Welcome back to the Homeschool Corner!
I am loving the God-centered Homeschool online summit happening this week, and I wanted to share with you guys a tiny part of the illumination that has been happening in my heart through these sessions as it combined with our (finally) finishing our read-aloud from this spring of The Hobbit!
I think we all want to be God-centered families--that's kind of the point of being Christian, isn't it?! But if you are seeking to reap the benefits of the order and morals of Christianity but denying the power of God in your life, let me challenge you right now--dive in, sister. Let God on the throne of your heart; and sit back and watch the amazing adventure He is calling you to be a part of!
Have you guys read or seen The Hobbit? (Of course you have--if you're homeschoolers!) One of my very favorite scenes in the story (which I think the newest film version captures really well) is when Bilbo has the epiphany about going on the journey with Gandalf and the dwarves. Initially, when he is told about the adventure, he recoils and exclaims, "Adventures! Nasty, disturbing, uncomfortable things, that. Make you late for dinner!" But after sleeping on it and hearing the song of the dwarves about the misty mountains and the call to reclaim their home, he bursts out of his house (without his handkerchief!) and ruins his reputation as a nice, quiet hobbit by shouting out to his neighbors, "I'm going on an adventure!"
I think God-centered homeschooling is like that.
Initially it seems like you're about to step outside your comfortable little world with comfortable routines and schedules and a reputation of being "normal" to a road of unknown dangers, risks, a new reputation as a weirdo, and a lot of other nasty, uncomfortable things that will, no doubt, make you late for dinner.
But here's the thing. It is So Worth It.
Do you trust God with your life? Do you trust Him with your children? Have you read in the story of Israel being called out of Egypt and brought into their promised land? You are serving that same God, and pursuing the same calling--to honor and glorify Him with your life! Can He not do "exceedingly more than we could ever ask or think"? Yes! He can!
When you step out that door, giving your life over to God with an open hand, releasing your plans for His and joining His company an His adventure--whether that's in homeschool or not!--you will be able to pour out your life and see His power at work in ways you never imagined before when you operated in the comfort of your own control. To get to this point, though, there are three things you need to realize:
1. God is in control, and He doesn't care about your comfort.
I don't mean it quite that badly--I know that's a pretty blunt thing to say. God loves you, yes. He delights to pour out blessings upon you and all His children, yes. But God's purpose is not to provide you with the American Dream, or any other dream. God's purpose throughout history has not changed, and I'm sorry to be the one to tell you--it's not about you, not even a little bit. God's purpose is to see His kingdom come and His will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. The chief end of man is to glorify God and with that--yes, with that, to enjoy Him forever! But that is a built in result of a heart of obedience, not a online purchase, instant gratification, digital download type of happiness.
We have to release our plans, our goals, and live with the knowledge that our comfort is not the most important thing--sometimes, in fact, to gain things of real value, we have to sacrifice--in many cases, the sacrifice is quite costly. [Bonus challenge questions: What, if anything, are you sacrificing for God's greater calling in your life? If nothing, ponder why that is--do you lack a sense of greater calling, are you in a season of peace and refreshment, or are you clinging to something (idolizing?) above what you know God wants you to do?]
2. God can do anything with a willing heart--but He cannot work with an unbelieving and unteachable heart.
Ok, well, God can actually do anything with anyone--but we can choose which kind of vessel we want to be: a vessel of wrath or a vessel of mercy (choose mercy!) If God can take a church-persecutor, Pharisee-of-Pharisees, breathing-threats-and-murder-against-the-believers Saul and turn him into the bold, world-changing evangelist and missionary "chosen instrument" to the Gentiles Paul, then He can certainly break through our defenses as well--but you can skip the blinding light road to Damascus experience and obey willingly! ("Blessed are they who believe without seeing!")
Though I word it perhaps too strongly, the point is, there is nothing--NOTHING--God cannot accomplish with a willing heart who is open to anything God calls him to do. In the same way, there is no telling the damage and evil an unbelieving and unteachable heart can cause, both in a personal sense and in ministry and "kingdom work." (By unbelieving, I mean lacking faith that God can do whatever He has promised--and sometimes that's denying that He has promised anything! By unteachable, I mean arrogant and thinking that I know better.)
"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up." (James 4:7-10) [Bonus challenge questions: Are you holding your knowledge--or any human wisdom--above Scripture in any area? Do you dwell in seeking God's ways and knowledge or are you constantly focused on knowledge from the world? Are you open to learning that you are wrong about some things or presuppositions in your life?]
3. You can't give what you don't have.
If you haven't done the grocery shopping, you can't feed people!
In the same way, you have to put in the work in your own heart and life do have something to pour out. Mama, you must be constant in prayer, both in thanksgiving and in supplication (keep those communication lines open!) You must be in Scripture, writing God's Word on your heart, on your forehead, on your doorframes--keeping it ever-present and on your lips at all times (Keep the supply-lines flowing!). You have to practice spiritual disciplines--things like memorizing Scripture, fasting, worship, service, evangelism, and quiet before God--because that's one of the surest ways to see and break bad habits/sin areas in ourselves and give God a straight shot to overcome them.
Make sure that you're pursing holiness yourself, steeping in Jesus love yourself, and seeking God with all your mind-soul-heart-and-strength before you expect to thrive in building in to others, particularly your children. And as you serve, continue to practice those things in your own life.
When Bilbo is considering the adventure ahead of him, Tolkien describes the scene like this:
"I should like it plain and clear," said he obstinately, putting on his business manner (usually reserved for people who tried to borrow money off him), and doing his best to appear wise and prudent and professional and live up to Gandalf's recommendation. "Also, I should like to know about risks, out-of-pocket expenses, time required and remuneration, and so forth" --by which he meant: "What am I going to get out of it? and am I going to come back alive?"
We know that it's a risky business, obeying God. We know there is considerable out-of-pocket expenses, the time required is endless, and we know that we are certainly not going to get out of it alive. But we also know that what we get out of it is far and beyond a fourteenth-share of dragon treasure (or even an Arkenstone)--it is eternity with God, and investment and entrusting of the souls of our children, secure in Christ.
Step out that door, Christian! Come join us on this adventure!
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