As you can see by the pic—we got to take the boys to their first OU Baseball game this past week! Afterwards we found the team bus and took this shot (with cousin Tessa joining us).
It’s exciting each time we get to take the boys to their “first” of any in a series of events. Hopefully, there will be many more Sooner’s games to watch together.
It’s true—“There’s Only One Oklahoma Sooners!” (as stated on the bus)
That statement works with lots of things though. There’s only one Oklahoma State Cowboys. There’s only one Sallisaw Black Diamonds. There’s only one ________ (fill in the blank).
The most significant “There’s only one” statement has to be “There’s only one true God.” All other objects are created things and finite. Therefore, the one being who stands alone as Creator of all things with infinite perfection in all attributes must be set apart in a category all to His own.
God is set apart. Holy. Righteous. In a class and category all to Himself. His estimation of Himself is in comparison to no other. See Exodus 20:1-3.
If that is true, it demands a response from us. What do we do in light of this truth?
How do we raise children with this powerful truth at the center of all we do with them?
One of the most important laws from God that is sometimes overlooked is simply, “The LORD is one. Love the LORD with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might” (Deut. 6:4). When asked what the greatest commandment was, Jesus said the same, “Love the LORD with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength” (Matt. 22:36-37).
What if this was the one, single-most important rule in your house for your family to learn and live by? It sounds simple. And in everyone assuming that’s what they’re trying to do we may just miss actually pulling it off. What if this was the one idea and thought your kids walked away with when they graduate at eighteen and leave your home? Not how great the school is they got into. Not how important it is to buy their first house. Not how successful they will be in their career. Not how much they earn. Not how much they will impress others. Not how impressive the spouse they bring home will be. But loving God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength.
John Piper says this is the ONE, SINGLE, HOLY AMBITION TO LIVE FOR.1 That means we need to lay this out in front of our children as the most important ambition to pursue in life. The difficulty is the flood of other influencers and voices screaming for their hearts and their affections.
If they get that aspect right—it answers a thousand other questions. If they get that aspect settled in their heart—they may avoid a thousand painful decisions and choices. If they get this settled as “There’s Only One God To Love,” a thousand small, lying, insidious idols will be destroyed along their path.
What are you revealing to your children is the single most important thing to live for?
Give them one single, glorious, holy ambition to live for! There is only One True God!
Sankie P. Lynch
sankie@nbchurch.info
1. John Piper, A Holy Ambition (Desiring God, 2011).
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