These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, 2 so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. 3 Hear, Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you.
4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
The other week my daughters and I went to see Guns n Roses in Concert. I am blessed. We have seen Alice Cooper, Deep Purple, Metallica, Live, Poison, Cheap Trick, Kiss, Def Leppard, Motley Crue, Joan Jett and others in concert together. It is a lot of fun to be able to share these experiences with my daughters.
When we went to the Poison, Cheap Trick concert in Toronto years ago, it was a Father's Day present and this was a good way to celebrate Father's Day: listening to music from when I was a teenager with my (at that time) teenagers. My daughters actually like this old music! I don't know how they developed the same taste in music as I have. I think it was originally from a school (History?) assignment of Sarah-Grace's but I am not sure. I know that even though I don't listen to music a lot, they did have the chance to hear my old tapes. Some of my influence must have rubbed off on them. Rebecca even at one point had a cassette player and would play my old tapes! (They would also listen to my old music however people consumed music at that time). They must have picked up something from my influence!
Deuteronomy speaks about the importance of teaching our children well. They can learn from us so easily. As much as I enjoy going to concerts and listening to music from the 80's with my teens; I even more enjoyed reading the Bible with them when they were at home and am thankful that today they read the Bible on their own and pray on their own and worship God on their own and in community. A few years ago, when all our kids still lived at home, Susan and I were unable to go to church for a few weeks in a row. My kids still went all on their own. It was a real blessing and a great encouragement to everyone at the church.
Today, I encourage you to read the Bible with your kids and grandchildren when they are little. Talk to them about God and the Bible and pray as a family. That is indeed a great blessing that I wouldn't want anyone to miss out on.
What are other ways we can show children and grandchildren the importance of our relationship with God?
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