GENERATION

They saw so much, Father, this generation.

They lived so much;

They endured so much;

They adapted to so much—

World war,

Economic depression

and other financial crises;

Terrorism;

Pandemic;

The advent of motor cars,

air travel,

radio and television,

telephone,

supermarkets,

artificial fabrics and plastics;

The computer chip, with its impact

on shopping,

banking,

communication,

information …

It’s been an astounding century or so,

And these old folk,

Whom we so often dismiss

as frail and incompetent and reactionary,

Have lived it—

Embraced the innovations,

Adjusted to the changes.

Make me adaptable, Father.

Enable me to embrace

new understandings of you,

new ways to glorify you,

new expressions of faith,

new opportunities to serve.

Make me new every day.

But the Lord says, ‘Do not cling to events of the past or dwell on what happened long ago. Watch for the new thing I am going to do. It is happening already—you can see it now!’ (Isaiah 43: 18–19, GNT)