Passing on faith

Jock Stein October 02, 2017 0 0

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Psalm 78: 1-4

1 Give ear, O my people, to my teaching;
    incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
2 I will open my mouth in a parable;
    I will utter dark sayings from of old,
3 things that we have heard and known,
    that our ancestors have told us.
4 We will not hide them from their children;
    we will tell to the coming generation
the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might,
    and the wonders that he has done.

Reflect:

Faith has skipped a generation.

Grandparents try to compensate,

a little desperate, perhaps too late,

but trying, guilt-struck, caring,

mixed up as our world to date.

They wish church stones would speak

a little louder, as stained glass pic-

tures used to. In this new elastic

culture, Facebook, virtual games

and texting mould our plastic 

brains, and short term thinking

moves our mental traffic codes

from right to left-brain modes

of practice. Gather living stones

with faithful story in their lodes. (© Jock Stein)

The writer of this psalm knew that Joshua had set up stones to remind future generations (Joshua 4: 19-24). We are called to be living stones.

Pray: God, please help us lay down markers of faith, not monuments; light lamps of faith, not fear; show fruits of faith that will kindle the taste buds of children and grandchildren. Amen.