Raising Up a Godly Generation
President Woodrow Wilson said, “A nation that does not remember what it was yesterday does not know what it is today, nor what it is trying to do. We are trying to do a futile thing if we do not know where we came from or what we have been about.”
Each generation is charged with the essential task of transmitting its truths to the next, and one generation’s failure to do so can break the link that binds the future to the past. We remind our children of the remarkable story of our nation each Independence Day through the ritual of fireworks and songs proclaiming freedom. Just as we preserve our nation’s history, we are called to pass on our faith to future generations, and to proclaim a testimony of what the Lord has done in us—for our story is our children’s story:
I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old—things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us.
We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done. He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach their children so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands. –Psalm 78:2-7
Pass-on-Your-Faith Project
Families often pass faith on through a keepsake Bible. Whether it’s an heirloom from generations past or a Bible inherited from a lost loved one with notes in his or her own hand, there’s something especially sacred about these copies of Scriptures. Why not preserve your own marks of faith for your children in a Bible personalized with your thoughts?
Sacred Scribbles: Consider this Bible an artistic canvas. Break out the pens and highlighters and mark it up with abandon, leaving notes, words of wisdom, icons and doodles. For our children’s Bibles, I tucked stickers into the margins beside each Bible verse they had memorized and highlighted them on the page (color coded).
Hall of Faith: The Book of Hebrews records the faith of the Israelites, recalling stories down the generations. Consider creating your own “hall of faith” inside this Bible, recording stories of family members and ancestors on their journeys through life, a cloud of witnesses cheering your children on the path marked out for them.
Family Tree: Many heirloom Bibles contain a family tree. Use the extra pages in front or back to record your family’s history, or find family tree scrapbooking materials and paste them in.
Testimony: Share with your posterity why you love God. Your story, in your words, could inspire your children’s children to faith—what a legacy!
Love Note: In the Bible, include a note written to your children with your hopes and prayers for them, steeped in love from you.
Wendy Connelly, faith columnist, is a mother of two and a graduate student at St. Paul School of Theology, Leawood.