Letting Our Children Know...

“Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, but we will tell to the generation to come the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, and His might, and the wonderful works that He has performed. For He established a testimony (an express precept) in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, commanding our fathers that they should make [the great facts of God’s dealings with Israel] known to their children, That the generation to come might know them, that the children still to be born might arise and recount them to their children, That they might set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but might keep His commandments”   (Psa 78:2-7 AMP)

“And these words which I am commanding you this day shall be [first] in your [own] minds and hearts; [then] You shall whet and sharpen them so as to make them penetrate, and teach and impress them diligently upon the [minds and] hearts of 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 up. And you shall bind them as a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as frontlets (forehead bands) between your eyes. And you shall write them upon the doorposts of your house and on your gates."  (Deut 6:6-9 AMP)

I think quite often our children grow up and see where we are, and they never realize the extreme sacrifices and cost of HOW we got to where we are.  Little tiny seeds grow up into rich ripe harvests, whether for good or bad, and it is very important to let your children know, over and over again, just what you did and didn't do, to get where you are.  In fact, the Scripture above tells us that we need to "recount" the works of the Lord "[t]hat they might set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but might keep His commandments”.

Interestingly enough, the Word tells us to rehearse (over and over again) the works of the LORD.  I never felt a need to "recount" to my children any sins the Lord forgave me of (after all, He cast them into the depths of the sea, and the only one that brings them up is the accuser of the brethren - Satan himself -- so why should I bring them up again??!!), except to tell them that each and every sin I ever committed was against the Lord and against myself, and there is always a penalty for sin.  

I am putting together a "Book of Miracles" where I am putting all the wondrous works that the Lord has done for us over the years.  I have been diligent and sure I have let my children know, over and over again, how we dealt with problems in our lives and watched the messes turn into messages, and the tests turn into testimonies.

Challenge:  Begin to tell your children the miracles the Lord has done for you and your family.  Begin when they are little, and tell them over and over so your children know and are fully aware that their family is nothing short of a miraculous gift of the Lord.  Let them in, age appropriately, on problems the Lord worked out, how the Lord directed you, and all the exciting things you have seen the Lord do!  As your children grow older, they will know some of your family testimonies, and will be stronger in their faith for their families.  And then they "might set their hope in God, not forget the works of the Lord, and keep His commandments"!