Same God, New Generation

Read

Psalm 78:4 “We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done.”

Think

Some of the most powerful words you can say to someone younger than you are: “Let me tell you what God did.”

Not “here’s what you should do” or “back in my day,” but “here’s what I’ve seen him do.” That kind of testimony creates a ripple effect of faith. It awakens expectation. It helps someone else believe that if God did it before, he will do it again.

Psalm 78 is all about legacy. It is a call to remember and retell. It is a song that spans generations and reminds us that our stories are not just personal—they’re meant to be passed on. But passing on faith doesn’t mean giving lectures. It means sharing stories.

Stories of how God came through in the midnight hour.
Stories of how prayers got answered in ways you didn’t expect.
Stories of how you almost gave up, but grace held you together.
Stories of second chances. Of quiet miracles. Of unexpected provision.

When you tell those stories, you give someone else permission to hope.

In our culture, it is easy to focus on the next achievement, the next platform, the next big idea. But Scripture reminds us that part of our calling is to reach back. To bring the next generation with us. To give them more than advice. To give them a vision of God’s faithfulness. You don’t have to be a preacher to preach. All you have to do is remember.

Think about the Old Testament for a moment. So much of it is centered around remembering. God told his people to build altars after battles. To stack stones after crossing rivers. To celebrate festivals year after year. Why? Because people forget. And when we forget what God has done, we stop believing he can do it again. It is not just about nostalgia. It is about fuel.

God parted the Red Sea for Moses. That miracle was not just for that moment. It became a foundation of faith for future generations. So that when Joshua stood in front of the Jordan River years later, he wasn’t guessing what God could do. He had a reference point. He had a story. That is the power of a passed-down testimony. Faith grows when it is watered with remembrance.

There are people in your life—children, friends, coworkers—who do not need a perfect example. They need a real one. Someone who will talk about the struggle and the rescue. Someone who will say, “I’ve been there, and God met me in it.”

If you are a parent or grandparent, this matters even more. What legacy are you leaving? Not just in terms of possessions, but in terms of perspective. Do your kids know your God stories? Have they heard about that season when money was tight, but God provided anyway? Do they know how you came to faith? How you made it through grief? What God whispered when you were ready to quit?

Your ceiling can become their floor. Your breakthroughs can become their benchmarks. But only if you share it.

Psalm 78 says, “We will not hide them from their descendants.” That is strong language. It tells us that forgetting to share is more than just oversight—it is a kind of withholding. It keeps others from experiencing the fullness of what God can do. There is someone behind you who needs to know that God still answers. Still speaks. Still surprises. And maybe you’re thinking, I don’t have anything dramatic to share. No burning bush. No ocean-splitting miracle. But you do.

You have breath in your lungs. You’ve been forgiven. You’ve known peace that passes understanding. You’ve heard his voice through Scripture. You’ve felt his presence in worship. You’ve seen him move in ways that defied logic. That is not nothing. That is more than enough. The miracle is not just in what God did. It is in the fact that you’re still standing.

You might also be the one who needs to hear a story today. Maybe your faith feels thin. Maybe you are wondering if God still moves. If that is you, seek out someone who has walked with him longer. Ask them how they’ve seen him show up. Let their memory strengthen your resolve.

We are not meant to carry faith alone. We are part of a lineage. Part of a story much bigger than our own. What God did in your grandparents’ generation, he can do again in yours. What he did in the early church, he can repeat today. What he did in someone else's midnight hour, he can do in yours before the sun rises. But it starts with remembering. And then it moves to telling.

Your testimony is not just about the past. It is about setting the stage for God’s encore in someone else’s life. Tell the story.

Apply

Find someone younger in age or younger in faith and share one way God has moved in your life. Be specific. It doesn’t have to be dramatic—just honest. Let them see the power of a God who still works today.

Pray

God, thank you for all the ways you’ve moved in my life. Help me remember your faithfulness. Give me the courage to speak about it, not to impress but to inspire. Use my story to build someone else’s faith. Let your power be known to the next generation. In Jesus’ name. Amen.