Convocation 2026: A Charge for Parents VCA
Deuteronomy 6:4-7 states, Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.[a] 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
Verses 4 and 5, known in the Hebrew community as the Shema, are the Lord's charge to His people. The charge conveys that our homes need to be under the Lordship of Christ and that we are to have Christ-centered families. Verses 7 and 8 explain our duty to pass this down and model it to our children.
While receiving such a charge, we may be tempted to resist and think that this charge is too binding. However, in all reality, such a charge is more freeing. It actually binds the sins of pride and selfishness by forcing us to focus outside of ourselves and come face to face with the reality of Christ’s victory and power over sin. The more we fill our hearts and souls with a love for the Lord, the more our souls are at peace no matter what our circumstances. This is how the martyrs today and of old are able to face unimaginable hardships.
As we think of our homes, let’s ask the following questions: Do we really obey Christ at home? Does the Word of Christ govern every affair within the family, regardless of how insignificant it may be in our sight? Can my children see the importance of Christ in our family life?
This year my charge to the families is nothing new. My charge is to make Christ the center of your home. To love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. By doing so, you preserve the original created design, which was for mankind to have that close fellowship with the Lord by walking with Him in the cool of the day.
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