3 Generations

My grandparents rode a horse and buggy to church when they were children. They tell stories of killing chickens and getting them ready for Sunday dinner before they left for church. And of course, my grandfather tells the same story that every grandfather tells: “I remember when I walked four miles a day to go to school... in the snow... up hill... both ways... barefooted.” I tell my children similar stories about how rough I had it as a child - “When I was a child, I had to get up off the couch to change the channel on the T.V.”

How much has our generation forgotten (or never learned) from our grandparent’s generation? Most people in today’s world haven’t got a clue how to hitch a buggy. Most people in today’s world don’t know how to cook a chicken that’s not wrapped in plastic and says “Tyson” on it. And who knows how to darn socks? Who knows how to hang a door that is not pre-hung? Who knows which wildflowers are edible? Or how to use them for medicinal purposes? It’s pretty amazing how much information can be forgotten within three generations.

THE FIRST GENERATION

Consider the generation that conquered the Promise Land (Joshua 3-10). When God told them to cross the Jordan River at flood stage, they stepped into the river without blinking an eye. They knew God would part the waters. And when God told them to march around the Canaanite’s stronghold of Jericho seven times, they didn’t argue with God. They didn’t second guess God or question the strategy of His plan. They simply obeyed and the walls fell down! When God told them to purge the evil from among them at Ai, they took care of the sin promptly and decisively. Joshua had told this generation, “Fear God and serve him with all faithfulness” - and they did! Which is why they were so successful. They were bold! They were faithful! They saw God do mighty things among them! They were blessed by God.


THE SECOND GENERATION

Then arose the next generation (Judges 1-2). They were to take possession of the hill country. But the people of the hill country had iron chariots - so the 2nd generation couldn’t take possession. (Huh? Jericho had massive walls. The hill country had iron chariots. Are iron chariots a problem for God?) The Benjamites failed to dislodge the Jebusites. Manasseh didn’t drive out the people of Beth Shan. Some Israelites made slaves of the Canaanites instead of driving them out of the land as the Lord commanded. This generation seemed timid. They were compromising. They were disobedient. They lost many battles. As a result, God said He would NOT drive out the Canaanites. He said they would be thorns in the Israelites’ sides. Their gods would be the Israelites’ snares. (Judges 2:2-3)

THE THIRD GENERATION

After that generation, “...another generation grew up, who knew neither the LORD nor what he had done for Israel.” (Judges 2:10)

And they did evil... They worshipped the pagan gods... they provoked the Lord to anger. They were plundered. Defeated. Sold into slavery. Oppressed.

What happened? How could they grow up not knowing the Lord? Not knowing how great the Lord is? Not knowing all the wonderful things the Lord had done for their grandparents?

WHICH ARE YOU?

It seems to me that there are two kinds of people. There are those who walk with God, listen to God, trust God, and they see God do mighty things in their lives (The First Generation). Then, there are those who can’t see God anywhere. They easily get involved in what the Lord calls “evil”. As a result, their lives are full of self-inflicted pain and misery. They are plundered and defeated. They become slaves to sin (The Third Generation).

But wait. There is a third kind of person. The Second Generation. They are the ones who act religious. They talk a good talk. They do some good things in the Name of the Lord. But they are not faithful to God. They are not really walking with God and trusting God. They are not glorifying Him or exalting Him with their lives. They just go to church. They think little about the impact their disobedience is having on others... their children - the third generation.

Which are you? Who cares if you don’t know how to hitch a buggy or kill a chicken. Do you know how to walk with God?

Go Bless,

Pete Baumgartle, Lanesville, IN

                                   IS THIS YOU?

For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.              - Romans 1:21