Prepare the Child
A phrase on many parenting websites says, “Prepare the child for the road, not the road for the child.” Instead of trying to remove all obstacles and pave the way for the children in our life, we should instead equip them to deal with the difficulties they encounter on the road ahead.
The psalmist wrote, “We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done. He decreed statutes . . . ,which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children . . . who should arise and declare them to their children” (Ps. 78:4–6). The goal is that “they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments” (v. 7).
Think of the powerful spiritual impact others had on us through what they said and how they lived. Their conversation and demonstration captured our attention and kindled a fire in us to follow Jesus just as they did.
It’s a wonderful privilege and responsibility to share God’s Word and His plan for our lives with the next generation and the generations to come. No matter what lies ahead on their road through life, we want them to be prepared and equipped to face it in the strength of the Lord.
Father in heaven, we seek Your wisdom and guidance to prepare the children we know and love to walk with You in faith. Amen.
When I recently read this I felt it’s a subject that needs to be taught more often, followed by action. I believe this is for everyone, with or without children, it’s our responsibility as adults to set the example through conversation and demonstration, we must help prepare children to follow the Lord on the road ahead. They are watching, they are listening and they are living what they see. Let’s be bigger than ourselves and set an example for the future generation. My prayer is that I myself be a better example today to follow than I was yesterday, for my children and to those children in my life whom I have an impact on.
Have a wonderful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Psalm 78:1-8
Pass It On!
I recently read, I enjoy watching relay races. The physical strength, speed, skill, and endurance required of the athletes amaze me. But one crucial point of the race always gets my special attention and makes me anxious. It is the moment the baton is passed to the next athlete. One moment of delay, one slip, and the race could be lost.
In a sense, Christians are in a relay race, carrying the baton of faith and the knowledge of the Lord and of His Word. And the Bible tells us about our need to pass this baton from one generation to another. In Psalm 78, Asaph declares: “I will utter . . . dark sayings of old: which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done” (vv. 2–4).
Moses said something similar to the Israelites: “Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons’ sons” (Deut. 4:9).
For generations to come, we are called to lovingly and courageously do whatever we can to pass along “the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light” (1 Peter 2:9).