About a week ago, I was contacted by a Christian author who had met me years ago and remembered a story I shared with her. The reason for her e-mail was to ask permission to use my story in a book that will be published by Focus on the Family in regard to Grandparents making an impact on their grandchildren’s lives. I had shared that my grandmother prayed for me every single day of my life until her passing. Next to her reclining chair was an end-table that held her bible and tape player. The tape player was there so she could listen to her sons and grandsons' sermons as most were pastors. On the wall next to the chair was a bulletin board with photos and names of each of her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She would look at the bulletin board and pray each day for all of us. I believe God heard her prayers and has had His hand on my life as a direct result of her faithfulness.
I love how God works because two days later in my “Believing God” bible study by Beth Moore the lesson was on believing God has been there all along. Beth shared how God has assigned each generation a tremendous responsibility towards its children and its descendants - to be intentional about building a heritage of faith into our children. Using the Jews and an example, they train their children from an early age on their heritage and faith. It is not just a religion – it is their life! It is their inheritance!
I have been pondering some thoughts lately… Just some questions that I don’t have all the answers to…. like why in the Christian faith do we have generations that don’t want their inheritance? Within my own church we have families (great godly men and women that have passed on) with children and grandchildren that want little or nothing to do with their heritage of faith. They (for now) seem to have rejected their inheritance.
Heritage and inheritance…
Recently I have been reading a book called The Return of the Prodigal Son by Henri Nouwen. (Great read!) The book has brought great insight to all the different character dynamics of that parable… in the end we all need to be the prodigal son on our needs before the father, but we are also supposed to be the father – restoring the lost. As the prodigal son, the father does desires to raise us up and bring us into a rightful place within his household, but we have to be willing to take the first step and kneel before him. God will not force it on us.
Switching back to my family - I am blessed that my parents picked up the torch that their parents had. My father raised his children at a time when it wasn’t ‘popular’ to raise them in a ‘godly’ way. It was the 70s… I think that speaks for itself. It is funny now to see friends that teased me in high school / college regarding my upbringing - now raising their children in a very similar way. All I can say is Praise God! May God be glorified and may the next generation carry on that same torch!
My parents picked up the torch and have lived faithful lives. They have lived godly lives, prayed for their children and grandchildren on a daily basis, both followed hard after the Lord in their personal lives and in their marriage/family. They have sought to be obedient to God’s calling - throughout their lives and even later on when God called them to be missionaries at the later part. All I can say is that they have left no room for their children and grandchildren not to follow hard after them. They give us no excuse. They have stood the test of time. They have passed on a great heritage and their children rise up and call them blessed!
As for me? I do kneel before the Lord - I am thankful for my heritage of faith, and I do claim my inheritance! I also want to do my part in passing my heritage on to the next generation and to their descendants. My prayer is that each generation to come will appreciate their heritage of faith and not toss it aside for the things of this earth…
Want to hear the best news of all? God’s inheritance isn’t just for those that already have a heritage of faith. You can claim your inheritance and start a heritage of faith today – for your next generation and the decadence there after!
All you have to do is kneel before the Father and acknowledge your need of a Savior! Claim your inheritance and pass on your heritage of faith to others!
What inheritance will you leave?
