After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel. (Judges 2:10)
All it takes is one generation to make a difference. One generation has the power to be a force of positive change, and it also has the power to drive a nation to its knees.
There was a generation in Israel that served the Lord and sought to please Him. Somehow along the way, though, they forgot to pass on what they learned to the next generation. Perhaps they were too enamored with their newfound prosperity, or perhaps they simply forgot the importance of instilling values into their children. Regardless of the reason, the result was devastating for the nation of Israel as it was about to face the darkest days it had ever known up to that point in time.
The lesson we can all learn from this is the importance of instilling our values and our faith into the next generation. Parents have a responsibility of training their children up in the ways of the Lord, and our churches have a responsibility of helping families to know what it means to love the Lord with all of your heart, soul, and mind.
What are you doing to instill an awe of God into your children? What is your church doing to train the next generation? We can’t make excuses; this must be a top priority.
God, give us eyes to see the value of the next generation. Help us to know that it isn’t enough for us to love and serve You – we have to instill that value into those who come after us. Give us opportunities to let Your name be made known, and help the next generation not to fall away from You.
Leave a Reply