Bummer Baby Boomer Question
What have I done with my Life?
What Have I Done with my Life?
Christian Baby Boomers are faced with a “bummer” of a question… “What have I done with my life?” Most of us, if we are honest, know the answer.
We turned our backs on everything our parents held dear, thinking that we knew better. We then proceeded to squander our lives on our own pleasure and self interest with little or no regard for anything or anyone but us. We thought we knew everything – so sophisticated, so complex. In reality, we were vapid and ignorant.
Am I “History?” Now?
Well, our youth is now spent. We look around, faced with our own bankrupt value system and the wreckage of our lives and are asking another question… “Have I lost my chance to really make a difference? Do I spend the rest of what years I have left consuming and remembering our “glorious youth?” For the Christian Boomer, God thankfully gives us an answer and a last opportunity.
Pass it On
“So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.” (Psalm 71:18 ESV).
A Force to Reckon With
Boomers must realize that right here and right now we are the most powerful we have ever been. We can be a tremendous force for God’s glory and good, more so than at any other time in our lives.
Teach Them Well
Our challenge, and our last chance, is to hear and obey God’s commmand, to teach new generations. But to do this, we must first learn what to teach!
“He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel – which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children – that the next generation might know them – the children yet unborn – and arise and tell them,(God’s laws), to their children – so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments.” (Psalm 78: 5-7 ESV).
Teach Children Bible Stories
The above verses show the importance of Judeo-Christian education in the life of a child. We are to help each generation to know and to obey God, and to place their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. We are to do this by using and understanding God’s Word, not our own “wisdom.”
Tell about Israel’s Disobedience in the Wilderness
In 1 Corinthians 10:5-12, Paul used the story of Israel’s disobedience described in Psalm 78 to warn us that we must be faithful. In verses: 21-22 the Lord tells us that He became very angry with Israel
“for they did not believe God or trust him to care for them” (NLT).
Teach why Disobedience Angered God
Even after the Israelites witnessed fantastic miracles of provision such as water from a rock and manna for food, they still complained.
“But in spite of this, the people kept on sinning. They refused to believe in His miracles. So He ended their lives in failure and gave them years of terror.” (Ps. 78:32-33 NLT).
Teach how Easty it is to give only Lip Service to God
“But, they followed Him only with their words. They lied to Him with their tongues. Their hearts were not loyal to Him.” (Ps. 78:36-37 NLT).
Teach God’s Mercy
Yet He was merciful and forgave their sins and didn’t destroy them all. Many a time He held back His anger and did not unleash His fury. “For He remembered that they were merely mortal, gone in a moment like a breath of wind, never to return.” (Ps. 78:38-39).
Teach the End of God’s Patience
“When God heard them, He was very angry, and He rejected Israel completely.” (Ps. 78:59 NLT).
Boomers now Grandparents – A Duty of Love
Living in Disneyland, USA
It’s time to teach your grandkids. If you don’t, who will? Your children may not. They are too busy trying to make money while hauling your grandkids to soccer games and basketball practice.
Our children were influenced by the Baby Boomers’ sad, pagan values and materialistic goals. When many of the Boomer’s children became just like them, the Boomers lost the opportunity to communicate with them. This is especially true for Boomers who returned to the faith of their parents, while their kids did not.
Boomers’ children may no longer listen, but we are still able to teach the grandchildren lasting values. (No grandkids? Mentor other peoples kids, cousins, nephews, nieces, foster children at church. The opportunities are endless). Rescue them from Disneyland, USA.
Boomer Bibles
Boomers, get your Bibles out and begin to teach your grandkids about God. A terrific study-bible for this purpose is the Life Application Study Bible (Tyndale) in the NIV or NLT translation. Of course, for word studies and in-depth Bible studies, we continue to recommend the NKJV, NASB, and ESV. However, the simple language and clarity found in dynamic translations are excellent for teaching. Try the NLT or NIV large-print for yourself and grandkids.
Rock, Drugs, & Making Money
We wasted a lot of our lives and time on selfish pursuits such as drugs, sex and rock concerts. We wasted even more time on becoming more materialistic than our parents ever dreamed! Don’t compound the errors of the sixties, seventies and eighties.
