Happy The Home When God Is There

Happy the home when God is there,

And love fills every breast;

When one their wish, and one their prayer,

And one their heavenly rest.

Happy the home where Jesus’ name

Is sweet to every ear;

Where children early lisp His fame,

And parents hold Him dear.

Happy the home where prayer is heard,

And praise is wont to rise;

Where parents love the sacred Word

And all its wisdom prize.

Lord, let us in our homes agree

This blessed peace to gain;

Unite our hearts in love to Thee,

And love to all will reign.

HENRY WARE JR. (1794–1843)

ON A TELEVISION SHOW, two ministers disagreed over the influence of the media on children. But then the host skeptically asked, “Can a three-year-old really know anything about Jesus?” Suddenly the ministers were in complete agreement. “Yes!” said both; and one added, “My children learned early on that Jesus loved them.”

Christians may have serious debates over how we should relate to the world around us. But let us all agree on this: Let us teach our children early that Jesus loves them. Let them “lisp His fame” from an early age.

As this hymn indicates, this is done not through indoctrination, but by example. When parents exhibit a genuine love for the Lord, children will see and learn. They will still have to make their own choices, but at least they will have lived in a home where God was an important part of the family.

Commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.

Deuteronomy 6:6-7