Scripture: Psalm 78:5–8

5 He established a decree in Jacob
and appointed a law in Israel,
which he commanded our ancestors
to teach to their children,

6 that the next generation might know them,
the children yet unborn,
and rise up and tell them to their children,

7 so that they should set their hope in God,
and not forget the works of God,
but keep his commandments;

8 and that they should not be like their ancestors,
a stubborn and rebellious generation,
a generation whose heart was not steadfast,
whose spirit was not faithful to God. (NRSVUE)

Observation:

This psalm is a beautiful reminder of God’s faithfulness to His people. From the very beginning, God gave His people instructions for how they were to live. They had laws and commandments they were supposed to follow. Not only were they to follow them, but they were also to teach them to their children.

There were foundational truths that were to be passed on from generation to generation. Children yet unborn were to learn about God’s law, but also His love. This God—Yahweh—was the One who would make provision for them. They could put their trust in Him and set their hope in Him.

Not only were they to remember the law, but they were also to remember His works. God had brought the Israelites out of captivity and cared for them during their forty-year journey through the wilderness. There were so many stories to be passed on, all so that future generations would learn to place their hope in God.

But they also needed to remember that not every generation had been faithful. There had been those who were stubborn and rebellious, whose actions affected the entire community. The stories of God’s people included both examples to follow and warnings about how not to live. What mattered was whether their hearts remained steadfast and their spirits faithful to God.

Application:

This weekend we had the privilege of being in Idaho at Northwest Nazarene University, where they honored my parents. They called the Johnsons a Legacy Family, one that had brought successive generations of students to NNU and Nazarene higher education. Nearly thirty of us gathered to celebrate what our parents started so long ago.

A poor preacher’s kid from Nebraska, who had to earn his way through college by working on the railroad. A farmer’s daughter from Alberta who didn’t start high school until the age of nineteen. They met at NNU, committed their lives to serving the Lord, and prayed that the following generations would be faithful.

I am grateful for the legacy of my parents and what they provided for all of us. It was good to remember.

In the life of the Church, there are those who have been faithful and have paved the way for us to serve the Lord today. There have also been some bad lessons along the way, and we allow them to stand as reminders of how we should not live our lives. But today, a whole new generation of young people is coming into the life of the Church and the surrounding world.

What are we teaching the next generation about the faithfulness of God? Are we good examples, or are we becoming the ones we don’t want them to follow?

This psalm reminds me that I am to be an authentic follower of Jesus Christ. God’s Word is to be written on my heart, and I am to be led by the Holy Spirit. And now that I’m a grandma, I’m very aware that my life and the way I live it will influence the little ones around me.

The many grandchildren of my parents who gathered this weekend could each testify to the profound influence Grandma and Grandpa had on their lives. But the greatest legacy they left wasn’t simply an education or a family tradition. It was a living faith in God, one that they wanted their children and grandchildren to embrace for themselves.

May we, in this season of our lives, be actively engaged in teaching the next generation the ways of God, so that they, too, will set their hope in Him.

Prayer:

Lord, what a blessing to spend the weekend with family and friends, honoring my parents. Thank You for allowing me to enjoy them for as long as I could and for the example they gave us as authentic and faithful followers of You. Help me to live faithfully and to pass on to the next generation a love for You and a hope that rests in Your faithfulness. Amen.