READING: Psalm 78
“. . . tell a future generation the praiseworthy acts of the Lord.”
Psalm 78:4
The psalmist understood something I’m not sure we North American believers understand well enough: we need to make sure our children know our spiritual history. Here’s how the psalmist expressed this mandate in Psalm 78: “We will not hide them [God’s works] from their children, but will tell a future generation the praiseworthy acts of the Lord, his might, and the wondrous works he has performed” (Psa. 78:4). In fact, the Hebrews were to teach their children, who would then teach the next generation “so that they might put their confidence in God and not forget God’s works, but keep his commands” (Psa. 78:7). In that way, future generations would not be like their fathers, who had been “a stubborn and rebellious generation” (Psa. 78:8).
Here are some of the things I wonder if our children and grandchildren know:
- stories of other ancestors who were believers
- when and how we became believers
- when and where we were baptized
- the sweetest experience we ever had with the Lord
- the toughest struggle of our spiritual walk
- significant times of answered prayer
- how we live out our spiritual disciplines
There is so much we can tell our children and grandchildren! I fear, though, that we seldom get to these stories. We talk about everything else—and I’m grateful for any real conversation between generations—but we don’t take the initiative to talk about what God has done in our life. Most of us need to hear this word again from the psalmist: “We will not hide them from our children.”
ACTION STEPS:
- In prayer, meditate on God’s great works in your life.
- Perhaps by using something from the list above, tell somebody what God has done in your life.
PRAYER: “Father, I commit to telling my children and grandchildren about Your wondrous works.”
TOMORROW’S READING: Psalms 81, 88, 92, 93
