Telling our children of God's greatness

I was struck by something as I read in the Psalms, in Psalm 71.

How often do I open my mouth, and express to my children how good God is?  Telling them about the greatness of God, in so many, wonderful ways?

David repeatedly talks of praising God, and telling of His goodness,  in this Psalm.

"my praise shall be continually of thee"

v6

 "Let my mouth be filled with thy praise 

and with thy honour all the day." 

v8

"I... will yet praise thee more and more"

v14

"My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof."

v 15

"I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only." 

v 16

"My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long"

v 24

Do you see how David talks about praising God ALL THE DAY?!?  From the moment we get up, until we go to bed, we should be praising and thanking God for his goodness.  What's more, these verses tell us something more.

"O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works...

Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come."

v 17 & 18

David knew of God's wonderful works and ways from HIS youth.  He learnt to see God's ways, and His blessings.  He pleads with the Lord to give him life so that he can show the NEXT generation His goodness, too.

We have a responsibility to share with our children about God's greatness and goodness.  To praise Him continually, so that our children are in no doubt about the source of our blessings - whether great or small.

Do you acknowledge God  when you have things work out for your family, when you don't expect it?  When all thing work together for good, do you acknowledge whence the goodness came from?  

When you travel around, and see the awesome creation that surrounds you, do you tell your children about the great creator that gifted it all to us?  Do you admire the beauty - the wonderful detail - the tremendous variety - and give credit to the One who blessed us with it all?  Do you hear the wind - see the stars - smell the flowers - and tell your children about the great God who designed it all to magnify Himself?  

Do you hear of souls saved - of missionaries seeing revival - of new Churches being opened - and tell them of God's power to still save, even in a day of darkness?  

Do you mundanely go through the day, with it's simple gifts, and forget to praise the one who sustains us day by day, or do you remind your children that everything - EVERYTHING - comes from God's bountiful supply?  

Most of all, do we talk of God's goodness in saving us?  Of His love towards us that was so great, that He sent His son to die for sinners?  Do they see us so grateful to God, that they see their need to be saved, too? 

Do we praise - thank - glorify - in a vocal and joyful way? 

Do our children see us praising parents, or passive parents? 

Find times and ways, every day, to remind your children about the goodness and greatness of the Lord, and raise a generation who come to know and love God, who gave us richly all things to enjoy. 

Let's fill our days with sentences that begin with "Isn't it wonderful that God....."

This hymn is one of my favourites, and expresses the sentiments of this Psalm.