Psalm 78:4
“We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation
to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful
works that he hath done.”
When you were a child, you probably played the game, “Hide and Seek.” Someone was chosen to be “it,” they would cover their eyes and count to a certain number while the other children went to hide, and once they counted to that certain number, they would go and seek to find the children who were hiding. The children hiding provoked the one person to seek.
Though this game is enjoyed by many children, God’s commandments are not a game of hide and seek. You can’t hide God’s commandments from children and expect them to seek the LORD when they become adults. In the verse above, the psalmist declared that he would not hide God’s works or commandments from his children; rather, he would show the generation to come the “praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.” The purpose of showing the next generation God’s works and commandments is found in verse 7 which says, “That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:”
The opposite of hide and seek applies to God’s works and commandments. Instead of concealing God’s works and commandments from the next generation, you are to declare them openly and plainly to them so that they will “set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandment.” Let me make a couple of statements about revealing God’s commandments to the next generation.
First, your children will never serve the LORD if you don’t show them God’s commandments. Children are not going to learn God’s commandments on their own; you have to be the one who teaches them His commandments. Too many parents are afraid of running their children off by constantly talking about God’s commandments, but according to the Scriptures, you are drawing your children closer to the LORD by showing them His commandments.
Moreover, if you are going to show His commandments, you must punish your children when they break them. A commandment means little if there are no consequences to when they are broken. Your children need to know that obeying the LORD’s commandments is not an option, but a requirement. The only way they will learn this is through punishment when they are broken.
Second, your children will not serve the LORD if you don’t regularly show them His works. The only way your children are going to see the works of God is if He is performing His works through you. The best way to entice your children to serve the LORD is to let them see how He is working through your life. Be careful about talking more about the works of the world than you do about the works of the LORD. Whichever works you talk more about will be the direction your children will choose to walk. Talking about the works of the LORD in your life will create an appetite in your children to desire those same works in their life.
My friend, your children are not going to serve the LORD if you are playing hide and seek with His commandments and works. The best way to entice your children to serve the LORD and to whet their appetite to seek Him is to teach His commandments plainly and to reveal His works excitedly.