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The Living Faith in Youth
The Living Faith in Youth
“Remember also thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them” (Ecclesiastes 12:1). That passage has had a ring in my heart for many years. It was placed there long ago by someone who knew not only how importance God should be to a young person but as an older person as well.
Learning God early, means you have knowledge which never leaves you. You may forsake it or abide in it. Whatever you do with it, what you have learned about God early does not escape you. It stays with you. Just like 4 times 4 equals 16. Just like memorizing all the vowels: a,e,i,o,u and sometimes y. Just like remembering how water is made from hydrogen and oxygen. Our knowledge of God abides in our heart whether we remember how to apply our knowledge of Him.
This knowledge of God as a young person stays with you holding you accountable. It makes the difference in a good decision verses a bad decision. It guides you to what is true vs. what is false. It causes your words to come out good. It brings you to worship God. A young person who knows God early remembers as they grow older how life is to be lived.
Keeping faith alive in your youth is letting God’s wisdom be “ready and available” with a commitment to memorize one verse a week. Post in on the face of your phone. Print it out and put the verse on the door of your room. Put in it the book you are reading. Place it on your computer screen. Remember where it is in the Bible. Read some verses around the one verse you pick to know why it is there. Memorize that verse. If we can recite the “Pledge to the Flag” or sing the “National Anthem”, we can memorize scripture.
As you memorize each verse, mediate upon its implication and how you can practice what is taught in that verse. Armed with a memory of God’s word helps keep your faith alive, provides a defense against Satan’s temptations, paves the way for wise choices, and prepares you to give an answer for those who inquire about your hope (Ephesians 6:16,17; 1 Peter 3:15).
“My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and lay up my commandments with thee; So as to incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply they heart to understand…then shalt thou understand the fear of Jehovah, and find the knowledge of God” (Proverbs 2:1,2,5).
