Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, til I declare your power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come. Psalm 71:18 (NIV)
For a number of years I have thought of this psalm as my ‘Birthday Psalm’. I am coming up on another birthday this week. Although I have passed the half century mark and my hair has left its original color, I do not consider myself neither “old†nor “grayâ€. However, this verse caught my eye this year. It states the mission that I believe God has called me to ‘declare to the next generation’.
I get a fire in my belly when I consider what this next generation can do to sharing the gospel throughout the world. This is a very visual generation. They are also very technically savvy. They know how to use the internet to communicate. I believe that is why God has put the internet into being. We are to use it to speak His words and testify about what He has done!
This generation also wants The Truth. They want the real ‘stuff’ and will not settle for anything less. They are disillusioned by what the world, especially the media and the political figures have tried to ‘sell’ as truth. They are looking for ‘the real deal’. God is that!
Do you have a young person in your family that isn’t excited about church? My observation is that young people could be excited about Jesus – but not so much about the idea of organized church. So – encourage them to get to know Jesus. Use some of the great videos out there by contemporary musical artists. The lyrics of many of these songs are directly quoted Scripture. The videos are many times great testimonies of what the Scripture means in practical terms. Does it matter if a person accepts Jesus as Savior from a sermon preached from a pulpit or from listening/watching a Christian music video? No! Jesus used parables that were very different way to communicate about God to the masses. Jesus knew that He needed to bring God to the masses, not force them to go to God. Jesus left the synagogue (the church) and met the people in the streets. Jesus is everywhere! Let us magnify Him right now and right there!
I will praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, O my God;
I will sing praise to you with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel.
My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you – I, whom you have redeemed.
My tongue will tell of your righteous acts all day long, for those who wanted to harm me have been put to shame and confusion. Psalm 71:22-24 (NIV)
