TEACH THOU by Lillian Otis McPherson

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Sep 17, 1902

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 28, No. 38.

TEACH THOU.

By Lillian Otis McPherson

HERE am I and the children whom thou hast given me.” “Those that thou gavest me I have kept,” are the words with which our Saviour presents to the Father His redeemed children, the purchase of His blood—presents them “faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.” “The Saviour’s joy is in seeing in the kingdom of glory, the souls that have been saved through His humiliation. And the redeemed will be sharers in this joy, as they behold, among the blessed, those who have been won to Christ through their prayers, their labors, and loving sacrifice.”

But of what avail for His fallen children would have been the humiliation of our Redeemer, His prayers, His loving sacrifice, if He had not given them His Father’s Word, and lived a perfect life, that His children might learn how to live, and how to rise above the low level to which they had fallen; for are we not “saved by His life?” By a fragrant life of faith, by an effective teaching of His Father’s Word, did Christ reach and save those for whom he suffered humiliation and agony.

His First Teacher.

Since he gained knowledge as we may do, His intimate acquaintance with His Father’s Word shows how diligently His early years were given to its study. His mother was His first human teacher. From her lips and from the scrolls of the prophets He learned of heavenly things. The very words which He Himself had spoken to Moses for Israel, He was now taught at His mother’s knee. “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart; and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.”

“With deep earnestness the mother of Jesus watched the unfolding of His powers, and beheld the impress of perfection upon His character.” Realizing her responsibility to God for this Child entrusted to her care, she sought and received wisdom through the Holy Spirit to co-operate with the heavenly agencies in His development. Not only did she realize her responsibility but also the wonderful privilege granted her of training this bright, receptive mind, unmarred by sin. She did not find it an irksome task, which she was desirous of intrusting to others, but sought faithfully and with joy to bear the responsibility laid upon her.

“From her lips, and from the scrolls of the prophets, He learned of heavenly things.”

Did each parent in this day fully realize that he is largely responsible for the physical, mental, and spiritual development of the children given him of God, would there not be a more earnest seeking at the throne of grace for wisdom and help in the training of those children? The words “Here am I, and the children whom Thou hast given me,” and “Those that thou gavest me I have kept,” pre-eminently apply to Christ as He presents His redeemed children to His Father, but certainly each true parent desires to say these same words when Jesus comes in the clouds of heaven,—desires to present his children to Jesus as the first-fruits of his prayers, his labors, and loving sacrifice. Can he present them without fulfilling the same conditions which make it possible for Jesus to present His redeemed ones to His Father? The parent too, must live a fragrant life of faith and diligently teach them the Word of the Lord, for it is by the Word that they must be “kept.”

The fact that we ever teach by precept and example, whether we will or not, makes it a grave matter what and how we teach. It is important that we teach the words commanded of God, the whole revealed Word of the living God, for this Word is but a drawing out of the true precepts given through Israel for all. It is, too, important that His words be taught in harmony with His Spirit. Do our own lives reveal the beauty of the indwelling Spirit? Are our words fragrant and pure, our acts upright in the sight of the great Teacher, who ever stands ready to instruct us? Hear His word to each of us; “O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear Me, and keep My commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children forever.” Deut. 5:29.

We can not teach aright, either by precept or example, until we fear this glorious name, Jehovah, thy God. “The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him,” fear to disobey His least command. It is the “secret of the Lord” we should desire to teach our children; the deep things of the Spirit, that they may grow and wax strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God be upon them. We may do this if by faith we can say,—

“I foresaw the Lord always before my face, For He is on my right hand, that I should not be moved; Therefore did my heart rejoice; and my tongue was glad.”

Let us live ever in the presence of Him who is Spirit and life, and the deep things of His Spirit will daily be revealed, that they may be taught to our priceless jewels. LILLIAN OTIS MCPHERSON.

Los Angeles, Cal.