Beyond This Generation

"1“Now this is the commandment, and these are the statutes and judgments which the Lord your God has commanded to teach you, that you may observe them in the land which you are crossing over to possess, 2 that you may fear the Lord your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you, you and your son and your grandson, all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged. 3 Therefore hear, O Israel, and be careful to observe it, that it may be well with you, and that you may multiply greatly as the Lord God of your fathers has promised you—‘a land flowing with milk and honey." Deuteronomy 6:1-3.

In the passage above, Moses was speaking to the children of Israel who were about to enter the Promised Land. Forty years earlier their fathers witnessed God's power in Egypt. Now a new generation arose, and they are about to enter Canaan. These were the generations born during the forty years of wandering in the wilderness and those who were too small as at the time of the exodus. None of them knew God personally. Since a relationship with the Lord is not biologically transferred but must be believed and developed by every individual. Hence, He instructed Moses to teach them His ways. Moses was tasked to help the new generations understand who they were, where they came from, and what God has in store for them. He was to teach them to fear God, love Him, and obey His commandments with all their hearts. Moreover, God was concerned about future generations. He wanted them to succeed. The Almighty doesn’t want them to be a rebellious generation, but to display a heart loyal to Him. He wants His blessing to flow from one generation to another. So He assigned Moses to teach them. The older generation must teach the younger. Today we hold the baton.

So are you teaching your child(ren) the ways of the Lord? God wants us to reach out to the next generation. We should be concerned, not just about what happens in our time but also about the next generation, too. We must reach out to them! We have a responsibility to teach them about God. Each generation must bear witness before the next generation concerning God. We must strive to continually feed them sound biblical doctrine. The coming generations need us to show (not just tell) them how to honour, fear and love God. We are to be the example that points them to Christ.

“A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, And the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.” Proverbs 13:22.

An inheritance is not limited to money or materials things. You can bequeath to your children possessions, investment in real estate, and stocks in big organizations. But the greatest investment we can make in their lives is to teach them the ways of the Lord. A godly heritage is the most priceless gift you can pass on to your children and grandchildren.

"When I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also." 2 Timothy 1:5.

Pastor Timothy’s faith was the result of having been raised by two godly people who had faith. He had the advantage of growing up with a godly heritage. Lois, his grandmother, was a woman of faith. She passed it down to her daughter Eunice, who imparted it to Timothy. Apostle Paul testifies that, Lois influence Eunice who later influenced young Timothy.

What are you passing on to your children? When you’ve departed this world, what do you want to be remembered for? What kind of legacy do you want to leave your children? What will your legacy be? What will the coming generation say about you? As you ponder these thoughts, it is my prayer that you'll examine your life and choose to leave a godly legacy. Some of us were not opportune to have godly parents. But, now is the time to change the course of our family histories. Let us not cause the next generation to miss out on knowing God. They must know God’s goodness and mercy. It’s time for us to arise and share our stories of hope and redemption. The generations you tell today are the ones who will tell the generations yet to come. They will tell their children about the Savior, and His story of grace because you share it every day. We must train the next generations to have unconditional faith in God. Because you put your trust in Him. Psalm 78:7. There is much falsehood proclaimed as truth today. We need to teach them to know the truth and to grow in it.