Cruises & Golf Not my Style
Let’s not give in to current propaganda – to waste time and money on ship cruises, golf, expensive health supplements and exercise clubs, plastic-surgery, and convertible cars or million-dollar homes. This is not our style. There is real work to be done which has lasting value.
We have something better to do.
We have a duty to teach about the God of the Universe. Furthermore, even if we failed, we still have the responsibility to teach by our example.
Our Teaching Check-List
Learn
Before you can teach you must learn.
Submit yourself to and study God’s Word, seriously.
Fellowship with God’s people.
Get beyond yourself. Focus on making your last days count.
You must work on YOU before you can work on others.
Teach
Take your grandkids to Church and quality church programs.
Read Bible stories to your grandkids.
Teach your grandchildren the truth about death, sin and redemption.
Support your Sunday School programs at church.
Support Home Schooling families who you know.
Help send a child to a private Christian school
Collect and Distribute
Start a collection of Christian videos for your grandkids.
Start a collection of Christian music CDs & videos.
Start tape collections of favorite science & bible teachers.
Start a book collection of bibles and Christian story-books.
Start a collection of biblical coins & history for children & grandchildren.
Simple Living
Show how to have fun without spending lots of money.
Take walks and hikes while teaching about Creation.
Attend church picnics and celebrations.
Have family picnics and bible studies.
Have family movie days.
Attend movies that support Christian values.
Fellowship Examples
Start home fellowships, teach and talk about them.
Teach grandkids about your extended family in the Church.
Teach loyalty and devotion of Christians one to another, even if you have failed here.
Invite lonely Christians to holiday & family get-togethers.
Help unemployed or poor through the church.
Help in disaster-relief through the church.
Stewardship
Be frugal, your values are being transferred to your children’s children!
Take grandkids shopping for Christian books, videos, bibles and tapes.
Shop at church fundraisers.
Do NOT buy frivolous things at shopping malls with grandchildren, their parents are doing that already.
Buy things on sale at shopping malls and stores with grandkids.
Prayer
Give journals and teach grandkids how to journal their prayers.
Teach grandkids to pray at meals.
Teach grandkids to pray for needs anytime.
Teach grandkids to pray before bedtime.
Say well-loved prayers from children’s prayer-books.
Talk to God in front of grandchildren.
Don’t forget the angels – not for prayer – but to thank God for their help.
Teach grandkids to pray for the unsaved & persecuted Christians.
Persecution Prep 101:
Show movies about persecution in China.
Show movies about Corrie Ten Boom.
Show movies about Martin Luther, Tyndale, Wycliffe, & other heroes.
Read Heroes-of-the-Faith stories to your grandchildren.
Organize Heroes-of-the-Faith dramas for church.
Dramatize Heroes-of-the-Faith stories at home.
Memorize Scripture – Make memory verse cards for grandkids. Test them. Take them to AWANA programs.
Play Spiritual Warfare games using memorized-verses. Play with pretend swords and use scripture verses to win.
Use the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God (Eph. 6:17) by coloring verses with markers and putting stickers in favorite stories.
If you don’t teach your grandchildren about heroes of the faith, they will still be taught about “heroes” – “heroes” who are admired by the world and the media.
We are Pawns & Prizes in Cosmic Warfare
Don’t forget. This is war! If we cannot see that we and our children are “pawns and prizes in a cosmic warfare,” then we really have lost. Then the question of the Baby Boomer becomes “Is that all there is,?” and the answer will have to be – YES!
“Make it So”
As Captain Picard of Star Trek – the Next Generation says, “Make it so.” Pass on eternal wisdom to the next generation.
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Reference:
Missler, Chuck. 2002. Cosmic warfare from: Learn the Bible in 24 hours. (Great study for credit through Koinonia Institute). Available from: khouse.org.
Authors Valorie Emilio holds an M.A. in History from UCLA specializing in early church history. Ken received his M.A. in Biblical Studies from Louisiana Baptist University.