Children and youth bring a wonderful spark to life. Social gatherings are rarely dull when there are younger generations present! One of the ways in which they keep things interesting is in their willingness to ask ‘Why?’ Often repeatedly and in quick succession! Why does this happen? Why do we always do that?
Sometimes, when pestered repeatedly or quizzed at a bad time or way, adults can find these moments frustrating. At other times, it can be quite entertaining as they provide an opportunity to talk through different patterns of life and the decisions we make in our lives and in our families.
The Bible tells us to expect questions from young people. Exodus 12:26 tells us that when the children of the church ask why, we are to see it as an opportunity to teach them about our faith in Christ. We can share with them not just what we do, but why we do it. We can open the Scriptures and show them the riches of God’s revelation and how we are taught to enter into the presence of the Holy God of Heaven.
helping our young people to see the majesty and glory of Christ
Every family has traditions and patterns of living, and this is no less true for the church family. We see that in full flow during this season of Advent and Christmas. We have particular habits and rituals to help us worship as we focus on the coming of Jesus into the world. These annual customs, alongside our daily and weekly ones, are the backbone of discipleship for young people. As they see adults, both their own parents and the wider church family, attend services of worship, pray, study the Scriptures, and participate in wider church life, they should be invited to exercise their inquisitive curiosity.
The command to raise children in the fear and instruction of the Lord can sometimes feel incredibly daunting, but we take encouragement that the parental task of teaching children about Jesus is given to us by God. And what he calls us to, he empowers us to do. The church family has a wonderful role in supporting parents and joining in with this incredible privilege of helping our young people to see the majesty and glory of Christ.
During this Advent and Christmas season, let us be whole-hearted in our worship and praise of Emmanuel, the God who comes to be with us. Let’s pray that we would be so filled with wonder and worship at the incarnation of Jesus that our celebrations lead our children to ask ‘Why?’ In our worship, may our children and all who come to St. Andrew’s, know that Jesus comes into our world as God’s most marvellous gift.
