We all know that character, and moods, and particular virtues and vices are characteristic of individuals. But they are also characteristic of groups of people—generations, tribes, nations, churches. You know what it is like to travel around our nation, finding that one part of the country is particularly friendly, while another is particularly industrious, and so on. People collectively have a personality. Different generations can have different personalities.
There is therefore a possibility of change from one generation to the next. There can be decline or there can be improvement—if there is change. One generation might just duplicate what went before. Our desire should be to stay the course, remaining faithful where our fathers were faithful (2 Tim. 2:2). When our fathers were not faithful, it is our responsibility to turn away from their example, refusing to follow them in it (Ps. 78:8). In other cases, we are to build on the preparatory work done by those who went before. While David was not permitted by God to build the Temple, he had all the materials assembled so that his son would be able to (1 Chron. 22:7).
When everyone is pulling together, doing the same thing at the same time, a lot of remarkable things can happen. When Nehemiah was engaged in rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem, he had a much easier time of it when everyone was in the same mood, of the same mind. “So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.” (Neh. 4:6).
The people had a mind to work. This was glorious because it was the time for work. Prior to that the people had a mind to prepare, and before that, a mind to wait. The thing to pray for in all of it is a mind together. So let the stones cry out.