Deuteronomy 4:9-14 (NRSV)
Teach your children
But take care and watch yourselves closely, so as neither to forget the things that your eyes have seen nor to let them slip from your mind all the days of your life; make them known to your children and your children's children - how you once stood before the Lord your God at Horeb, when the Lord said to me, "Assemble the people for me, and I will let them hear my words, so that they may learn to fear me as long as they live on the earth, and may teach their children so"; you approached and stood at the foot of the mountain while the mountain was blazing up to the very heavens, shrouded in dark clouds. Then the Lord spoke to you out of the fire. You heard the sound of words but saw no form; there was only a voice. He declared to you his covenant, which he charged you to observe, that is, the ten commandments; and he wrote them on two stone tablets. And the Lord charged me at that time to teach you statutes and ordinances for you to observe in the land that you are about to cross into and occupy.
DEVOTION
Recently I’ve been reading a book regarding family finances and how to financially protect my children in the event of my untimely death. It calls for the creation of a will and trust, as well as the selection of a guardian and executor of estate.
Whilst all of these financial preparations are apropos, there is another preparation that I try to make every single day.
Each day, I whisper the Name of Jesus into the lives of my children in every way that I can think of. We start the day with morning prayers dedicating our day to Jesus. Throughout the day we say grace over our food, sing songs about the goodness of the Lord, and do charitable good works meant to inspire a life of love and service to God’s people and creation. At night, we take the Holy Bible into our laps as we read together as a family, discussing the meaning of the story we have read in Jesus’ time and in our own. And at bed time, we once again join hearts and hands thanking God for the day and praying that God’s Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.
On a regular basis I recite to my children that which I believe. I make sure that they know the Ten Commandments, the Lord’s Prayer, and the Apostle’s Creed. I share with them my heart and my testimony reminding them that if anything ever happened to me, I would want them to continue to love God and trust in Jesus, remaining healthy, happy, holy, and whole until we meet again in heaven!
Today’s scripture says, “But take care and watch yourselves closely, so as neither to forget the things that your eyes have seen nor to let them slip from your mind all the days of your life; make them known to your children and your children's children…”
Wow! What a legacy! More important than houses, lands, cars, boats, jewelry, life insurance, or 401(k) plans, I want to pass down my great love for God and commitment to Jesus. More important than what will be read in my will, is what will be read in the hearts of my children, and their children, and their children’s children for generations to come.
Whilst I am grateful to be a fifth generation pastor, all of us have a rich legacy to impart to our children. All of us can pray, read scripture, worship, and serve others in the Name of Jesus! All of us can help our children to learn to do the same by our good example!
Let us never forget that God loves us so much that God gave Jesus to die on the cross to save us from our sin and gift us with eternal life!
As we share this good news with our children, teaching them to love God and neighbor as themselves, we will be sharing with them the greatest legacy of all—CHRIST.
Now, ain’ta that good news?!
ANNOUNCEMENTS
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PUT ALL OF YOUR HOPE IN JESUS--If you have additional questions about how to become a friend and follower of Jesus, please see the devotion entitled, "Come to Jesus"
http://aintathatgoodnews.blogspot.com/2009/03/come-to-jesus.html
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From Pastor Yolanda's blog http://aintathatgoodnews.blogspot.com
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