“And this is my covenant with them,” says the LORD. “My Spirit will not leave them, and neither will these words I have given you. They will be on your lips and on the lips of your children and your children’s children forever. I, the LORD, have spoken!”

Isaiah 59:21

Through Isaiah, the Lord promises that his words will be “on your lips and on the lips of your children and your children’s children forever.” This promise, once given to Israel, speaks to one of the deepest yearnings of our own hearts. Those of us who care about children, whether they’re related to us or not, want so much for God’s words to be on their lips and in their hearts. We ache for the next generations to know the Lord and walk with him.

Though younger people in our society do show considerable interest in “spirituality,” this doesn’t necessarily extend to orthodox Christianity. Moreover, according to the recent book unChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks About Christianity . . . And Why It Matters, younger people in our day are increasingly negative about the church. If we want God’s words to guide the lives of the next generations, including our own children and grandchildren, then we need to commit ourselves to this goal. It will impact how we live each day and how we function as the church. It will require new authenticity, openness, and integrity. We have no more important calling than to pass on our faith to the next generations.

Personally, I am hugely grateful for those people who are helping my own children grow in their knowledge and love of Scripture. I think of Craig, a layperson who leads a Bible study for high schoolers in my church. I think of Ryan and Christi, our youth minister and his wife. I think of those who teach Sunday school and go on mission trips with my children. What a gift they are to me, to my children, and to our world!

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: How are you impacting the faith of young people in your world? What can you do to live in such a way that the next generations are drawn to the Lord through you?

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, today I’m praying for my children and for the children of this world. May your words be on their lips and in their hearts. May they know your Word. May it shape their lives and guide their thoughts.

Help me, dear Lord, to speak and live in such a way that younger people are drawn to you through me. Forgive me when my words and deeds don’t match. Use me to reach out to the next generations with love and grace.

Help your church, Lord, to connect with younger generations. May we do this, not simply as a program to build our churches, but as a way of helping young people to know and love you. Give us courage to live out our faith with authenticity. Help us to be open to change, even change that makes us uncomfortable. Amen.