“But watch out! Be careful never to forget what you yourself have seen. Do not let these memories escape from your mind as long as you live! And be sure to pass them on to your children and grandchildren.” Deuteronomy 4:9 (NLT)
Yesterday we saw how Paul’s young protégé, Timothy, was incredibly impacted by his grandmother. She instilled great faith in her daughter, who passed it on to Timothy.
As parents and grandparents, we need to fill our family’s imagination with God’s Word. Psalm 78:4 (NLT) says, “We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord, about his power and his mighty wonders.”
God’s principles are so powerful that when you teach them to your kids—even from birth—it’s like planting seeds in the ground. In the life of Moses, we saw how his mother taught him God’s Word at a young age. Later, when he felt the pull of Egyptian riches, fame and power, he still rejected those temptations and chose to follow God.
If we don’t teach our children the Word, what’s left to teach them? Goodness and respect? Those are important qualities, but they don’t teach a child his or her identity. When we plant God’s Word in our children’s hearts, it shows them who they are in Christ, how much God loves them and the amazing future He has for them.
Will there be things that cause our children to struggle? Of course. Every one of us deals with misbeliefs and negative circumstances in life. But with a solid foundation in the Word, we give our children the opportunity to turn to Jesus to find out who they are. Don’t underestimate the power of building faith into your family!
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