Thought for Today
Exodus 17:16 He said, "A hand upon the banner of the Lord The Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation."
Psalm 79:13 Then we your people, the flock of your pasture, will give thanks to you forever; from generation to generation we will recount your praise.
Luke 1:50 His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.
Luke 11:30 For just as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so the Son of Man will be to this generation.
Greek γενεὰς : strictly birth, the circumstances relating to one’s origin; (1) literally, those descended from a common ancestor race, clan, descendants; as an ethnic group kind; (2) generally, all those living at the same time generation, contemporaries; (3) the time span of one generation age, generation, period (Friberg, Analytical Greek Lexicon)
Our lectionary reading for Sunday will be the Magnificat, Mary’s hymn of praise to God in the first chapter of Luke’s gospel. That verse above from Luke 1 is part of that reading. Much like the author of today’s devotional in These Days, that phrase “from generation to generation,” caught my attention.
I have used that word ‘generation’ 113 times this year in these Thoughts. It appears about 170 times in the Bible, depending on the translation. It is a much-bandied word in books and news reports, especially around the differences supposedly separating the various generations. We have even evolved a sort of generational separation guide: Silent Generation (born 1928-1945); Baby boomers (1945-1964); Generation X (1965-1980); Millennials (1981-1996); Generation Z (1996-2012); and Generation Alpha (born after 2010). (Bing search) Some have even further subdivided these categories, e.g., the G.I. Generation (1900-1924); or the Greatest Generation (1901-1927) Maybe, like me, you get lost in the alphabet soup of generations and have trouble keeping track of all of this. Or, maybe you’re not interested.
Sometimes it seems to me that we use ‘generation’ as a mental shortcut to refer to the different interest and concerns of various ages. It is inevitable that children, youth, adults and seniors have differing and sometimes conflicting interests and concerns. In elementary school, my greatest concern was often whether or when the recess bell would ring. As a college student, my greatest concern ultimately became whether or not I would be able to earn a living with what I was learning. Now I have other concerns and interests.
When we read in the Bible about generations, exactly what are we reading about? Is that word used to indicate the differing interests and concerns that separate various age groups? I think not. I only find one topic of separation and differentiation in the Bible. The separation between those who do believe and act like it and those who do neither.
That devotional this morning included this, “That phrase ‘from generation to generation’ demonstrates an important kind of love.” I find from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21 that the Bible reveals God’s love for God’s Creation. That love is especially apparent in the birth narratives, in the Incarnation. It is also, equally, apparent in the Resurrection, the story of the empty tomb. John sums up God’s love in vss. 3:16-17.
The generation to which one’s birth is assigned is much less important and significant than the fact that irrespective of that assignment, we are all equally children of God. Whether or not we are aware of what is anticipated during Advent, whether we understand the excitement of those who do know and believe, we all are equally recipients of the love of God. We are all equally able to receive salvation, because salvation is an unmerited gift freely offered to all by God. The gift of grace is offered to all. It is up to us as individuals to accept God’s gift . . . and then to act like it.
The Creation Story in Genesis is a witness to God’s love. The Incarnation and the Resurrection are witnesses to God’s love. Each year, from generation to generation, as we travel along the path of Advent, as we anticipate, await and celebrate Christmas Day, our worship is a witness to God’s love and to our love for God. The traditions we honor, the decorations we treasure, our Christmas Eve worship services, all of these are witnesses to love.
Stay safe, relish your own traditions of witness to God’s love, trust God,
Pastor Ray