Psalm 78 is a beautiful chapter that recounts the history of Israel and the mighty works of God. The psalmist begins with a call to remember and teach the next generation about the greatness of the Lord. Psalm 78:4 says:
“We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.”
This verse emphasizes the importance of passing down the knowledge and praises of God to the next generation. It speaks to the duty we have to ensure that our children and their children know the power and goodness of God.
Sadly, just a few verses later, we learn about the consequences of failing to do this. Psalm 78:8 describes a generation that failed to remain steadfast in their faith:
“And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.”
This verse highlights two critical failures:
1. Their Heart Was Not In It:
The people did not truly commit their hearts to God.
2. Their Spirit Was Not In It:
Their attitude and spirit were not right with God.
Often, we think we can skate by with just going through the motions, but that’s not enough. We must love God with all our hearts. This is the first and greatest commandment. You can’t fake this. You can’t pretend. You can’t just float through life. You must live on purpose and be excited because you get to serve God. This should be our motive! Our love for God should compel us.
Our spirit must be right too. Our attitude towards what we do is just as important as the motive behind what we do. We should have a smile on our faces and a pep in our step. If we expect people, especially young people, to follow us, we must have our hearts and spirits right.
We have a responsibility to ensure that the next generation knows about the Lord’s strength and wonderful works. By setting our hearts aright and maintaining a steadfast spirit, we can inspire the young to follow in the ways of the Lord. Let us be diligent in showing the praises of the Lord and His mighty works, ensuring that His greatness is not hidden from those who come after us.
