Intergenerational Faith

April 7

Deuteronomy 11-12

Psalm 41 7-13

Proverbs 10:18-21

Luke 8:1-18

Intergenerational Faith

“And you shall teach them to your sons, speaking of them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road and when you lie down and when you rise up.  And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your sons may be multiplied on the land which Yahweh swore to your fathers to give them, as long as the heavens remain above the earth.”  Deuteronomy 11:19-21 LSB

The Christian faith has not been passed down from one generation to the next for the last 2,000 years by a few prominent pastors in each generation leading the way and evangelizing masses of people.  It has been passed down by grandmothers and grandfathers, mothers and fathers, pastors in local churches, Sunday School teachers, small group leaders, coworkers, and friends.  The gospel of Jesus Christ has spread to billions over the centuries by changing one heart at a time.  Our passage today explains the best way to bring that about.  Teaching people about Jesus happens in relationship over a period of time.  As a grandmother, I am keenly aware of my responsibility to pass on my faith to my granddaughter.  As a parent, I took that responsibility very seriously, but as a grandparent I feel the weight of that even more.  Passing on our faith to the next generation is not a passive endeavor.  Life is busy and hectic and if we are not intentional about teaching them about Jesus, it will get lost in the shuffle and we will wake up one day and realize we did not do our job. 

            God gave specific directions to Moses about how to teach their children about Him.  It is much more than saying bedtime prayers and taking them to church on Sunday.  We are to speak about God’s Word when we sit in our houses, when we walk along the road, when we lie down and when we rise up.  This describes making God a part of everything we do.  We have a responsibility to pass our faith down to those who will follow us.  God places people in our lives for that purpose.  It may be our children, grandchildren, neighbors, friends, young adults, or others.  They should see us reading our Bible and praying regularly, seeking God for wisdom when we have a decision to make or when we are facing difficulty.  They should witness us tithing, giving to meet the needs of others, serving others, and making time for Bible studies and church.  As they see our actions, we have to take the time to explain to them how God is the source of our help and strength.  We tend to shield our children from difficulty because we don’t want them to worry.  I think a better approach is to bring them into the circle.  Explain to them, in a way they can understand, what is going on and then let them see us place faith in God to help.  When God meets the need, make sure they recognize it and we thank God together for His provision.   Our goal is to raise godly adults who are equipped to pass on their faith to the next generation and the next and the next.  Take every opportunity to tell them about Jesus and to help them grow in their faith.