Psalm 78 is a reminder for us dads that our family is always one generation from losing the faith, and that God’s plan to keep the faith isn’t all that crazy if you think about it. It boils down to three things: talk about God, teach His truth, and never stop doing either. Let’s look at verses 4-7.

#1 Talk about God’s work. “We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord…” (v. 4). God told Israel to remember the Red Sea, the manna, the deliverance, and all of His work. They forgot. Why does this matter? Because when we forget God’s work, we forget God.

The word “tell” means to talk about God’s work repeatedly. This doesn’t mean just some boring annual lecture at Christmas/Easter, but everyday stuff, and while the church does have a role to play in this, YOU do as well. To start, tell your family about when God helped/forgave you.

#2 Teach about God’s truth. “[H]e commanded our fathers to teach to their children, that the next generation might know [His testimony and law]…” (vv. 5–6). Seems clear to me that teaching the next generation isn’t optional. God gave His truth, His “testimony” and “law,” and commanded dads to pass it on. Like a relay race. Each dad runs a lap and hands off the baton thingy. Miss the exchange, and the race stops.

Deuteronomy 6 shows how it happens: through everyday conversation. Kids ask big questions, mostly at night when stalling bedtime. But that’s the moment. You don’t need every answer, no dad has that. You just need a working pointer finger, so you can point to God.

#3 Keep pointing to God. “[S]o that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God…” (v. 7). “Hope” means placing trust in something solid. When kids remember what God has done, they learn He can be trusted. When you forget to trust God, you start trusting something else—money, success, your own opinions. Israel wasn’t ignorant; they forgot. You aren’t ignorant, but you can forget God.

Listen: You will trust something, so make sure it’s God. To help your kids remember, make sure they hear you say, “Notice how God seemed to work through that? And that? And that?”

How to Break the Cycle of Fatherlessness: Growing up without a dad doesn’t just hurt the child; it shapes the father he becomes decades later, and if that’s you, you can be the generation that breaks that cycle.

What Does It Really Mean to FOLLOW God as a Father: Every year, every member of my family picks a word to focus on. This year, mine is “follow,” and it has already wrecked my plans in the best way. Lawson and I talked about what that looks like for a dad trying to lead his family toward God.

D. A. Carson: “One generation believes something. The next assumes it. And the third forgets and denies it.”

I know you gotta tell your kids 1,000 times—“Pick that up…turn off the lights…did you finish your homework…leave your sister alone…” And that can all be in one evening! Fine. But make sure you don’t forget the bigger plan here.

Maybe not every single evening, but regularly make sure your kids hear, “Isn’t God awesome? Look how He [changed the weather], [made the tree that looked dead change color], [insert whatever].” Make those times as normal as the “turn off the lights” times. Faith grows when you point your kids to God.

Ask: If my kids only learned about God by watching me (or being around me), what would they know?

Remember: Your kids don’t need a perfect dad; they just need a dad who talks about a good God.

Kent Evans
Author of Don’t Bench Yourself, co-founder of Manhood Journey

P.S. Was this Mountain Monday helpful? Tell me if you love it, hate it, or if there’s something you’d like in the next one.

Forward this to a dad you know who needs some encouragement.