"Remember today that your children were not the ones who saw and experienced the discipline of the Lord your God: his majesty, his mighty hand, his outstretched arm; the signs he performed and the things he did in the heart of Egypt, both to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his whole country; what he did to the Egyptian army, to its horses and chariots, how he overwhelmed them with the waters of the Red Sea as they were pursuing you, and how the Lord brought lasting ruin on them..."
Deuteronomy 11:2-4
Stories. Stories of deliverance, stories of disobedience and defeat... With stories we bring to life, paint a verbal picture of a place in time that something important happened. Stories also can remind us who we are, and why we do what we do.
This was done in the old testament regularly. The people heard time and time again how God had saved their great great grandparents from EGYPT... and what a fantastic story it is! The women would tell of Moses's mom and the basket in which she placed their one day great leader. Then the moment of all moments, when the hand of God had written out those commands, history breathing a blessing onto a rebellious and stubborn nation. A covenant made, a forever future chosen.
Generations would enjoy the protection and providence of God based on the truth in the stories passed down from generation to generation. But stories, the spoken word, ceased to be told. Youth grew, grandparents died, and the nation of Israel would forget... Surrounding nations would crowd in and the spoken word, their legacy, the legacy chosen for them before the foundations of the world would be forgotten. Time and time again, like a children's fable lost in the back of a dusty library, the word of God would be forgotten.
Are we telling the compelling truths to our children about God and our history? Are we telling stories that widen the small eyes of a child, and truly make Jesus out to be their superhero? Or has your imagination taken a back seat and been subdued by daytime streaming drama and prime time pseudo porn?
Have you known what it is like to run through the middle of raging waters on dry ground while the enemy pursued? Or stood on a mountain when fire rained down from the heavens? Eaten beautiful snow like bread every morning, and watched water gush from a rock in the middle of the dessert?
Have you played in the mud that healed a man born blind, held the hand of a child once dead? Did you feel the ground shake as tears poured from the heavens, or seen the place where He laid in a tomb now empty?
And what about you? What about the story written in your life not on paper or stone? What about your story bears truth to these wonderful miracles?
My Grandfather having the right set of gifts in a war camp to sneak food at night; not only to feed himself, but feed the men that toiled with him day to day...
My life being a miracle after my parents believed God was greater than a diagnosis not to have "normal children"... named Johanna Eva because I truly was to them God's gracious gift of life.
"It is time to share your burdens" a wedding plan in motion between their father and I... as God knew the family I came from would soon fall apart, and nearly break my heart.
Stories. Stories of deliverance, stories of disobedience and defeat... With stories we bring to life, paint a verbal picture of a place in time that something important happened.
Have we allowed this culture to crowd in to the point of no return? Will your grandchildren remember Gods providence of a survived great grandfather through the war, or the healing power of a God who gives good gifts to parents that seek His face, and renews all things in His time?
Paint for your children a picture that is true to the faithfulness of the one who dwells richly in them. Daily let them taste and see that the Lord is good. Let us together, raise a generation that knows who they are, where they came from, and why they believe what they believe. It takes a village, no it takes a body, a bride, the bride of Christ to raise a child.
Father let us be a people that remembers your great faithfulness. Give us words and pictures to tell our children of the wonders you have done, and will continue to do into eternity. Let not the world crowd us out of tasting, seeing, believing and experiencing your goodness, for you are good. We Praise you and thank you for all that you are yesterday, today, and forever. Amen.
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