Songs are a very effective teaching tool. When my boys were in elementary school, I used to help them learn their spelling words by singing the letters of the word to some familiar tune. It's the same with memory verses. Young children love to sing and can remember the words to a tune much more easily than they can remember something by simple recitation.
Bible songs for pre-school children teach some of the most basic of Biblical principles. These lessons may seem obvious to an adult; yet I feel very strongly that they lay the groundwork for learning lessons vital to our spiritual growth. I think sometimes as adults, we forget how very profound these little lessons are. Think about it .. the words of these songs often come directly from the Bible.
One of the favorite songs among my 2's and 3's right now is the one about the wise man who built his upon the rock and the foolish man who built his house upon the sand. I smile when they ask to sing this song because they don't say, "Let's sing about the foolish man and wise man." Instead they say, "Let's do this ..." and they put their little hands in fists one on top of the other as in the motions of the songs. Actually, doing part of the hand motions is how they ask for many of the songs they like to sing.
I'm always happy to honor their request. Yes, we do actually do a Bible story/lesson; but there is plenty of time for singing too. And as I said, this song has a very good lesson behind is and is taken straight from scripture. I'm sure most of you know the words:
The foolish man built his house upon the sand (repeat 2x) .. and the rains came tumbling down. OH.. the rains came down and the floods came up (repeat 2x) and the foolish man's went SPLAT. {At which time we clap our hands together as loudly as possible).
The second verse is: The wise man built his upon the rock ... the rains came tumbling down...and the wise man's house stood firm.
Third verse: So build your house on the Lord Jesus Christ ... and the blessings will come down as the prayer go up ... So build your house on the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!!
The scripture reference comes from the words of Christ himself recorded at the end of His great Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7:24-27:
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”
See.... this song really is totally based on the scripture, right? How profound this lesson is -- what Jesus was trying to tell us. And how I love to see and hear the children sing this song!
It is a total delight to watch one little guy in my class as he sings this. It puts himself into wholeheartedly. Every motion is done with great enthusiasm. His little fists build upon one another as if he is building the finest house in the land. His arms spread as wide apart as they can in an attempt to make that foolish man's house "splat" as loudly as possible.
He is just as enthusiastic on the wise man verse as he holds his fists together solidly -- so that they are standing firm, like the wise man's house does. I think my favorite time to watch him is during the 3rd verse.
I cannot aptly describe to you the look on his little face as he sings "Build your house on the Lord Jesus Christ." It is filled with such a mixture of joy, enthusiasm, determination and pride and he sings his little heart out! I always thought he liked the song because of the foolish man's loud splat. But the more we sing it together I think his favorite part is pointing upward to heaven and singing "the Lord Jesus Christ."
As I watch these precious children sing this all important song, I ask the Father that as they grow older they truly learn the meanings of these words. I pray they grow to understand just how foolish the foolish man really is ... because he will have his sad reward.
I ask that as they grow in understanding, they will hear the words of Christ and do them. (Doing them is the key). I pray they grow to understand the true joy of actively building their house on the rock of Jesus. I hope they will choose to be wise and follow the Lord Jesus Christ, so that their house -- their lives will always --ALWAYS stand firm in Him.
Now folks, what about us? What is our house built on? Are we or have we been building foolishly building on the sand .. or do we choose to build our house on the rock of our Lord? Think about it.
Christ above all things,
Robin
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