We influence future generations by living for Christ today.

We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the . Psalm 78:4

I enjoy watching relay races. The physical strength, speed, skill, and endurance required of the athletes amaze me. But one crucial point of the race always gets my special attention and makes me anxious. It is the moment the baton is passed to the next athlete. One moment of delay, one slip, and the race could be lost.

In a sense, Christians are in a relay race, carrying the baton of faith and the knowledge of the Lord and of His Word. And the Bible tells us about our need to pass this baton from one generation to another. In Psalm 78, Asaph declares: “I will utter . . . things from of old—things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us . . . . We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done” (vv. 2–4).

Moses said something similar to the Israelites: “Do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them” (Deut. 4:9).

For generations to come, we are called to lovingly and courageously do whatever we can to pass along “the praises of him who called [us] out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9).

Father, help me to be faithful in passing my faith along to someone else.

今日为基督而活，就能影响下一代。

我们……要将耶和华的美德……述说给后代听。-诗篇78篇4节

我很喜欢看接力赛，因为参赛者所需的体力、速度、技巧及耐力，都令我感到赞叹。但这比赛有个特点，常让我特别注意并让我紧张。那就是当参赛者将接力棒传递给下一个人时，只要有一瞬间的延迟，或是一个跌交，就可能输了这场比赛。

其实，基督徒可说是在一场接力赛当中，手中的接力棒就是对主及其话语的信心与知识。圣经也提到，我们需要将这个棒子传递给下一代。亚萨在诗篇78篇宣告：“我要开口……说出古时的谜语。是我们所听见所知道的，也是我们的祖宗告诉我们的。我们……要将耶和华的美德和祂的能力，并祂奇妙的作为，述说给后代听。”（2-4节）

摩西对以色列百姓也有类似的教导：“你只要谨慎，殷勤保守你的心灵，免得忘记你亲眼所看见的事，又免得你一生这事离开你的心，总要传给你的子子孙孙。”（申命记4章9节）

对于下一代，上帝要我们以慈爱和不屈不挠的态度，尽力传扬“那召[我们]出黑暗、入奇妙光明者的美德”（彼得前书2章9节） 。

父啊，求祢帮助我，
让我能忠心地将我的信仰传承下去。

Psalm 78:1-8

A maskil[a] of Asaph.

1 My people, hear my teaching;
    listen to the words of my mouth.
2 I will open my mouth with a parable;
    I will utter hidden things, things from of old—
3 things we have heard and known,
    things our ancestors have told us.
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.
5 He decreed statutes for Jacob
    and established the law in Israel,
which he commanded our ancestors
    to teach their children,
6 so the next generation would know them,
    even the children yet to be born,
    and they in turn would tell their children.
7 Then they would put their trust in God
    and would not forget his deeds
    but would keep his commands.
8 They would not be like their ancestors—
    a stubborn and rebellious generation,
whose hearts were not loyal to God,
    whose spirits were not faithful to him.

整理：于姊妹