Psalm 78:5-8 "For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: (6) That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: (7) That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments: (8) And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God."
A testimony was established in Jacob and a law was appointed in Israel.
There is a basic fundamental lesson that is taught in this testimony and proven
through the law. The lesson that is taught in these two things is that we need
the Lord. We cannot work our way into heaven nor can we get through this life
on our own ability. Some of the first words learned by a child are these:
"I can do it myself." There is something in our nature that
says we can get by on our own. The reality of life is that we need a power
greater than our own whether it is to learn to walk, to learn to talk, or to
learn to reason things.
God's wisdom gives to us parents whose responsibility is to help their children
develop and mature. The Lord inspired the writer of this Psalm to remind us the
greatest lesson we can teach our children is to set their hope and expectation
upon the Lord. It is true that parents cannot make children of God, but that
does not take away the responsibility of teaching about the Lord and His love
for us. The writer is very much to the point in saying there is a generation
who turned away from the Lord. There was/is a generation whose heart is not
right and whose spirit, or determination of life, was not stedfast toward the
Almighty. As a result, judgment was passed upon that generation. God tells them
to repent and to teach their children lessons such as the life of Jacob before
and after God's intervention in his life.
The involvement of parents with children is very important. It is wonderful for
children to learn how to interact with others through involvement with sports
and other activities. But the greatest involvement that parents can have with
their children is to take them to church. Sit with them and talk with them
about the Lord. Read the Bible with them. Give them a proper example by openly
declaring and living in the hope of the Lord's help in both earthly and
heavenly matters.
To quote the title of the song by Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young - "Teach
your children well"... and to combine it with the Word of God...
"That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of
God."