Monday, February 6, 2012

Shortening the Gap

Our problem is not a generation gap between adults and kids. Our problem is the gap between God and adults in order to reach our kids. J Vernon Magee


Does anyone know how long this theory of a generation gap has been going on? Let’s try and guess, perhaps since the 1950’s, or the 1930’s, or the mid 1800’s, or early 1600’s? If we were to take a close look it probably started with Cain and Abel and their parents. I can just picture Cain telling his mom and dad, “You just don’t understand me. After all how could you, you never were teenagers!” You and I could come back with the line that “We were kids once too,” but Adam and Eve didn’t have that great come back line.


When Adam and Eve destroyed their relationship with God it started a chain reaction that has continued on down thru the generations. It would only be the beginning of the damage yet to come. A damage that escalated up to the time of Noah thus the chain reaction was a gap between them and God that just couldn’t be filled.


From one defiant act to the next the gap continued to grow and grow. It affected not only their relationship with the Lord but their relationship with each other. For each generation that came along they kept drawing further and further apart and the gap between them and God grew. It grew to the point God was sorry He even made man in the first place and He destroyed the whole earth with a flood to get rid of those who had pulled away from Him.


We are the ones that have the power to stop the breaking apart from God from happening. It begins with us and the filling in of the gap between us and God. Sadly enough people today often don’t know how to have a good working relationship with each other let alone God. They seem to want all the benefits of a good relationship but are not willing to do what it takes to get there.


The best thing for our youth today is not an older generation that “understands” them but an older generation that is willing to set the proper example for them to follow. For example the illustrations of turning to God in order to properly follow in His footsteps in full obedience and everlasting love. As the old saying goes, “If you aim for earth that’s all you get but if you aim for Heaven you will get earth thrown in as a bonus.”


We need to reach our youth by reaching for God first. After all what good are we to others if we are no good to God. The younger generation certainly doesn’t need us to show them the proper way to be disobedient, defiant and disrespectful. They need someone willing to show them how to aim for heaven and get earth thrown in as an extra.


There’s no better time than now to start shortening the gap, the distance between us and God. It starts with us but it creates a chain reaction that can last for generations yet to come. A reaction with everlasting affects and eternal blessings for one peer group at a time, one blessing at a time.


Lengthen the relationship, and shorten the gap. It’s as simple as that. Praise the Lord!

© 2012 Karen J Gillett @ Pencil Marks and Recipes Publishing

2 comments:

Vintage Whimsy Studio said...

Hi Karen - loved your imagery of Adam and Eve as parents ;o) This topic has been on my mind a lot recently, so it was a great opportunity to write about some of the things I've been pondering. Hope you have a wonderful week and I look forward to connecting with you again soon! Nina @ mamas*little*treasures and Ruby for Women

Denise said...

Very well said.