by Katie Julius

The importance of remembering our history is woven throughout our culture. Whether it is marking an important event (Independence Day), in recognition of a person who made a significant contribution to the world (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day), or honoring those we view as heroes (Veterans Day), many of our traditions center around these holidays. In fact, your family probably has your own ways that you remember these and other important events and people.

The concept of remembering is not unique to our American culture. There are instances throughout the Bible where we find that God commands us to remember. In the Old Testament, we find that after the Israelites crossed the Jordan River with the Ark of the Covenant, God instructed Joshua to build a cairn with rocks to serve as a sign of what God did at that place, so that future generations would know and remember.

In the New Testament, Jesus celebrated Passover with his disciples. The commemoration of Passover for these Jewish men was, what they thought, routine in marking the anniversary of the exodus of God’s people from Egypt. However, Jesus declared a new covenant that night. He told those He dined with, “Do this in remembrance of me.” Millions across the globe continue to participate in this symbolic ceremony as a result of this commandment.

That brings us to Psalm 78. It was written by Asaph, a Levite who was a musician in King David’s Court. It details the history of Israel from Egypt to David. As you probably know, the Israelites weren’t exactly the poster children for obedience to God. Despite the command to remember all that God had done for them, they continued to fail at this day and day again. When they forgot the faithfulness of God, it led to rebellion … wrath … repentance … forgiveness … repeat.

The opening verses of this chapter are a reminder to both the Israelites and us today that we need to not only remember the miraculous works of God, but “declare them to their children.” But this wasn’t just to help them remember. The command is to teach our children so “that they may arise and declare them to their children, that they may set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments.” (ESV)

As homeschoolers, we aren’t just teaching our kids how to read, or do fractions, or to be able to recite all the state capitals in alphabetical order. No! We are discipling our children to have a genuine and deepening relationship with their Creator and Savior … so that they will then disciple their children, who will disciple their children, who will disciple their children … you get the idea. The ministry we are doing in teaching our children at home will have an eternal impact for generations to come!

The day-to-day and routine of being a homeschool parent is not easy. We’ve all wanted to throw in the towel at some point. It can be discouraging when we struggle, not only with the battles within our home, but also the arrows and darts the enemy throws our ways as our world becomes more perverse and turns further away from God.

Now, more than ever, it is important that we remember what God tells us in Psalm 78. We must be the example to the children God has entrusted to us, and ARISE and declare to them, “the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.”