July 11

Morning

And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore you, secure you, strengthen you, and establish you. — 1 Pet 5:10 BSB

You’ve seen the rainbow stretch across the sky—its colors are glorious, its hues rare. It’s a beautiful sight, but it fades, disappearing as quickly as it appeared. The brilliant colors give way to soft clouds, and the sky loses its heavenly glow. It’s fleeting. How could it be anything else? A magnificent display, made up of passing sunlight and falling rain, cannot last.

The Christian character, however, must not be like the rainbow in its brief beauty; instead, it must be established, settled, and enduring. Seek, O believer, that every good thing in your life may be lasting. Let your character not be like writing in the sand, easily washed away, but like an inscription carved into rock! Let your faith be built on something solid, not on a foundation that will crumble in the fire like wood, hay, and straw. Be rooted and grounded in love. Let your convictions be deep, your love genuine, and your desires sincere. May your life be so firmly established that no storm from hell, nor tempest from earth, could ever shake you.

But take note of how this blessing of being “established in the faith” is obtained. The apostle’s words point us to suffering as the means: “After you have suffered a little while.” We cannot expect to be deeply rooted without enduring the winds of adversity. The twisted roots of the oak and the gnarled branches tell of the many storms it has weathered, showing how deeply its roots have grown. In the same way, a Christian becomes strong and deeply rooted through the trials of life. So don’t shrink away from the stormy winds of hardship. Take comfort, knowing that through these rough experiences, God is fulfilling His promise to establish you.

Evening

Tell it to your children; let your children tell it to their children, and their children to the next generation. — Joel 1:3 BSB

By God’s grace, a living testimony to His truth will always be kept alive in the world—the Lord’s beloved people will continue to pass down their witness of the gospel and the covenant to their children, and their children will pass it to the next generation. This is our first responsibility, and it begins at home. A preacher is not truly faithful if he does not start his ministry at home. The lost in foreign lands must be sought, and the streets and alleys searched, but the home has the first claim. Woe to those who ignore this divine order.

Teaching our children is a personal duty; we cannot delegate this task to Sunday school teachers or other helpers. They can assist, but they cannot take away our sacred responsibility. Using proxies or sponsors is a harmful practice in this case. Fathers and mothers, like Abraham, must command their households in the fear of God, and speak to their children about the great works of the Most High.

Parental teaching is a natural duty—who is better suited to care for a child’s well-being than those who gave them life? Neglecting the instruction of our children is worse than thoughtless. Family religion is necessary for the health of the nation, the family itself, and the church. Sadly, while many schemes, like Popery, seek to gain influence in our land, one of the most effective ways to resist them—the teaching of children in the faith—has been largely neglected. How wonderful it would be if parents truly grasped the importance of this! Speaking of Jesus to our sons and daughters is not just a duty but a joy, especially since God has often saved children through their parents’ prayers and guidance. May every home that reads this book honor the Lord and receive His blessing!