Saturday, June 23, 2012

More Ways the Gospel Shapes Homeschooling

I posted earlier this week my take on how the gospel shapes our homeschooling.  I also asked a few friends what their thoughts were on this subject.  I received one response today from a godly homeschooling dad and friend that I greatly respect, one so committed to the gospel he recently spent three years in Zambia sharing the gospel with the unreached Lozi people.  I thought you might enjoy his thoughts as well, so I will share them in their entirety. 
My friend, Shannon Reece, on the gospel and homeschooling....


When I think about how the gospel relates to doing anything, I almost always think of a small devotion by John Piper called "How to drink orange juice to the glory of God." It was ultra practical and helped me to see how the gospel relates to every part of life. I will borrow from some of his ideas below as I attempt to describe how the gospel relates to homeschooling.

First, every little innocent pleasure that we enjoy as a homeschooling family comes to us at great cost. It's free for us but only because Jesus Christ paid for it with his blood on the cross. Life is a gift. Homeschooling is a gift. (1 Tim. 6:17, Rom. 8:32)

Second, we deserve hell because we are all guilty of being rebels and God-haters; but instead we get to enjoy being together as a family, exploring and discovering the world that our God made, his purpose throughout redemptive history, and his unique purpose for us as part of the body of Christ.

Third, homeschooling continues to bring each of us face to face with his own weakness and inadequacy. There is a true and living God and none of us is him! He knows everything and we struggle to learn or to teach (especially higher math and science!). But God created the mysteries of the universe. He speaks math! Therefore we need him enable us to learn and understand. Another example - God never grows weary. We reconsider our decision to homeschool every year because my wife is exhausted or discouraged! So the gospel is not a one-time experience or "decision" that a person made. On the contrary, it's a new life of constant dependence on God, through Christ, for his gracious provision. We come moment by moment as needy children to a mighty and benevolent Father who is happy to supply what we need. (1 Pet. 4:11)

Fourth, we can't lose sight of the very purpose of the gospel; that is, to bring us to God. Jesus death made it possible for us to be reconciled to the very God whom we once hated. It makes it possible for former rebels like us to sit in the very presence of the One we have infinitely offended and fellowship with him! (1 Pet. 3:18) Homeschooling helps us all to know our God better.
 
 
Thanks Shannon!

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