If there is any psalm that we have looked at thus far that speaks to
the Baby Boomer/Buster generation, it is Psalm 123. Many will not like
the statement that I make today, but I must tell it. I do not enjoy
saying this, but I am a member of this generation, and it is not
something I speak of with pride. Just about every generation before me
have accomplished something significant,or have overcome tremendous
suffering or hardship. But the only thing my generation has had to
overcome is selfishness, materialism, and immorality. My parent's
generation lived through the Great Depression, World War II and began
with the basics just so they could give my generation a better life.
And in truth, we haven't wanted for anything,yet we are the biggest
"cry-babies" on the planet. We sit with our cell-phones and our DVD
players, and our designer this and that and whine about what we don't
have. We see this in our society and we see it in our churches, where
the pervasive mentality is "What are you going to do for me?" The cause
of missions, evangelism, and the whole cause of Christ suffers. Our
attitude of commitment thrives on novel ideas. But when these ideas
confront great obstacles to achieve them-we find them too hard and go
on to find something else to do.
So much for my generation. But we were not the only generation to behave
this way. The Psalmist laments in Psalm 123:3-4 "Have mercy upon us, O
Lord, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt.
Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at
ease, and with the contempt of the proud." We are indeed a generation
of ease and filled with scorning. How can we make it better? By taking
our eyes off our selves and on to God. Taking our thoughts off our own
wants and looking to a world that we have hurt with our selfishness and
caring for them. That is what Jesus tells us to do. And we will find
that the most meaningful things of life for which we have always desired
will be those which we will receive. Our lives will be filled with richness
(as oppossed to emptiness and riches). We may not even be thinking of them,
but when we start thinking of who comes after us, then maybe, just maybe,
we may have a legacy to pass on to our children and our grandchildren.
Have a blessed day.
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