Precept upon Precept
Posted in Daily Focus on Monday, March 24, 2014
"Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little" (Isaiah 28:9-10).
I'm not sure what I expected from my children when we first started homeschooling. I guess I thought they would be accomplished mathematicians and readers by the time they were in second grade. As we continued to homeschool each year, however, I realized that children grow intellectually the same way they grow physically — a little bit at a time. Even though I felt like we weren't accomplishing much each day, every new phonics rule, spelling word, grammar rule, or math fact was actually building upon itself and laying a foundation that would lead to their educational success.
Spiritual maturity is a step-by-step growing process as well. Too many times we look at older, more mature saints and wish that we had their walk with God. However, we fail to see the years of lessons (sometimes painful lessons) that brought them to their point of maturity. Each lesson learned in faith, prayer, and scriptural truths builds upon the last to produce a shining, godly character.
What about your spiritual life? Does it seem like there are so many lessons to learn before you become a person of faith? Maybe you even find yourself relearning the same lessons like patience, a pure thought life, or gratefulness over and over again. God is the master builder of all things (Hebrews 3:4), and He is setting the bricks of your faith one at a time. Trust Him, and you'll become a shining example of His love to your homeschooling family and the world. "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6).
Lord, thank You for each lesson You've used to teach me more about You. Increase my faith and keep teaching me that my life might glorify You. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Comments(6 comments)
CHRISTINA L 03/24/2010 05:13:58
So true! At some point in reading this, I felt like I was mature and able to take on the faith of someone who\'s known God for a very long time. Then, God brought to mind a woman who\'s much more mature than I. I realized that I have a long way to go! It is true, I take on challenges well, but I\'m not fully mature yet. Jesus\' own deciples did the same thing. I\'m so glad the Lord is able to speak to me and show me where I need to learn. Aren\'t we all?
KAREN W 03/24/2011 05:38:01
I love these devotionals! They always speak to me where I am in my spiritual walk, battling right now about how spiritually immature I am and how I am supposed to teach my children God\'s Word when I myself am such a baby. I\'m so thankful for God\'s mercy and His working in my life one day at a time!
ANYATIKA C 03/24/2011 07:23:28
I couldn\'t agree more Karen W
VANESSA K 03/24/2011 08:21:31
Thanks for today\'s devotional. It helps me to regain perspective (God\'s Perspective) that just with my children\'s learning, be it spiritual, academically and/ or other extra curricular, I too learn and grow a little bit at a time.
\"... precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little\" (Isaiah 28:9-10).
\"\"Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ\" (Philippians 1:6).
TINA N 03/24/2011 08:49:42
Wonderful devotion. Thank you so much for that encouragement today. Just what I needed to hear. I love getting these devotions in my email.
KATHY S 03/24/2012 07:05:43
This is a beautiful devotional, thank you.
I like the comparison of a baby growing, step by step.
Mature in the Bible, I am not, at my rate It ill be 20 years before I get through it an really understand all of it.
But, \"Faith\" I have, alot of .
I guess I\'ll hold onto the Faith that I get through and fully understand the Bible before I\'m really old !
What struck me more than anything today in this devotional, is that each thing we teach our child, is one more thing that they didn\'t know, one more step closer to their full education.
Which made me feel better, becaus sometimes, I, ( like everyone else) feel like I am not getting enough done everyday with reguards to teaching. So, thank you !
Have a Blessed day! :)