A boy becoming a king is the stuff great stories are made of. It isn’t just a fairytale. World history and Scripture record this many times over. Fulin, the Shunzhi Emperor was 5-years old. Elagabalus, the Roman emperor was 15-years old. Tutankhamen, better known as King Tut, was 10-years old. Josiah, King of Judah, was 8-years old and 2 Kings 11 tells the story of the child king Jehoash. After reading this account I couldn’t help but think of the weight of raising our children with kingship in mind.

Revelation 1:5-6 says, “and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” We find no discrimination of age put on these appointments. 

We are living in a world where adult life is hurled through the screens at our children at a pace we can’t seem to keep up with. It is shields up 24/7/365 if you are a parent. It is alarming to realize at the same time, so many are not grounded in a church home. I grew up in the church and I can’t imagine where I would be had that not been the case. We attended church Sunday morning, evening and Wednesday nights. These were just the regular services. Then there were all the children’s and youth activities or special services and events. My best friends were those from my youth group. Life revolved around the house of God.

The Federalist posted and article entitled “Is It Baby Boomers’ Fault Millennials Are Leaving Religion And Less Likely To Go Back?” by Joy Pullmann. Near its end she gave a statistic that said, “Americas with very high levels of religious involvement during their childhood are about 10 times more likely to pray or read with their children (87 percent), attend worship services with them (84 percent), or send them to Sunday school (80 percent).” I could not help but see the validity and power of raising our children in the house of God faithfully as it correlates to this topic.

The age of technology has encroached on all boundaries of our lives changing how we do everything. It has even resulted in changing how church is attended. Many never darken the doors of a church building. Instead we have EChurch. Bibles were books we opened to read. Now its Bible apps on our phone or tablet that never look at us beaconing us to pick it up and read it or show us the proverbial dust indicating we haven’t read it.

Don’t misunderstand me. I’m glad we have them. It gives us the ability to watch online when we are unable to attend for travel or illness and have a bible no matter where we go. We can watch services from all over the globe that we could never attend. It is truly a blessed time with no shortage of bread for the hungry but it doesn’t come without a trade off. It begs the question.

How does this affect our children?

To my knowledge there aren’t any online kids services. Even if there were, kids need the interaction and participation you can’t get through a TV screen. You don’t learn what a pastor is and how he cares for his people. You don’t learn what it is to serve the Lord by serving his people. You miss out on the scripture contests and games that made learning about the Lord so fun. Let’s face it. We all need that personal touch after a week of living counter culture. There is a palpable difference in worshiping and praying in agreement with others of like faith for both adults and children.

2 Kings 11 gives us a great pattern. To paraphrase, the mother of the reigning king of Judah had been killed. His mother decided to kill all other heirs and take over herself. The half-sister of the former king took the youngest heir Jehoash and hid him with his nurse in the house of the Lord for six years. This entire time he was being taught by the priest Jehoiada who put a plan in action to protect the heir and crown him king. His plan was successful and Jehoash was crowned king at the tender age of seven.

Three things jumped off the pages to me.

One, if you want your children to rule and reign then raise them in the house of the Lord!

Our identity is found in Christ so if we want our children to know who they are and what their purpose is, then by all means get them into church where they can meet the one who formed them, called them and purposed them.

Second, do not discount or look down on the children just because they are children.

They are valuable and the enemy knows it. Why do we fail so many times to see it? Children have the capacity to be kings. Jeremiah 1:7 says, “But the Lord said to me, ‘Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak.'” Then in Psalm 8:2 it says, “Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have ordained strength, Because of Your enemies, that you may silence the enemy and the avenger.” Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”

If we don’t go to be trained how do will we train our children?

Thirdly, in 2 Kings 12:2 it said this. “Jehoash did what was right in the sight of the Lord all the days in which Jehoiada the priest instructed him.”

This child turned man reigned, pleasing God all the days he was instructed and taught by the man of God. I want my children and grandchildren to do well all their days as I am sure you do. Our children are kings in training. Some of them will rule at delicate ages with difficult life circumstances to navigate through. They will need what the church has deposited into them. If they don’t have it they will look to the culture that shifts with the wind for guidance.

Instead of ruling they will be ruled.

The sad commentary is that after the priest died king Jehoash was turned away from following the Lord. It does not matter how old we get. We still need to find ourselves in the house of the Lord learning and leaning on what we are taught. We don’t outgrow our need for the church and His Word. It isn’t just an institution. It’s the family of God. It’s a stronghold of safety.

No house is perfect and no family is without flaws. But the good news is Jesus is the sinless one. He is without blemish or error. He is the rock we build our lives on. Don’t be fooled by the propaganda. Church is not old fashioned, outdated or irrelevant. We need it more than ever. Our child kings need it more than ever.

Make no mistake. There is an enemy who wants to kill the king in them.

Hide them away in the house of the Lord.

 

Blessings to you and yours,

Jaime Luce

 

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