Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past. Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders, and they will explain to you.

— Deuteronomy 32:7

Whether we are young or old, new to faith in God or lifelong believers, we can be inspired by the trails of God’s faithfulness in long-past generations. Those generations may include our families, churches, communities, and various peoples around the world. They can reach back to our spiritual ancestors in the Bible. Evidence of God’s faithfulness has always been with us. We may recall past stories of joy and pain, gain and loss, light and darkness. We may also write books and articles, set up memorials, make movies, have family reunions, and celebrate anniversaries to mark our history. All of these can help us grow to know God, ourselves, and others.

God wants us to keep our long past in view so that we can understand our present. Learning about our history helps us to acknowledge what God has done for us and to look ahead in hope, trusting that God’s goodness will follow us always.

With God’s help, we will remember, tell, and explain our story to others who have not heard about the Lord. May the Spirit unite us for intergenerational conversations with our family members, neighbors, friends, and others in our church, school, and other community settings. May we have the humility to listen and share so that we can see and tell of God’s faithfulness to all generations.

“O God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come,” help us share and learn about your loving care always. Amen.