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by Dennis and Barbara Rainey

Psalm 78:5
For He established a testimony in Jacob.

We all know the last words of Christ before He ascended to heaven-the Great Commission of Matthew 28:18-20, where He commands us to "make disciples of all the nations."

I'd like to point you to another passage in which God lays out an important part of His plan to fulfill that commission. Psalm 78:5-7 reads:

For He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers, that they should teach them to their children, that the generation to come might know, even the children yet to be born, that they may arise and tell them to their children, that they should put their confidence in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments.

As I read Scripture, I see that God formed two institutions to pass His Word from one generation to the next. One, of course, is His Church. The other is the family. God's original plan called for the home to be a sort of greenhouse-a nurture center-where children grow up to learn godly character and biblical values.

As a parent, it's so easy to get caught up in the pressures of daily living-of changing diapers and settling sibling disputes and ferrying kids to piano lessons and scout meetings. From time to time you must look above that and remember that the most important work during your years on earth will be to teach your children how to know and love the Lord God. Through your words and your actions, your very life, you have the power to shape the future of our nation by shaping a few of the people who live in it.

I love what Charles Swindoll says about the importance of a family and a home in this process:

Whatever else may be said about the home, it is the bottom line of life. The anvil upon which attitudes and convictions are hammered out. The single most influential force in our earthly existence. It is at home, among family members, that we come to terms with circumstances. It is here that life makes up its mind.

Prayer:

Ask God to give you wisdom in raising the next generation and imparting biblical values.

Discuss: What convictions and values do you want to pass on to your children?

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