From generation to generation

We will not hide them from their descendants;
we will tell the next generation
the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord,
his power, and the wonders he has done.
He decreed statutes for Jacob
and established the law in Israel,
which he commanded our ancestors
to teach their children,
so the next generation would know them,
even the children yet to be born,
and they in turn would tell their children.

Psalm 78:4-6

I’ve been a weekly planner since I was in high school. Every new year I would look forward to filling the fresh AT-A-GLANCE that I kept in my backpack or my desk. I’ve even saved those planners, for no good reason that I can think of. Perhaps it’s the slim chance that I might someday want to remember what I did one day in January when I was a sophomore in college.

As we begin a new year and a new semester, I appreciate the opportunity to reflect on the sum of past days and the hope of future ones. Over Christmas break I picked up To the Tenth Generation: God’s Heart for Your Family, Far Into the Future by Ray and Jani Ortlund. As the title suggests, the Ortlunds encourage parents to consider the generational impact of a house that serves the Lord. It’s less a how-to manual and more a reminder of God’s vision for families. As I reflected on the insights in the book, I was reminded of three truths:

First, parents have an awesome responsibility. It’s so easy to get caught up in the never-ending daily tasks of raising children that we can easily lose sight of the daily opportunities to teach and model biblical truths. Those seeds of faithfulness can bear fruit over generations.

Second, families need a supportive community. A commitment to weekly attendance at a local church provides all of us, adults and young people, with opportunities for worship, teaching, fellowship and service. That habit, formed in childhood, can endure for a lifetime. We are so blessed to have a Christian school community surrounding us, reinforcing and complementing the efforts of families and churches.

Third, we have tremendous comfort. Even when we make our best efforts, we inevitably fail. Isn’t it a comfort to know that the God who created and designed us and our children loves us all more than we can ever imagine? “Your final hope for your children is not your amazing parenting but God’s amazing grace,” the Ortlunds remind us. Aren’t those words reassuring as we tackle the daily challenges and joys of raising our children?

I haven’t purchased a new AT-A-GLANCE planner in more than a decade. My Google calendar and task bar live on my laptop and phone. The days are still full and the crossed off items on my to-do list are immediately replaced by new ones. However, my desire for the students we serve hasn’t changed. We pray that our days, weeks, and years are pointing our children and future generations to eternity. At Eastern Christian we want to echo John’s words: We have no greater joy than to hear that our children are walking in the truth. (3 John 1:4)

As we begin a new year and semester together, join us in David’s prayer from I Chronicles 29:18, “O Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, our fathers, keep forever such purposes and thoughts in the hearts of your people, and direct their hearts toward you.” (I Chronicles 29:18)

By: Ruth Kuder

Ruth Kuder is the Executive Director & Head of School of Eastern Christian School

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