . . And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:14-15). The title of this message is expressed in the language of children. These abbreviated words refer to parents in the tender relationship o f fam ily life and are readily understood by all of us. While “Mom” and “Dad” are very common words, yet they immediately bring before us the tremen dous fact of parenthood. The text upon which this message is based reveals the consecrated attitude of a great man of God in relation to his own house. As a respon sible father, he recognized God as the center of his home. Joshua knew well the fact that what ever upsets a home is sacrilegious because it pro fanes a sanctuary. Irrespective of what others did, this man knew the course he would pursue and was fully aware o f what would be best for his chil dren. Undoubtedly his wife concurred with him
in his decision and both embraced parenthood with an eye single to God’s glory. The subject before us is one of great and grave importance. Though I am a father, and our five children have been singularly blessed with a con secrated and devoted mother, I do not profess to know all the answers to the perplexing problems which confront parents. I do know beyond a shad ow of doubt that whatever destroys the unity of a home is ruinous to church and state alike. The only One who has all the answers involving home life is One who Himself never had a home o f His own. Many homes go on the rocks because they are not built upon the Rock. Parental neglect of spir itual training is one of the greatest causes of ju venile delinquency which is plaguing our country at this hour. The reason so many children are growing up with a Satanic scale of values is be cause we have not assumed the responsibilities of parenthood with more o f a desire to glorify God. While we point the finger of blame in the direc tion of school because God has been ruled out of modern education, and we lift our voices against the church because in many instances it has failed
DECEMBER, 1966
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