It was Sunday morning and I was attending church with my son and his children enjoying the thrill of standing together as three generations praising the Lord. As we sang a hymn that referenced the Israelites crossing the Red Sea, it suddenly hit me: This was my story.
No, I’m not that old and I wasn’t there in person, but I was there. You see, when I was adopted into God’s forever family, their story became my story, their people became my people, their trials became my trials, their victories became my victories, and their spiritual lessons became my spiritual lessons. Their lives were lived so that I could know the God they knew.
Psalm 78 is a reminder of the connection we have to both the previous and future generations.
My people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old— things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us. We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done. He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach their children, so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands. (Psalm 78:1-7)
I have been blessed to observe firsthand the faith of my grandparents, parents, children, and grandchildren. Perhaps your story is different, and you are not able to look back on a legacy of faith. If so, I want to encourage you by pointing out that when you are adopted into God’s family, all the giants of faith become your ancestors. They crossed the Red Sea so that you could know the mighty power of God, they fought the lions to show you that faith endures, they preached the gospel so that you would hear it, they died as martyrs so that faith would live in you. Their story is your story.
Here are some questions to think about this week: What have I received from past generations? What would I like to ask my elders while I have the chance? What do I hope the next generation will learn from me?