My Grandparents' Spiritual Legacy
Dear Friends,
I was thinking recently about one of my favourite verses which is Romans 8:28 "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." (NLT)
It's also precious to me for another reason, it was a favourite verse of my Grandad's too. My Grandad was a good man, he worked hard all his life, he loved God and he loved his family, his wife, son and daughter and his four grand-daughters. He had a great sense of humour and a lovely smile. I remember just a few days from his death, (he was at home, his bed had been brought downstairs because he was to ill to move anywhere and my Nan had insisted that she would take care of him at home) he was full of drugs to help ease the pain of his cancer riddled body and in one of his more lucid moments he smiled and winked at me. I knew by that he was telling me he loved me and it was ok.
After he had died and gone to be with Christ, my Nan gave each of us grand-daughters the opportunity to choose something of Grandad's to have as a keepsake. I took a while to choose something, but eventually decided on one of his bible's. In it Grandad had underlined scripture that had spoken to him, often with a date next to it, sometimes with a name by it such as my Auntie's or my Nan's.
My Nan and my Grandad both loved God and both are with the Lord now, but they have left behind a wonderful legacy. They shared their faith with their children and taught them what it meant to follow God. They passed their faith onto my Dad who in God's time became a Christian and married a Christian woman.
I was on Bible Gateway' website this morning and read their verse of the day. It was interesting because it fits so well with today's blog which is why I'm mentioning it now. It's Psalm 103:17-18 "17 But the love of the Lord remains forever with those who fear him. His salvation extends to the children’s children 18 of those who are faithful to his covenant, of those who obey his commandments!" (NLT)
I also like it from the Amplified Version: "17 But the mercy and loving-kindness of the Lord are from everlasting to everlasting upon those who reverently and worshipfully fear Him, and His righteousness is to children’s children—
My parents passed their faith on to me and my sister. They taught us what it meant to follow Christ and we put our trust in God at an early age. Both my sister and I are married to wonderful Christian men and we are sharing our faith with our own families.
I have been so blessed to grow up in a Christian family. As I look over my family tree I am so grateful to see God's hand on my ancestors and the legacy that ultimately he has given me.
I want to continue to build on that legacy, and, with God's, help shape the lives of future generations.
You may come from generations of Christians or you may be the first generation of Christians in your family. Either way, you can still make the choice and ask God for his help that from now on you will share your faith with your family. You can make the decision to pass it on to your children and your grandchildren. So that generations from now will be able to look back and see the wonderful legacy that was left by you.
With God's help you can make a difference in your family both now and in the future.
To Think About:
Are there previous generations of Christians in your family? How have they been a blessing in your life? Spend some time with God thanking him for them.
What kind of legacy will you leave your children and your children's children?
What are you doing now to build your legacy?
Vicki
I was thinking recently about one of my favourite verses which is Romans 8:28 "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." (NLT)
It's also precious to me for another reason, it was a favourite verse of my Grandad's too. My Grandad was a good man, he worked hard all his life, he loved God and he loved his family, his wife, son and daughter and his four grand-daughters. He had a great sense of humour and a lovely smile. I remember just a few days from his death, (he was at home, his bed had been brought downstairs because he was to ill to move anywhere and my Nan had insisted that she would take care of him at home) he was full of drugs to help ease the pain of his cancer riddled body and in one of his more lucid moments he smiled and winked at me. I knew by that he was telling me he loved me and it was ok.
After he had died and gone to be with Christ, my Nan gave each of us grand-daughters the opportunity to choose something of Grandad's to have as a keepsake. I took a while to choose something, but eventually decided on one of his bible's. In it Grandad had underlined scripture that had spoken to him, often with a date next to it, sometimes with a name by it such as my Auntie's or my Nan's.
My Nan and my Grandad both loved God and both are with the Lord now, but they have left behind a wonderful legacy. They shared their faith with their children and taught them what it meant to follow God. They passed their faith onto my Dad who in God's time became a Christian and married a Christian woman.
I was on Bible Gateway' website this morning and read their verse of the day. It was interesting because it fits so well with today's blog which is why I'm mentioning it now. It's Psalm 103:17-18 "17 But the love of the Lord remains forever with those who fear him. His salvation extends to the children’s children 18 of those who are faithful to his covenant, of those who obey his commandments!" (NLT)
I also like it from the Amplified Version: "17 But the mercy and loving-kindness of the Lord are from everlasting to everlasting upon those who reverently and worshipfully fear Him, and His righteousness is to children’s children—
18 To such as keep His covenant [hearing, receiving, loving, and obeying it] and to those who [earnestly] remember His commandments to do them [imprinting them on their hearts]."
My parents passed their faith on to me and my sister. They taught us what it meant to follow Christ and we put our trust in God at an early age. Both my sister and I are married to wonderful Christian men and we are sharing our faith with our own families.
I have been so blessed to grow up in a Christian family. As I look over my family tree I am so grateful to see God's hand on my ancestors and the legacy that ultimately he has given me.
I want to continue to build on that legacy, and, with God's, help shape the lives of future generations.
You may come from generations of Christians or you may be the first generation of Christians in your family. Either way, you can still make the choice and ask God for his help that from now on you will share your faith with your family. You can make the decision to pass it on to your children and your grandchildren. So that generations from now will be able to look back and see the wonderful legacy that was left by you.
With God's help you can make a difference in your family both now and in the future.
To Think About:
Are there previous generations of Christians in your family? How have they been a blessing in your life? Spend some time with God thanking him for them.
What kind of legacy will you leave your children and your children's children?
What are you doing now to build your legacy?
Vicki
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