Mercydrops

"We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord… that they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God." Psalm 78:4, 7

Why does the psalmist insist we declare God's works to our children? It’s more than preserving tradition, as such. It's about the salvation of souls. The next generation stands in the balance. Will their hearts burn for the Lord, or will they grow cold in a world that despises Him? The stakes are high. Their souls depend upon it.

Why does God make such promises at all? Why does He covenant not only with us but with our children? Because His love is not bound by time. His promises are not tethered to a moment. Our God is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the God of generations.

We see this vividly in infant baptism. These waters aren’t Reformed rituals or empty signs. No. They are the living promise of God, wet with covenant mercy. A seal of His promises placed upon our helpless children. In that moment, God speaks—not with words, but with water—"Thou art mine." He does not ask the child’s permission. He does not wait for their understanding. The child was born into the covenant family, marked out by grace, long before they could comprehend the mercydrops falling around them. That’s what baptism also is... mercydrops.

The psalmist tells us that the purpose is "that they might set their hope in God." Baptism summons parents and congregation alike, not to facts, but to faith, to the deep heart of the gospel. That heart is Christ—Christ, who alone saves. Baptism does not bypass personal faith or replace the need for a living union with Christ. Those baptized must come, in time, to know Him as Savior, and live a life of repentant dependency and holiness.

Don’t let the waters of baptism fool you as it has countless others. The outward sign does not guarantee inward grace. There is always the danger of forgetting God's best and first works, so we must tell our children about Him. Our children must not just recite doctrine and live in obedience to the covenant; they must encounter the living Christ of the covenant.

What mean these waters? They mean God has bound Himself to us and our children (Acts 2:39; Genesis 17:7), yes. But for our children, it’s not mercydrops we desire most; "but for Thy showers we plead."