| 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 forefathers 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 78:4b-7 |
If we could just see backwards into history and observe the way in which God prepared to have us learn of Him and the gospel message, we would be astonished. Did a great-great-grandmother teach her children well? And, did one of them—the one who became your grandfather—so fall in love with Christ that children many generations later would proclaim God’s amazing grace? Yes! That’s exactly what happened in my family!
Or, did a long ago professor plant a seed of Truth that would resonate for many decades in the life of someone who later took steps to influence you? We just won’t know the beautiful strand of embroidery that God has used to bring us to Himself until some glorious day when we stand before Him.
On the other hand, do we give ourselves to God, so that He can plant the seed of the gospel in those in the next generations that will follow our generation? We may never see the full impact that our lives have had on the younger people whom we have only met for a brief period. Likewise, we may not yet clearly see the impact our lives have had on those we have raised in our own homes, children who will grow to adulthood and carry the message of God’s grace onward through generation after generation to come.
Television writer and author David C. McCasland tells about meeting a member of the Mexico City Philharmonic, Luis Antonio Rojas, who told him that:
“… the finest instruments are made of wood that has been allowed to age naturally to remove the moisture. You must age the wood for 80 years, then play the instrument for 80 years before it reaches its best sound … a craftsman must use wood cut and aged by someone else, and he will never see any instrument reach its peak during his own lifetime.” 1
Perhaps we have poured ourselves into our children or other young people, but see little evidence to indicate that we have made any impact. We should remember this story about the violin. We must understand that God takes time to work His will into the lives of His children.
Be faithful! Continue to take every opportunity to live for Christ and share His story with those in the next generation, and the next. We will all be amazed when we meet in Heaven to see those who came before us who had been faithful, and those who will come after us who are there because of our faithful witness.
| 1 Quoted in Our Daily Bread: Devotional Journal, ©2010, RBC Ministries. |
