Deuteronomy 6:20-24 "And when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What mean the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD our God hath commanded you? (21) Then thou shalt say unto thy son, We were Pharaoh's bondmen in Egypt; and the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand: (22) And the LORD shewed signs and wonders, great and sore, upon Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his household, before our eyes: (23) And he brought us out from thence, that he might bring us in, to give us the land which he sware unto our fathers. (24) And the LORD commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it is at this day."
I sometimes have to wonder if we have lost the art of conversation. I have
mentioned in previous writings about being concerned that we have lost the art
of listening, which is indeed a part of conversing with one another. I
bring this at the beginning of this writing because Moses was encouraging the
people to have conversations with their children. There must be the acts
of listening and replying in order for a conversation to occur.
"When thy son asketh thee in time to come..." This implies a
conversation is taking place. God speaks to us in the book of 1 Peter concerning
being ready to give an answer. "But sanctify the Lord God in your
hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a
reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear." (1 Peter 3:15)
Be ready to give an answer when your son (or daughter) asks you
concerning your hope in the Lord. Again, something is implied in Moses saying
this, and that is we are showing our children that we have a constant and ready
hope.
For Israel, they were to be ready to tell how the Lord delivered them from
Egypt in such a miraculous manner. Tell your children that God is true to all
His promises. We could not bring ourselves out of that bondage, but the Lord
directly intervened. He gave us the blood of the lamb that was the sign of
deliverance. He opened the Red Sea for us to walk across on dry land. He
provided water from a rock, bread from heaven, and led us Himself through the
wilderness area. The Lord has given us this land and His guidelines
whereby we can enjoy life to the fullest when we obey Him.
What is our testimony to our children? Like Israel, we also have a
testimony and should be ready to give an answer to all who would ask us of the
hope that is in us? We should be ready to tell them we were in bondage, not to
Egypt but in sin. We could not bring ourselves out, but the Lord God Almighty
directly intervened on our behalf. He provided the blood of THE LAMB of GOD as
deliverance. He opened the way when there was no way. He provides our every
need. We can trust Him for life, both on a daily basis and for all
eternity. Jesus came to give us an abundance of life. He is indeed true
to all His promises.