October 30th Devotion

When You're Worried the Next Generation Will Ruin God's Plan
By Emma Danzey

“To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” - Ephesians 3:21

I recently heard a pastor share that people often question if the Bible has been held together for generations. His response was, “If the Living God raised Himself from the dead, I believe He can keep a book together throughout the generations.” I laughed, it is so true. If God is who He says that He is and He reigns over all of the universe. He is more than capable to keep His Word together and use it in the lives of every generation. Today, we are going to take a moment to celebrate His faithfulness and gospel that is still going into the world today.

“To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus”
Ultimately, our lives are about the glory of Jesus. The church is truly just the people of God. We gather, serve, and love in His name to point to Him and celebrate the salvation that He brings to us. His glory is revealed in Christ Jesus. He is the Savior of the world. He is the only One worthy of our worship. There are no other gods but Him. Today and every day, it is good for us to pause and remember who our Savior is and always will be forever. In the most unstable and insecure times, we can be rooted and grounded in our confidence in Christ.

“Throughout all generations”
God is receiving glory throughout every generation. I don’t know if you have ever been tempted to believe something like: “The next generation is in trouble, I hope they don’t ruin God’s plan.” It can be easy to point out the sins and flaws in those younger who are coming next. However, the truth is that the gospel is still moving and working in the lives of people of all ages right now. Even in the most seemingly hopeless generations, Jesus gets His message out. We are invited to share the gospel with others, this includes those who came before us and those after us. Whether we believe those older will not listen, or those younger will rebel, we are called to live by the Spirit and share the gospel regardless of our bias or doubts.

If you have young children, pray over them. If you have young people in your life, do not neglect sharing the gospel with them. The next generation needs to hear the truth of freedom in Jesus. Have you ever watched a relay race at a track and field event? The teammates each run a leg of the race, passing on the torch to the next runner. Someone is the final runner across the finish line, but it is a team sport and a team victory. It is our role to run this race where God has intentionally placed us in His timeline. We are called to pass on the gospel to the next generation, not knowing when Jesus is returning, and the final generation finishes the race for our victory as a whole in Christ.

“For ever and ever! Amen.”
The kingdom of God has no end. His glory and His salvation is available to every generation. We can celebrate that He has welcomed so many before us and is still welcoming new family members today. You may not have a name that is known in history or have ever accomplished anything in a spotlight yourself. However, many of the ways that we glorify God are done in secret and in the mundane. Did you read the Bible as a family? Have you prayed with your child today? Did you care for an elderly and lonely widow? Did you give generously to the poor?

It is great to remember to look back on our lives or on the lives of others who came before us. We can see the handiwork of Christ always.

Next time you are surrounded by believers of various ages, take a moment to soak in the wisdom of those who have walked with Jesus longer and the zeal of those who are just now beginning their journeys with the Lord. Remember that He is forever, and His glory and kingdom know no end.