Never Stop Telling the Story

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

You know those old church songs we used to sing when we were kids? “Father Abraham, had many sons, had many sons, had Father Abraham… OR what about, “Deep and Wide, Deep and Wide, there’s a fountain flowing deep and wide” OR the classic, “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” Those songs, although simple, sometimes silly, left an imprint on my heart as a little girl. As far back as I can remember, someone was always telling me the story of Jesus.

I don’t know about you, but I feel like something has been lost along the way. Our lives have become so busy and distracted. Our children have the world at their fingertips, but so many of them don’t know those simple truths that we were taught long ago. Many of the Gen-Z kids that I encounter wouldn’t be able to tell me about David and Goliath. They don’t know about Noah’s Ark. They’ve never heard about the resurrection. It’s disheartening. Have we lost sight of the simplicity of the Gospel? Have we forgotten that every time we speak the Word of God to our children, we are sowing for a harvest of righteousness and salvation?

The first time I read Judges 2:10 my jaw dropped. I kept thinking “how?” How is it possible that an entire generation did not know the Lord? Judges 2:10 is only a chapter or two away from the famous declaration, “as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord (Joshua 24:15), ” but somehow, a few decades later, an entire generation was lost. I think the children of Israel became lazy and complacent. They were living in the Promised Land, eating the fruit and honey that was promised to them, and they forgot from whom they received those blessings. According to the verse, not only did they not know the Lord, they didn’t know what He had done for Israel…Can you imagine? There were a whole group of kids in that generation who did not know about the Red Sea, the manna, Jericho?!

Someone stopped telling the story.

As we focus on getting back to the basics, let’s never forget to keep sharing the Gospel with those who need to hear it the most- the ones in our home. Tell your children about the Lord. Tell them what He has done for your family. Remind them that all of the good things in your life come from Him. We must never discount the opportunity that we have to build a Godly heritage within our family. Do a spiritual check-in with your family this month. What do your children believe about God? What do they know about the Bible? I’ve done this with my kids and I’ve been surprised about what I thought they knew- that they didn’t. Keep it simple. Even if it means a round of Father Abraham in the kitchen (LOL)! Let’s determine to be those who will never stop telling the story of Jesus.

-Donna Martin