Christ, Our Great Teacher

Come, O children,
listen to me;
I will teach you
the fear of the LORD. 
Psalm 34:11

One of the great stewardship entrusted to us is the care of bringing up these young ones, who for most have been with us for the past three years, in Scriptural instruction. Our first and foremost calling is to introduce to them the blessed person of Jesus Christ, as the very shining image of the Father's glory. They have been led through the Decalogue, studied the attributes of God, been through a primer on covenant theology, and rehearsed, in children's language, the fundamentals of the Westminster shorter catechism. It is noteworthy, that the crucial matters concerning the inborn corruption dwelling within the heart of fallen man, and the dreadful, eternal consequences of a life of sin and transgression against the perfect holiness of the Almighty God, have been essentially laid bare and addressed in the instructions, and that the Gospel, according to the whole of redemptive history, is the sole remedy for it. 

Of this tender lot, seven souls shall proceed onward to a more formal and deeper study of the sacred Scriptures in the coming year. This part of the labor will be served by two of our beloved brothers. Each graduate has received his and her very own copy of the Bible in our language (we desire to instill in them a reverence for the Word of God). As to the specifics of this further instruction—the very book or topic, where we ought to begin this next holy phase—we are still waiting patiently upon the Lord for clear instruction. We dare not rush ahead of the One who holds all knowledge. Our hearts are fixed and trusting, without wavering, that He shall graciously provide the needful wisdom, that we may rightly divide the Word and clearly teach these favored children on the way in which they should faithfully go.

Amidst all this diligent work—this sowing of seed—we readily, and with sincere humility, recognize our own helplessness. We are utterly powerless to effect true comprehension within their young minds, and possess no power of our own to make them truly understand the glorious truths imparted. We lean not upon the strength of our own intellect, nor the eloquence of our instruction. Instead, we rely solely and utterly upon the Holy Spirit of the Lord to descend upon these teachings, breathing life where we can but offer mere letters. It is He alone who can effect the good and perfect desires of Heaven upon these willing, waiting souls. The teachers are but instruments; the power belongs to God alone. For all of this, prayer remains to be our most invaluable and powerful means.

We dare not presume to pick and choose amongst the vast stores of heavenly doctrine, taking upon ourselves the burden of deciding what we deem best for their tender growth. We cannot risk such arrogance. Our position must ever be one of humble waiting upon the Lord, trusting Him absolutely to execute that which is perfectly right and just in His own eyes. He, and He alone, possesses the perfect knowledge of the path He hath prepared for each of these precious souls. He alone is the true discerner of the hidden intentions and secret thoughts of their young hearts. We therefore rest our souls in the assurance that, in our dependence upon Him, we shall surely receive more wisdom and direction than we ever dared to ask or conceive of ourselves.

It is true, a few who have been pulled by their parents, and some others, thinking themselves quite tall enough now, felt the prescribed order was no longer needed for their advancing years. But we continue to lift up these little lambs of the fold to the Lord our God in earnest supplication, and we take comfort that these are the very ones whom Divine Providence willed should continue in this goodly discipline.

The very conception—the very inclination to commence this blessed work amongst the children—is wholly and entirely the Lord’s doing, not ours. We had initially petitioned Him to enable us to reach the families residing within the confines of this small compound. And behold, in direct and gracious answer to our persistent prayers, the Almighty saw fit to send the children directly unto us instead. Since that day of holy inauguration, He hath been steadily and mercifully providing for this little labor of love. This provision is twofold: both in the form of the needful wisdom poured out upon the teachers, and in supplying all necessities for the undertaking. And this is the Lord's great testimony: we have never lacked. Despite the earthly appearance of a meager purse and the seeming scarcity of worldly funds, the Good Provider hath ensured that His work proceeds unimpeded.

It is plainly obvious that the LORD God holds supreme and mighty designs for the everlasting glory of His Holy Name, designs which intimately involve the temporal and eternal lives of these very children. For truly, if such were not His purpose, He would surely not have sent them to this sphere of instruction. Today, we do but plant small, seemingly insignificant seeds in the tender ground of their hearts—the seed of the Word, the seed of sound doctrine, the seed of a faithful witness. Yet, we look forward in faith. For tomorrow, when the Son of Righteousness hath shone upon them, and the dew of the Spirit hath regenerated them, we shall surely have the unspeakable joy of beholding not mere blades of grass, but great and verdant trees that stand firm and bear abundant, everlasting fruit unto the honor of our Redeemer.

May it graciously please the Divine Father to someday bestow upon these young ones the blessing of families of their own, whom they, in turn, shall faithfully raise in the reverent fear and admonition of the Lord. And may the day quickly dawn when we shall stand side-by-side with them, no longer as teacher and pupil, but as true brothers and sisters in the boundless Glory, joining our voices with theirs in unceasing praise to our God forever and ever. Amen.