Closing the Gap (Between Generations)

PHOTO 1: George William Robbins was my great-great grandfather; a circuit preacher in rural Central Texas in the early 1900's
PHOTO 2: Henry reading the Scriptures to his granddaughter
With each year that passes, I become more aware of the sacrifices that the generations before me have made. As I watch my children using the computer, sending text messages to their friends, and as I prepare dinner with the foods that I nonchalantly purchased from the grocery store, it suddenly hits me. I think to myself, “Who are the people that made it possible for us to go about our lives, living in freedom and having all that we need? Who are the people that have already left this earth, who paid a price without ever hearing a ‘thank you?’” As I ponder these thoughts, I hope and pray that I can teach my children to give thought to those who gave their time, resources, and even their lives so that we can live freely. I pray that my children will honor not only those who have gone before them, but those who are and will be placed around them in the years to come.

We are in a day when the older and younger generations must be brought together. I want to say to the older generation that you ARE important and this world DOES need you. There IS a purpose for you being here. Your prayers are vital and you DO make a difference in this world even if you feel that you are not serving a purpose. You ARE needed by the younger generation. You may feel that you have been left behind or even forgotten, but you have not. The Lord hears your prayers and He is with you. Your love, your prayers and your words still have the power to make an impact on the generation that is behind you. I want to encourage you to stay connected with the younger generation as much as possible, so that the gap between generations can be closed.

You see, there is revival upon the earth and the Lord is doing great things, even in the midst of the current turmoil. God is touching all generations, young and old alike. Consider Acts 2:17: “It shall be in the last days, God says, that I will pour forth of My Spirit on all mankind; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your YOUNG men shall see visions and your OLD men shall dream dreams.” As Kris Vallotton brilliantly puts it in the book, The Supernatural Ways of Royalty, “Take note that revival does not have a gender, a generation, or social class…the devil knew that he couldn’t stop worldwide revival by resisting it, so he has tried to curse the planet by separating the generations.” It is vital that the generations come together because that is how the Lord wants to work on the earth; through ONE generation. That ONE generation is the young and old joined together. This can be accomplished through honor.

If the older generation will honor the younger generation and the younger generation honor the older generation, I believe we will begin to experience some marvelous breakthroughs and see more miracles upon this earth. We will be more effective in advancing the Kingdom of God. Honor does not mean that we have to agree with one another, but that we value each other because we are all made in the image of God. Honor means that we recognize the gifts that each person has to offer. Closing the gap between the generations will empower the younger generation to carry the “torch” and finish the race and it will empower the older generation to finish well, making a powerful impact on those coming behind them.

I recently learned more about my great-great grandfather, George William Robbins, who served as a circuit preacher throughout rural Central Texas in the early 1900’s. I have had the opportunity to go through old photographs of him and read letters that were written to him, thanking him for his sacrifices. He lost three of his own children and suffered many hard days, yet he carried on, doing the work of God, with the encouragement from his wife who stayed behind to keep the farm going. I look at his photograph and ponder the day that I will get to meet him and he will tell me about the miracles he saw, the faithful ways that God brought his family through hard times, and how his prayers affected the generations that came after him. I cannot help but believe that the life I live now, is partly due to the prayers that he prayed for his children and their childrens’ children. God was faithful to answer his prayers. God is faithful to answer your prayers and He will bridge the generations into one. His Kingdom is an ever-advancing one and He will not stop. May the Lord bless you and keep you as you take steps to show honor to one another, bridging the gap between the generations.