What do you think?

[Phil Hoover]

And he will turn
The hearts of the fathers to the children,
And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.”


People who deny that a real generation gap doesn't exist in their local church probably DOES NOT ATTEND or PARTICIPATE in the life of a local church.

My great friend, Pastor Kelvin Page, the lead shepherd at Westmore Church of God is currently preaching a series from this final verse of the Old Testament. (Disclosure: I've not heard any of the messages thus far, but I plan to buy the CDs).

And this thought occurred to me this weekend, while I was in Cleveland Tn:

The prophet foretold two things happening in this verse:

"The hearts of the fathers turning to their children"--in other words, the "fathers" would be looking to the future generations to carry on the legacy of the family. Ancestry worship would be no more. Ancestry worship is nothing more than thinly-veiled idolatry.

"the hearts of the children to their fathers"- the prophet Malachi was foretelling a time when the "elders" and the "youngsters" would be a real "family." Not only would ancestry worship not be practiced, but neither would narcissicim. The "children" turning their hearts toward their "fathers" (and mothers) realizing their generation stands on the shoulders of those who have gone before them. The "children" turning their hearts toward their elders, realizing they have much to learn, and that in doing this they will be fulfilling the command to "honor" their predecessors. When time is spent honoring those who have "paved the way" for us, then far less time is spent being self-absorbed, and self-consumed, and self-concerned.

So what can the "contemporary" generation learn from all of this? What can the "old folks" learn from all of this?

Here's what I think:

The "current" generation will find themselves more in tune with God, and with His-story in their lives and futures. The current generation will see the great and strong shoulders that are currently holding them up, and allowing them to become all they can for God's glory. While doing this, there is very little time for self-aggrandizement and vainglory. The current generation will realize that the previous generations worshipped God, served God, and honored God with all they had, and did great things to further His purposes in their lives and in His world. This current generation NEEDS and MUST HAVE a sense of the strong and broad shoulders that God has used to get His Kingdom where it is now. Were these people perfect? No, but God used them, and in many cases, God is still using them. One of the key words in the Old Testament (particularly in the Book of Deuteronomy) is "remember..." A wise man once said that "he who does not know where he comes from will never know where he is going..." History is usually a great teaching tool. This generation will be very wise to pay close attention to "HIS-story" that walks among them--the previous generations of God's saints who have already walked down these roads.

The "previous" generations, when they turn their hearts toward the "children" (contemporary generation) will discover that "history worship" is nothing more than idolatry. Remembering what God has done, and what He has accomplished is for HIS GLORY--not for ours. The "previous" generations are now challenged by the LORD and by their posterity to "nurture" and "mentor" those who are coming after them how to trust God, love God, and obey God as He leads them into "His-story"....Rememberg is important, but it must be balanced with what we are encountering and doing TODAY...not just the exploits and actions of yesteryear. This group of people now has the BIBLICAL MANDATE of turning their "hearts" toward the "children"--and not just their own biological offspring. All of the younger generation. The younger generation wants to learn...and even if they do not want to learn, they MUST learn of God's faithful from "His-story" walking among them. The older saints in every congregation have must to share and "plant" into those who are coming after.

Why do some congregations feel "cursed" or at war? Maybe it's because the hearts are turned "inward" instead of in the direction the Lord desires for them to go. The younger do need the older....a lot more than they realize. And the "older" needs the younger, if the legacy of God's faithfulness is to be propagated.

What do you think?