THE NORTHERN KENTUCKY SEARCHER
"Search the scriptures: for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. " (John 5:39)

VOLUME 6, NUMBER 6, FEBRUARY 12, 2006

“CHILDREN ARE AN HERITAGE OF THE LORD”

            Bible students recognize the title of this article as being a quote from Psalm 127:3.  In this, and in other places, the Bible teaches that children are a great blessing, as well as a great responsibility.  Here at the Northern Kentucky Church of Christ we have been blessed indeed.    Marvin gathered some figures together for me and the results were that we have 55 children here from the womb to the eighth grade, and 17 teenagers.  Even though math has never been my strong suit, that comes to 72 children.  That is a wonderful thing indeed.  It is also an awesome responsibility.

A word of praise and encouragement must be given to all of the parents of these children who do everything they can to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.  With that many children our worship services could be a cacophony sounds, but they are not.  The children are very well behaved and that is a tribute to the moms and dads.

It is a wonderful thing to see the young children running back (I know, they should be walking) to their classes.  They are glad to go and glad to see their friends.  It is great to see the teenagers coming from classes talking and laughing with one another and sitting together when they can.  It is great to see the enthusiasm of so many of the children in services.  So many take notes and really listen.  It is a joy to hear their voices join right in singing praises to God.  A word of thanks and appreciation needs to be given to the elders for their foresight in providing facilities that enable us to do the job we need to do when we gather in this building.  There is now ample room for the children to be taught in comfortable surroundings that facilitate their learning.

            I do want to give one word of caution.  I have noticed that some are beginning to be very sporadic in attendance on Wednesday evening.  It is easy to start missing and the more a person does it, the easier it becomes.  But what of your children?  Even small children begin to understand what is really important to mom and dad, and generally speaking, what is important to you, becomes important to them.  Do your children see you staying home on Wednesday nights, and thereby forcing them to miss Bible class, for no good reason?   Do they see you go to work all the time but be “too sick” or “too tired” to go to services and to Bible study?  Show them that you put God and His service before EVERYTHING ELSE!

Seventy-two children!  Wouldn’t it be great if each and every one of them could grow to adulthood and be saved, faithful servants of the Lord?  Saving our children is a daunting task, but I can’t think of a more important one.  Can you?

 Greg Litmer

THAT DAY AT CALVARY

To live a perfect life only to die;
To leave heavenly glory for one such as I:
To face the torment of the cross without a cry:
Makes me bow my head and wonder “why?”

We could not be there that day at Calvary ;
We did not see Him wearing the mask of agony;
We did not hear Him speak to the two that He loved;
We did not hear that heartrending cry to His Father above;

The crowd gathered that day; but what did they see?
They expected a Messiah, how many knew this was He?
The soldier who pierced his side, did he later pause to reflect
That the one he had pierced allowed it, hoping his faith to perfect?

But what if we have been there that day, seeing his thorn-pierced brow?
Suppose we have been there knowing what we know now?
Suppose we saw a mourning mother, grieving her loss;

For a moment our eyes meet and time seems to freeze;
Everything seems to stop, there’s not the slightest breeze;
Within this single moment lies the key;
Because when nothing else matters, what do you see?

Do you see a man who should never have been there;
One who mistakenly pushed the people beyond what they could bear?
Do you see a man convicted but simply wrong;
Who could have stopped anytime, but just pushed too long?

Do you see a man very good in his heart;
Whose values were superior right from the start?
Do you see a man whose goodness clouded his mind;
One who mistook himself, but was still very kind?

Do you see a man dying the world to save:
One who willingly for sinners goes to His grave?
Do you see a man dying for thieves, murderers and such;
Who is to be admired, even revered, but expects too much?

Or do you see the “Man of Sorrows” holding your gaze?
Does the love wrapped in suffering crush your malaise?
Does His blood soaked body make you tremble and the crown of thorns too;
As you behold the Son of God gladly dying for you?

As His eyes turn from yours and time once again starts;
Do you feel His agony gripping your rapidly beating heart?
Do you turn inward, finally understanding the filth of sin;
Knowing that you can never be the same person again?

Your life reflects what you would see had you been there that day.
Remember this whenever you bow your head to pray.
So set your sight and your mind, fixing your aim,
On the Son of God who left glory, you to reclaim.

Adam Litmer