More Than Story-Telling
This morning before attending a funeral service for the father of my friend Ron Kee, I attended the Larimer County Republican breakfast. It has been several weeks since I have been there. It was good to connect with Jefferson County resident Jerry Nativiadad, who is one of the newest candidates for the U.S. Senate. This evening I will attend a local candidate forum in Berthoud as part of my Larimer Energy Action Project activities.
BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “I will declare wise sayings; I will speak mysteries from the past—things we have heard and known and that our fathers have passed down to us. We must not hide them from their children, but must tell a future generation the praises of the Lord, His might, and the wonderful works He has performed.” Psalms 78:1-4 HCSB
The last few days have brought an interesting connection between my Saturday men’s breakfast and a funeral today. Kirk Weaver of Family Time Ministries challenged us about the family having the primary responsibility to pass on the faith to future generations. He shared some of the verses of this Psalm, that I read recently.
Today, I attended the funeral service of Bill Kee the father of our friend for 40 years Ron Kee. We have also met Ron’s siblings at some point over the years. During the service Bill’s son-in-law, Wayne Pendleton, shared about legacy, that which is passed from one generation to another.
The verses above reveal the inter-generational connection to the faith. The psalmist speaks of “things we have heard and known and that our fathers passed down to us.” In those words you have three generations in focus. We see words of responsibility and urgency when we read, “we must not hide them from their children, but must tell a future generation the praises of the Lord…”
This is more than “story-telling” or as my daughter says, “trips down memory lane.” This is an intentional communication of faith and God’s wonders to stir faith in the Lord’s on-going work in present and future generations.
“He established a testimony in Jacob and set up a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers to teach to their children so that a future generation—children yet to be born—might know. They were to rise and tell their children
so that they might put their confidence in God and not forget God’s works, but keep His commands.” (Psalm 78:5-7 HCSB)
As I read these words, I think of the value of “whetting an appetite” for the things of God. The testimony and confidence in God is to create a response of, “I want that too” in the lives of future generations. We live too much in a world that has the attitude of “that’s ‘nice’ for you…but it’s not for me.” This psalm reveals what happens when that attitude exists and future generations fail to embrace the legacy of past generations.
“The Ephraimite archers turned back on the day of battle. They did not keep God’s covenant and refused to live by His law. They forgot what He had done, the wonderful works He had shown them.” (Psalms 78:9-11 HCSB)
These sons of Israel experienced panic and defeat, instead or courage and victory when it was needed the most. Why was it? Because they “did not keep God’s covenant and refused to live by His law.” The tribe of Ephraim which were descendants of Joseph had a great family legacy. The faithfulness of Joseph, became the fear and cowardice in a future generation. They depended on their own resources and found how inadequate they were without God.
The challenge is to remember, embrace and tell. In our own lives, we must not forget the faithfulness of the Lord and His provisions. We must renew daily our commitment to the Lord and His ways. Then we must tell, in engaging and creative ways the “works of the Lord and His wonders” in a way that arrests, engages and motivates the next generation to continue the legacy of faith.