It's very easy to see that we are literally one generation away from losing the faith and Christian influence of our predecessors - the ones who took great risk and hardship to stand firm for the Gospel of Jesus. In America, a major poll indicated that two-thirds of young people will leave the church once they live on their own. And not only are they leaving the church, they're leaving their God-infused lifestyles that was so practiced in their homes as children.
Host Sue Duffield takes a deep dive and risk here, to talk about how we have no one to blame but ourselves. She takes it on personally, and has every hope that she can still be an encouragement and influencer when it comes to LIVING the gospel before her grandchildren (and other young people). She's reminded of the role God has assigned to her (much like her grandparents) and that's to pursue His loving wisdom. And even if she's questioned, provoked or challenged, she'll consistently know what her role is, and that’s to love her children and grandchildren no matter what and to let them see Jesus more than ever in everything she does.
Take this episode walk with Joshua in Judges 2:7 & 8, Judges 2:10, and Judges 2:19. A generation lost! It was Joshua’s generation that walked away and it happened in the span of just one single generation, not three. To top it all, this was a generation who had personally witnessed miraculous signs and wonders and unbelievable victories.
Yet they still walked away.
www.sueduffield.com
8. Look up the word "crazy" in the dictionary and you might just find an asterisk beside the definition that says, "Listen to the Subiquitous Podcast," featuring Sue Duffield, and you'll find out what "crazy" means. Sue's travelogue journey of unfiltered stories, impossible miracles, and faith-filled fun will be revisited right here. So buckle up and let's get going with this humorous travelogue of an unfiltered saint, Subiquitous. I'll be 69 years old very soon. In fact, on August the 13th, just in case you'd like to send me a card. No, please don't remind me how old I am. No cards needed. Just pray for me. You know, though, in some respects, I'm very proud I've arrived, somewhat unscathed to this commanding try-skin stage of my life, and in other respects, I'm horrified that this sign of aging body is housing still a 16-year-old brain. True it is. I may have grown out, but I've never grown up. This is actually a plus. You know, for music, ministry, and connection with people, thinking young and remaining young in your attitude actually works. I may appear to be mature, older, and wiser, but the truth is, I'm still that giggling, giddy girl. I smack my lips and hardly close my mouth when eating and chewing gum, and my daughter reminds me of this often. It's an obvious sign that I still have work to do on my manners. Well, a few years ago, I received an invitation to speak and sing for a girl's camp in Pennsylvania, and my first thought was, "Lord, have mercy. What are they thinking? I could be their grandmother." But instead of conveying my apprehension to the camp administrator who asked me to come and beg me, actually, I merely said, "Okay, I'd love to." So with zeal and intent, I planned and orchestrated what I thought would be a pretty good message in a concert of music and testimony, and I began to reminisce about my first camp experience. What made an impact on me at 13 years old? Do I even remember what any of the speakers or singers spoke or sang about? I don't know. And what was my takeaway? What were the things I was working through when I was just a teenager? I worked very hard, had a good message and plan. But I threw everything I had prepared out the window when we arrived at the camp grounds, and I'll tell you why, girls, girls, and more girls, running, screaming, laughing, jumping all over everywhere, it seemed like, "What in the world were they a bunch of monkeys that have never been to a camp before?" Well, then I find out it was the truth. These were inner-city girls who came to a beautiful location and hardly had seen a tree before. I also heard that little voice inside of me say, "You know, you acted the same way when you were 14, and I guess I did." So my automatic, negative thought process went into high gear. You know what? They're not going to listen to me. Their attention span will be 10 minutes at the most, and my music is much too old and odd for them. My humor is for a demographic of post-menopausal chin hairs like me. This is never going to work. So I watched as all 50 girls filled into the outdoor chapel, and believe me, they were eyeing me just as I was eyeing them. And before I could swill my bottle of water down, they began to worship and sing and sing and worship, and 50 girls sounded like 500 girls. They were preparing me. And as I stepped up to the microphone, I could feel the lump in my throat. I knew this would be a special night, and it surely was. You know, the gospel of Jesus is always relevant. He never disappoints. I also know that the little girl inside of me surfaces whenever I'm surrounded by younger ones. And you know, when any time, at any place, when someone talks about generations, I'm immediately drawn just like I was on that day at that camp. Isn't it funny how we seem to have some sort of radar when it comes to certain topics? For me, it's worship music or hiking trails as if I could still do them. And yes, especially topics on how to reach this current generation. Reading aloud Psalm 145 can actually be a form of worship when you think about it. For example, starting with verse five, oh, the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate for six. They will speak of the might of your awesome deeds, and I will declare your greatness. They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of your righteousness. The words pulled me in that morning and they continue to pull one generation to another. You know what? Our God is definitely God of many generations. In fact, my history of faith goes clearly back to my great grandparents, making a profound statement of their faith in God and changing the course of their communities in South Jersey more than a hundred years ago. You know, scripture makes this very clear. It's even found in one of the names he uses for himself, I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, Exodus three, six. God loves the generations and truly desires to work within its framework. Now, here's another term that I really like, generational interaction. The generation that is moving on is to pour into the generation that is coming up. And the rising generation is to follow the example of the older generation. And in this manner, things are to continue until the end of time as we know it. It's a perfect design for the good of all people and for his glory. How about these words, declare, meditate, commend, declare again, and pour forth, declare, meditate, sing aloud and declare, you know what? That whole passage is packed with strong, colorful verbs, calling us to action as we interact and spend time with generations of children, teenagers, young couples that he so loves. And in verse four, it's a good thing to offer public praise for the things that we have heard and known that our fathers have told us. And that's Psalm 73, eight in completeness and in detail. And even when we don't feel like it, we are to proclaim his great works. And I know that sounds a bit religious. I guess we could say it a different way, maybe this way, shout out to God when you see something wonderful. I do that a lot. It's no wonder that people talk to me because I know what happens in the public square. I know what