Psalm 78:1–8, June 20, 2025 (Friday)

The Boy Scouts created a church garden!

Here’s how we made it.

“We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation about the Lord’s glorious deeds, his power, and the wonderful works he has done.”(Psalm 78:4)

When I asked some of the youth, “What did you like so much about the retreat?” they answered, “The message was really good.”So I asked again, “What part of the message did you like?”They responded, “It was told in a way that matched our level. It was easy to understand.”

In other words, the same message became meaningful because it was shared in a way that was engaging, accessible, and relevant to them. What they really appreciated was that the message wasn’t hard to grasp, even if the content could have been complex.

Today’s psalm tells us to remember these “stories” — but it doesn’t call them stories lightly. It says they are what we “heard from our ancestors,” and it urges us to remember and hold them in our hearts. Unless we remember what God did for the generations before us, we won’t be able to pass it on to the next.

I suddenly wondered: while we keep talking about the “next generation” in the church, could one of the reasons they are disappearing be that we adults are only saying what we want to say — and in ways children can’t understand? Have we failed to meet them at eye level?

And further, when we adults do speak of God, are we clearly remembering what was passed down to us by the generations before? If not, maybe we’re not so different from the kids — perhaps we, too, are not retaining God’s words as we ought to.

The psalmist today reminds us that remembering what was handed down to us by our ancestors carries with it the responsibility of faithfully delivering that to the next generation. If we hide it, or don’t understand it, or are too lazy to go deeper, then God’s Word will eventually be forgotten — and it won’t be passed on.

Meditation

What Word of God do you remember?What stories of God’s work can you share with the next generation?

Intercessory Prayer

1. The weather has been unpredictable lately — hot and cold, back and forth. Please take care of your health, and watch out for summer colds.

2. Let us also pray for those who are sick or have recently undergone surgery. May they heal quickly and experience full recovery.