THE SURE FOUNDATION

THE SURE FOUNDATION

Most people love little children. Except for the fact that when they are much younger they need our attention round the clock and in addition to that is the very significant detail of cleaning and washing practically everything that has to do with them. Other than that they are the cutest most adorable gifts.  In my native Yoruba language there is a greeting that is reserved exclusively for mothers, grandmothers and carers of newborn babies that goes like this: “e ku owo l’omi” which loosely translates to mean that they are being acknowledged for their hands that are always in water; washing napkins, bottles, soiled bibs and clothes all the time.

Children are indeed very special. They represent newness, a new beginning, a new hope, innocence and joy. When one thinks about the journey from conception to birth, one cannot but marvel at the awesomeness of God. Science cannot accurately explain away the mystery of it all.  

While musing on all this, I was led to a very popular Psalm that most of us know. It is Psalms 127 and the third verse is of particular interest. Yet the whole Psalm is fully loaded and speaks volumes. This is a Psalm written by King Solomon and it is titled “Only the LORD Can Bless a Home,” according to The Cotemporary English Version. It reads thus:

“Without the help of the LORD it is useless to build a home or to guard a city. It is useless to get up early and stay up late in order to earn a living. God takes care of his own, even while they sleep. Children are a blessing and a gift from the LORD. Having a lot of children to take care of you in your old age is like a warrior with a lot of arrows. The more you have the better off you will be because they will protect you when your enemies attack you in court.”  Psalms 127:1 – 5 CEV  

This says to me that any blessing that does not have God as the foundation is doomed to collapse. Cities and houses are built by people that were once children. Children are the greatest blessing from God therefore they should be raised on the surest foundation of Jesus Christ the Solid Rock. The scriptures say:  “As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.” Luke 6:47-48 NIV

It behoves us therefore to see to it that our children have a solid foundation in Christ. If you are already welcoming grandchildren, please ensure the same for them by spending quality time telling them about the love of God for us. That is the most important truth they need to know. It is the foundation of everything else. And as they grow older let them know that Jesus died for us all as a manifestation of God’s love so that we could be reconciled to God. As we share these truths with them we will be building them up to protect us in the future. We will not need to be running around from prayer house to prayer house over them. We need to invest the time in them now so that when they face the storms of life, they will not be shaken but will stand firm because the Jesus that they already know and have a relationship with will guide them through it.

The bible tells us to “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6 KJV

LAY THE SOLID FOUNDATION FOR THEM NOW; JESUS CHRIST IS THE SURE FOUNDATION! BUILD ON HIM!

OLUYINKA EGO-MARTINS ©