We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and His might, and the wonders that He has done…that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments.
When we first moved into our home in Concord, we had a large wall in our living room—a blank canvas—begging to be adorned. Under the advice of a designer friend, I resisted my impulse to throw some picture frames over the space and call it a day, and instead waited for the right inspiration to come along. That “light bulb” moment happened during one of our first months at Leroy, when the Youth Pastor, Tucker Barlow, shared a message from this passage in Psalms.
A little background, first: both my parents and my husband’s parents are first –generation believers. That is not to say that we had no Christians whatsoever in our family tree, but it is to say that our parents grew up in households where Christ was either never preached, or was only spoken about in the context of “believe only what the Catholic church tells you to believe.” But God, in His divine mercy and grace, brought both sets of parents to faith in Christ while in their young adult years, and thus our households from that day forward were forever changed.
Now, back to Leroy. That summer day, while sitting in the pre-remodeled sanctuary of LCC, I listened, as these words of Scripture resonated with my soul. “Tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord…that the next generation might know them…and arise and tell them to their children.” I immediately thought of my parents. And of Chris’ parents. And of our children. And one day, Lord willing, our childrens’ children. I believe strongly that the Lord chose the family unit as one of the primary ways to reveal His glory and advance His salvation message. From His initial command to Adam and Eve in creation to “[b]e fruitful and multiply and fill the earth” (Genesis 1:28), to His covenant with Abraham, making him the “father of a multitude of nations” (Genesis 17:4), to His establishment of the Twelve Tribes of Israel, the promise of the Messiah coming from the lineage of David, the Child born to Mary and Joseph, the status of being adopted as sons and daughters of God, and the awaiting for the Bridegroom to come and celebrate with a wedding feast for His Bride, clearly, the Lord prizes the family as a pivotal way to expand His Kingdom.
So when I read these verses, I am reminded of the high calling given to me, as a parent. I hope it will be said that my children look back on their time living under my roof recalling with fondness our holiday traditions of decorating the Christmas tree, or searching for hidden Easter baskets, or hosting Thanksgiving dinner; that they remember the joy they experienced riding their first rollercoaster, or catching their first fish, or scoring their first soccer goal; that they closed their eyes at the end of a long day feeling safe and secure and loved. But above all else, I pray that my children look back on their time at home and can say with confidence that Jesus Christ was a topic of much conversation, that stories of His faithfulness were told, that the Father’s love for them was and is the greatest love of all, that the Holy Spirit comforted and encouraged them in their faith…and that they now get to carry on this message to the next generation.
Lord, we agree with the psalmist who said, “the Lord’s deeds are glorious, His wonders continue to amaze, and His work of salvation is not yet done.” Just as You have been steadfast in Your love and faithfulness, help us, Your Church, to be faithful throughout all generations. Amen.
– Lauren Aey
Deep Waters: An LCC Devotional 