Pattern for Children and Youth

And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him. Luke 2:40.
Jesus is our example…. It is in His home life that He is the pattern for all children and youth.
His mother was His first human teacher. From her lips and from the scrolls of the prophets, He learned of heavenly things…. His intimate acquaintance with the Scriptures shows how diligently His early years were given to the study of God’s Word…. From His earliest years He was possessed of one purpose; He lived to bless others.
In His youth He worked with His father at the carpenter’s trade…. From His childhood He was a pattern of obedience and industry. He was as a pleasant sunbeam in the home circle. Faithfully and cheerfully He acted His part, doing the humble duties that He was called to do in His lowly life.
The life of Christ was humble, free from affectation or display. He lived mostly in the open air…. The birds, the natural flowers that decked the fields with their glowing beauty, the majestic trees and lofty mountains, the ragged rocks and perpetual hills, all had special charms for Him…. Secluded from every human eye, He communed with His heavenly Father. His moral powers were strengthened by His meditation and communion with God.
It is the precious privilege of … parents to cooperate in teaching the children how to drink in the gladness of Christ’s life by learning to follow His example. The Saviour’s early years were useful years. He was His mother’s helper in the home; and He was just as verily fulfilling His commission when performing the duties of the home and working at the carpenter’s bench as when He engaged in His public work of ministry.
Every youth who follows Christ’s example of faithfulness and obedience in His lowly home may claim those words spoken of Him by the Father through the Holy Spirit, “Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth.” Isaiah 42:1.
The Faith I Live By p. 263
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Prayer Requests
—-Still waiting on the pathology report. Please keep praying. Barbara
—-Please pray for my husband as he makes a decision in the next few weeks about his Job. He is trying to be able to come home in time for baby being born. Juliette
—-Please pray for my friend Kevin– he is experiencing severe anxiety and is having thoughts of suicide. He wants to study the bible but is also fighting with thoughts of unworthiness. Nathan
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Dear Friends,
The other evening, I was reading a story to my grandchildren that reminded me of something that happened to me many years ago. My grandmother always kept some kind of centerpiece on her large dining room table. She had quite an artistic flair for arrangements although she could not draw more than stick figures. One day, when I was about four or five, I walked into the dining room just as she was putting the finishing touches on a beautiful centerpiece. On that large, dark, highly-polished dining room table was a narrow, colorful cloth. Sitting on top of the cloth was a basket shaped like a horn. In this basket and spilling out from it were all types of fruits and vegetables. My grandmother explained that it was a cornucopia and to leave it alone. Then she walked back into the kitchen. I knelt on the chair and visually examined this new centerpiece. The fruit looked so good. It made me hungry just to look at it.
Day after day I looked longingly at that tempting fruit display. Day after day I obediently kept my hands off from it. Then one day, when no one was around, I decided that I just could not wait another moment. I reached out and picked up a shiny, red apple. As soon as I took a bite, I knew something was wrong. Instead of a sweet, juicy taste, there was no taste at all. It was hard and dry and my teeth could not penetrate very deep. That apple was made of wax. I was so disappointed. I put it back into the display, but it did not look right. I had to adjust the apple in such a way that the tooth marks did not show. Even so, it was not long before my grandmother discovered what I had done. You can imagine what happened next…..
How much like the pleasures of this world that centerpiece was. The world’s pleasures look so inviting, but they do not give us the happiness that we seek. They leave us with an empty feeling after the initial “high” is gone. They do not satisfy. We are like the seed in Jesus’ parable of the sower that fell among the thorns. Jesus says of them, “And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.” Luke 8:14 As the wise man said, “He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.” Prov 21:17 The pleasures of this world leave us spiritually poor, fruitless, twice dead.
Praise God we do not have to stay that way. David declares, “Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” Ps 16:11 Paul adds, “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” Titus 2:11-14
May we turn away from the things of this world, no matter how tempting they may seem, and cling to our Dear Saviour. May we find our true happiness through a daily walk with our Glorious Redeemer. May we keep our eyes focused on those things which He is preparing for us in His glorious kingdom above. (John 14:1-3; 2 Cor 2:9)
Rose