happens in the mall and in CVS or Walmart. When somebody comes up to me very rarely, are they coming up to me because they see me. But I have this feeling that they see Jesus, praise God for that. Verse five invites us to a private meditation. We need to spend time alone thinking on the gloriousness of his majesty and reflecting on his works. Just as there is a rhythm to the generational cycle, older to younger, younger to older, you know what? We find a cycle in this passage. Verse four speaks to generational interaction. Verse five quiets us with a period of maybe personal communication with the Lord. It's always important. And the cycle continues in verses six and seven where in verse six we're instructed to tell other generations of his awesome deeds and things that no person could do on their own. And man have we've seen in the last week amazing miracles that there is no human possible that could have done, but yet God intervened. You know in verse seven where we're to actually exhort and to share our praise for his abundant goodness and to sing aloud his righteousness, yeah, I know that sounds spiritual too, but it's good and it never dries up. And it's a righteousness that we can have that's perfect and just only through Jesus. You know what? I have to be honest with you. This was a passage that I wrote probably 10 years ago. And as I'm reading this now and gone over and thinking about the last decade, I sit with this passage pondering the generational message and all of those very unique verbs and the questions arise. And while it would be easy to just swipe them away, I know it's not in my best interest or the best interest of the generations in my circle of influence. And as difficult as it may be, I need to answer those questions. Number one, does God do his best work in his life and my life through him in the hard places of self reflection and honesty? Do I allow God to do this? Do I share the great works of God that I have heard from others with my grandchildren and those of other generations, and if so, do I just gloss over them or share them in completeness and detail? Number two, am I spending time alone in meditation on his glorious majesty and supernatural works? And do I live in this rhythm of experiencing periods of personal time with God, then going out to share with the generations what I have come to know? In other words, this is great to be all puffed up and be spiritual, but am I sharing it with my family? Am I sharing it with people that I love? Number three, do I tell of his great power? Do I share my praise for his abundant goodness and provision? And do I sing of his righteousness? Well, there's even more questions when I think about it. Number four, am I intentional about making him a big deal when I'm with my grandchildren? Do I share only the history and the God rules? Or am I deliberate about also sharing his unfathomable love? You know, as a mom, mom, I sit in a unique and not so rare position of influence with my grandchildren, but it's so easy for me to lose sight of that. I can go for days without giving much thought to these very, very important things. But yet sitting here today with this passage, I'm reminded of my great responsibility to those kids and how I am to carry it out. I'm reminded of the role God has assigned to me in his loving wisdom. And even if I'm questioned or provoked or even challenged, I consistently know what my role is and that's to love my children and grandchildren and to have them see Jesus more than ever in me at 69 years young. So here are some more important questions as I continue to reflect. If I'm not intentional about making God a big deal with my grandchildren, what's going to happen? I've heard that it only takes three generations for love to be lost. I really think that might be a valid statistic as I call to mind a company in my little hometown in New Jersey years ago, started by a gentleman who was about my father's age. He loved the company and poured his heart and life into it. He also trained his children in the business and they eventually took it over. Went on to the next generation it went and the generation who sold it decided it was over. The family business is done. But this generation did not share the grandfather's love and passion for that specific company. Three generations later and that business is gone. What about that example? You know, the people serve the Lord throughout their lifetime of Joshua's time and of the elders who outlived him and who had seen all the great things the Lord had done for Israel. Joshua, son of none, the servant of the Lord died at the age of 110. And after the whole complete generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel. In other words, they had no clue and you can read about that in Judges chapter two, seven and eight and judges chapter two, verse 10. Here we go, a generation lost and it was Joshua's generation. And in the span of one single generation, not three, and to top it all, this was a generation who had personally witnessed miraculous signs and wonders and unbelievable victories. The passage doesn't tell us how it happened only that it did. And you know what? As a grandparent, I simply need to know that it did and it could. Oh, that I pray today and for you as well, that it not happened to my or your grandchildren or any of your family members, this is seriously the cry of my heart today. Right there in those few verses from Psalm 145, we see it. God calls us to work within the framework of generations and he calls us to interact with and impact our grandchildren for their good and for his great glory. And we are to do this by preparing ourselves in his presence and then going out to share with great exuberance what we know about him. It's an assignment, it is. And it's about the business of making a big deal of God with our grandkids. No matter what it looks like and sounds like, it's a tremendous responsibility, but one he assigned to us. One generation shall commend your works to another. And I pray this today, loving father, I pray that each one of my precious children and grandchildren come to know you personally and that they love you with their entire being. And I pray for every listeners, grandchildren and children as they are listening to this episode today. Help us as grandparents to be intentional in interacting with them and also other generations. Help us to boldly and without reservation share our love for you with each of them through accounts of your mighty acts, awesome deeds, greatness, abundant goodness, righteousness and the best part of all father, help us to lavishly love them in spite of themselves. Amen. And if you prayed that prayer with me and I've heard like nine million preachers say that if you've prayed this prayer with me today, no, that's not what I mean. But if you honestly agreed with me on this prayer and you're going through a similar scenario, I would love to hear from you. And I would love to seriously pray that God opens doors that no man can lock and locks those doors that no man can open in your life, in your prayer life, and also your influence on your family. You can send me an email at radiosu@me.com or get on sudafield.com. And especially in this day and age when my 69 year old Bonnie with a 16 year old brain still housed inside the skull wants to remind us all once again, it's really okay. It's okay to open your arms to this generation even when you don't agree with them. It's really okay to wrap your arms around that teenager today and say, I love you with the love of Jesus. It will change their life. I guarantee it. We'll see you next time. [MUSIC] [BLANK_AUDIO]
