I recently read this book:
If you can't read the caption at the top, it's the theme of the book:
"A Mom's Look at Heart-Oriented Discipline"
The idea behind the book is that we shouldn't discipline to simply change our children's behavior, but we should be working to train their hearts.
We are born with sinful hearts, and it's our job as moms to help our children understand their sinful natures and their need for a Savior.
It makes sense to me.
Tonight, at the beginning of our nightly "Family Time", we were going through catechism questions. We've learned a lot about the sin of Adam and Eve and how that sin condemned us all. Now, we're just starting to cover questions regarding the Covenant of Grace.
These are the questions we covered tonight:
Q: Why can't anyone be saved through the covenant of works?
A: Because all have broken it and are condemned by it.
Q: How did you break the covenant of works?
A: Adam represented all people, and so I fell with Adam in his first sin.
Q: How, then, can you be saved?
A: By the Lord Jesus Christ through the covenant of grace.
Q: How did Christ fulfill the covenant of grace?
A: Christ obeyed the whole law for his people, and then suffered the punishment due for their sins.
Q: Did Jesus ever sin?
A: No. He lived a sinless life.
Since these were relatively new questions, we talked a little bit about what they mean.
My oldest said that Jesus suffered by dying on the cross. He said that he saw the holes in Jesus' hands and feet. (a picture in a book perhaps?) He knew that the holes were made by nails that kept Jesus on the cross. We talked about how Jesus was sinless but died for our sins. My boy looked...sad.
I quickly transitioned to the singing segment of Family Time. My boy did not sing along with the first song.
I asked him, "What's wrong?"
He said, "You told me Jesus died on the cross for my sins," and he started to cry. A very genuine, heart-aching cry. I was touched. It was so sad to see him, but it was so encouraging to see how personally he views the death of Christ.
We talked after that about how joyful it is that Jesus came back to life.
Oh, Lord...give me the heart of a child.
