Lord, Teach Me

Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law….
Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long.

(Psalm 119:18, 97)

One of my favourite things as a homeschool mum is to snuggle up with my children with a good book, or should I say a pile of them. I am not talking about textbooks but living books. Books which are cleverly and interestingly written out of love for the subject (and not merely to pass exams). We were nestled behind the last book shelf in the Children’s Public Library, surrounded by stacks of books to appease us of the “lost time” with baby Ashton constantly demanding my attention. That was the most private spot in the library in this school holiday season. Every section of the library was in a mess as it undergo some upgrading and reorganization. Books, books and books everywhere.

Never in any generation is knowledge so easily accessible. The computer age opens up the world to us right at our own home – at the convenience of our space and time. With just one click, we can access any information we need. Kids of this generation talk intelligently on the internet world, which the baby boomers struggle to understand.

Education is no longer restricted within the classrooms and conventional textbooks. Recently, Chrisa, being a tomato lover, craved to know more about this fruit. So we googled and found interesting facts and colourful images of the variety of tomatoes. Currently, my girls are busy with virtual classes on learning Basic Spanish and a book club project. They just completed a free science project on Water; and had enjoyed this new trend of learning thoroughly. I am amazed at the efficiency and effectiveness of their learning in a short time. Virtual education has made its mark in our world today.

Being the school holiday now, the children’s library is busier than usual. Some came to read for pleasure while many came to fill in their reading list/reports for their school records. People are pursuing knowledge intensely. It used to be school-aged kids were facing insurmountable pressure of work overload. Now the preschoolers and babies are victims as well to the so called headstart in education. Whatever you name it, the education market has it.

While Chrisa was enjoying the books she picked for the day, I heard a mum trying to force her uninterested child to learn to read. Perhaps he wasn’t quite ready. Someone once said "for the heart of education is the education of the heart" and Aristotle quoted, "Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all". I looked around at the vast spread of knowledge available in the room and the immeasurable contents available through the little neat box – the computer. Mind-boggling thought!

Yet with all these availabilities, I still have to pray, “Lord, teach me.”

True knowledge comes with wisdom and the ability to perceive and understand the truths. Some versions of the bible use the word, “behold” – to take hold on it and look carefully…the spiritual beauty, wonder and profound mysteries hidden in His teachings. This can only be done by divine illumination as we cry out earnestly for his teachings. In the age of great pursuit of knowledge, our desires for God must be deep. We know that what we long and love for, we will think of it all the time. If we long and love God and His teachings, we will pursue with our all. We will echo the psalmist prayers – to uncover our eyes to perceive great and mighty things in his laws and meditate on it all day long. Enlightened hearts will give direction and purpose in life instead of empty chase in the rat race.

What knowledge are we pursuing in life? Where do we begin?

King Solomon stated “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7)… and “if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding” (Proverbs 2:3-6).

My Wise Father, give me knowledge and wisdom to apply it in my life. Teach me every moment…In Jesus’ name. Amen.