A door of utterance

For our family, home-schooling is a conviction.  It is something that we feel is right to do for our family, based on what we read in scripture.

We don't tell everyone else they are wrong if they don't agree with us.

But, it galls me slightly greatly when people tell us we are not doing the right thing.  They use multiple reasons, which those who home-school themselves are all too aware of.  I am not going to get into all of them just now.  I don't have the abundance of time that it would take.  Instead I am just going to focus on one, because during my devotions this morning I came across a verse that made me think of it.

What is that reason?

"You'll miss out on the opportunity to witness to the parents at the school gate."

Yes, you're right, I will.

We can be led to feel that there should be a level of guilt felt because we are missing out on an opportunity that MUST be ours. That we are somehow negligent if we don't have that particular opportunity.  That what we are doing is somehow lesser to this evangelistic opportunity.

I disagree.

We have been incredibly blessed with 7 children, thus far.  They are a truly precious heritage from the Lord.  By God's leading, we have them at home with us.  All. Day.  And, there you have it.  This is my most amazing evangelistic opportunity.  My own children.  I have the opportunity, day by day, hour by hour, moment by moment, to seek out opportunities to show them God's plan of salvation.   To let them see God at work in our hearts and lives EVERY day.  Countless, precious opportunities to show them truths lived out right here.  Right now.

"Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance"

Colossians 4:3

Like Paul, we must plead with the Lord that He would open that "door of utterance".  That our lips would be opened to speak of God's truths to our children.  These tender hearts, that need to hear the gospel.  We have the chance to use our words and ways to utter God's truths to them.

It would be so easy to waste that opportunity.   To neglect the responsibility we have.  To forget the words of Deuteronomy 6 verses 5-7.

"And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:

And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, 

and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, 

and when thou walkest by the way, 

and when thou liest down, 

and when thou risest up."

Morning, night, right through the day.  Teaching them to love the Lord with every part of their being.  To learn that we love Him, because He first loved us.  What that love looks like lived out in our lives. And, more than anything else, that they should accept God's ultimate love, in salvation - because we are undeserving sinners who can only saved through Christ's atoning death, through love, on Calvary. 

As the hymn-writer put it 

"My every sacred moment spend,

In publishing the sinner's friend".

(from "Give me the faith which can remove", by Charles Wesley)

What a tremendous opportunity we have!  Let's not waste it, but seek the Lord to open that "door of utterance", so that we share the gospel with our children.

Not wanting to neglect a single reader - this should be the desire of every single one of us!  This should be the prayer of us ALL.  That we should speak the gospel with those that we come into contact with every day.  When you read on, you see that Paul was "in bonds" - he was a prisoner, and yet he still sought to share the gospel with whoever he could.  

"Redeeming the time".  

Making the best of the time and opportunities we have.  

Yours may be at the school gate.  

But, mine is right here, in my home - and, oh what a precious opportunity it is.