They’re Never too Young

“These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” Deuteronomy 6:6-9 NIV

In a story published by Runner’s World last week, it was reported that Sawyer Nicholson, 11, of Canada, broke the world age-group record during the Niagara Falls International Marathon’s 5K on October 22. The young speedster ran 17:28.10 en route to smashing the world record for her age group. Nicholson said that even though she felt tired on race day, she was feeling strong during the event and was happy that weather conditions at the race had gone her way. “It was pretty windy on the way back, and there was a little bit of rain by the falls, but overall it was pretty good,” she said to the outlet. Of this amazing feat, the writer said, “It’s never too early to start breaking records.”

And you know, it’s never too early to teach our children about the Lord either. In fact, after the Israelites were given the Ten Commandments, they were told to take the commands to heart and then impress them on their children by using every opportunity to share them. That means talking “about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” We are even told to tie them as symbols on our hands and to bind them on our foreheads and to write them on the doorframes of our houses and on our gates. In other words, we must be vigilant in teaching our children to love the Lord before the world teaches them not to. 

So be sure to model what it means to love God with your whole heart by not only talking about this love but by showing it my friend. Put God first in all that you do and make spending time with Him in Bible study, prayer, and meditation something your children see you joyfully doing each and every day. This is the best way to ensure they make it to the finish line. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us the Bible for instruction, correction and guidance. Help us to use it to teach our children to love You as we do so that the next generation would serve You. It’s in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!