Passing on faith
Jock Stein
October 02, 2017
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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.
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