The Psalmist encourages parents to not conceal their story and the story of Scripture from their children, but to tell “the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and His strength and His wondrous works that He has done” (Ps. 78:4).
We all have a story to tell about our lives. And the greatest story is the salvation and the unfolding new life we have through Jesus Christ. We have stories of how God has met us and our family in times of need, and we have stories of how He has used us as a witness and ministry to others.
We also have the stories of Scripture that become our personal stories. As God’s sons and daughters who are part of His household, He has given us stories of men and women and families to inspire us and teach us His ways. The apostle Paul tells us, “Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction” (1 Cor 10:11).
We cannot truly understand the teachings of our Heavenly Father without the stories that illustrate His teachings. This is why much of the Scripture is written narrative form. In it we see the unfolding story of God’s will, especially as His nature is revealed through these stories and in the ways that we can apply them to the story of our own lives.
Children thrive on stories. The greatest stories that you can tell them and expose them to are your personal stories and the stories of Scripture. Tell them the stories of creation, of Noah and the flood, of Abraham, of Joseph, and of the Passover. Tell the stories of possessing Canaan, of Samuel and the prophets, and of David and Solomon. And tell them of the stories of Jesus and the miraculous spread of early church.
Give the stories of Scripture a greater place than the fictional stories and heroes of modern culture. Let their heroes and champions be their parents and the men and women of the Bible. Allow their imaginations soar with stories like Daniel in the lion’s den, Israel walking through parted waters, and Jesus’ resurrection. Share with them testimonies of men and women of God who through their faith and faithfulness have seen promises fulfilled and changed the lives of others.
The stories of Scripture, and especially the stories and words of Jesus, are to be continually rehearsed and passed on from generation to generation. It is wonderful that we have Bibles and other books with Bible stories available to us. However, the greatest thing we can do is implant these stories into the hearts and minds of our sons and daughters and allow the Holy Spirit to write them on their hearts.
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