Reading: Psalm 78:1-4

Psalm 78:4b – “We’ll tell the next generation all about the praises due the Lord and his strength – the wondrous works God has done.”

Psalm 78 begins with words intended to draw readers into the Psalm and its teachings. It begins with “Listen, my people… tilt your ears…” This is a call to active and engaged listening. It says to us and to other readers, “Pay attention, I have a good story to tell.” The drawing in continues: “I’ll declare riddles from long ago.” The story itself is interesting, maybe even intriguing. It’ll draw readers in even deeper as it progresses. I wonder, do we tell others about our God with such energy and passion? Is there excitement generated in the ways that we share our stories of faith with others?

In verse 4 the psalmist leans into the importance of telling the next generations. We too are called to pass on the stories of faith to our children and to the children in our communities of faith. In the last part of this verse the author declares, “We’ll tell the next generation all about the praises due the Lord and his strength – the wondrous works God has done.” In the telling and retelling of God’s wondrous works we help those new to the faith to understand the power and might of God. Learning all about the things that God has done for Israel begins to build trust and faith in new believer’s hearts.

The telling and retelling also impacts the hearer in another important way. Hearing the stories of what God has done opens their eyes to see what God does in their lives. This step makes God personal and intimate – another wonderful side of God. This realization further moves trust and faith from head to heart. And let’s not forget the teller. We too are impacted. As we tell and retell God’s story and our story, our faith grows and deepens too. Our eyes and hearts become more aware of and sensitive to the God moments in our lives. And our story widens and deepens. May it be so for us all.

Prayer: Lord God, open our eyes – both to see your presence in our lives and to see the opportunities that we have to share these experiences. Open our hearts too, O God. Opened wide we can better take in your love and strength, and we can then pour these things out, building up others’ faith and trust in you. Thank you. Amen.