3 FEBRUARY
Nurture the rising generation
‘And Pharaoh’s daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it.’ Exodus 2:9
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: 2 John 1–13
Though these words were first spoken on a particular occasion by Pharaoh’s daughter to the mother of Moses, yet they express the sense of God’s revealed will and command to all parents. And the subject is one of those which his ministers ought at times to press upon their hearers. And it is a point of much importance. The hopes of the church and nation depend upon the rising generation. The people of God are fewer, and dropping away daily. How little success the preaching of the gospel has upon those who are grown old and hardened in sin, experience shows. Surely except the Lord of hosts has a remnant among those who are growing up, we shall soon be as Sodom and be made like unto Gomorrah. And yet perhaps there is nothing in which believers are so generally negligent as in this. And though some of the chief arguments I would use can only be fully understood by believers, yet I will speak as much at large as I can, for it is a common concern, which all ought to lay to heart.
Children are the gift of God—when his hand is seen, and his glory regarded in them, they are blessings. You that have children, there was a voice with the providence; the voice said to you, take this child and nurse it for me. Bring it up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
FOR MEDITATION: Lord, do thou strengthen my hands, and water my poor endeavours, and grant that some of these little ones may look back with thankfulness to thee for these opportunities, when I am laid low in the dust.
Journal of children’s meetings at Olney, 28 March 1765
We, when companions together in youth, enjoyed the same scenes of childhood under the kind instruction of Good Mr Newton and have united in singing those sweet hymns in Dr Watts’s little book in the Great House Meeting as we used to call it. Those reflections were a source of comfort to her—your dear mother.31
[by a former member of the children’s meetings, c.1842]
SERMON: EXODUS 2:9 [1/3]
