That “good thing” was the revelation that Paul had when caught up to the third heaven. To whom does Paul turn when he thinks of committing the precious revelations he received? He turns to his “dearly beloved son” Timothy (2 Tim. 2:11Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 2:1)). Oh! the amazing truth the ears of you dear young people have heard! If there is one thing we ought to desire as parents, it is that it might be said of our children, as of Timothy, “That from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”
We have addresses to young people; I have often thought it would be nice to have addresses to parents. As I see your little babies in the cradle, where will that baby be when it grows up? Will it have the truth of the parents when grown? What do you talk about at the table when you eat your meals? One who talked of houses and lands at the dinner table with all his family around has gone into the world. Yet that same one could get up and preach a fine gospel. You sing hymns in the meeting, but do you sing them around the family table?
Brethren, I know you would like to see your little babies saved, but if you are going to have them not only saved but in the path of the truth, you must talk of the Lord Jesus to them.
“Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates” (Deut. 11:18-2018Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. 19And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. 20And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates: (Deuteronomy 11:18‑20)).
Your whole house is to be characterized as a home where the Word of God is honored. “Upon thy gates” is the place of judgment. In other words, your judgments are to be formed by the Word of God. If you do it, dear parents, when old age comes upon you, you will bow your head in worship at the largeness of God’s blessing in your home.
Again I say as I look at your children, my soul longs for them to be out and out for Christ. I have found the place of being gathered to His name so precious that I want my children to be there.
Timothy was taught from the Scriptures from his youth, and Paul exhorts him, “Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.” May our lives be characterized by deeply meditating upon the precious living streams of God’s Word. Every blessing is bound up within the covers of this blessed Book. May the Saviour fill your heart and mine, and may we desire to be as Timothy, honoring God in our walk and ways until He calls us home.
H. E. Hayhoe (from an address, 1948)