Once again - God was right on time with yesterday's Sunday (Mother's Day) message: Our Legacy - what we leave behind. JeJe did not intend for this message to land on Mother's Day - but it could not have been more appropriate. He has been teaching a 7 Point Series on God's Purposes for us In Life, and yesterday was #6: Our Legacy. My mind had already been moving in that direction the past few days, with Mother's Day approaching. You see, there's a stack of Bibles on a table in our living room; each one has significance - especially a bright red one that is usually on top, and in my full view. It was my mothers' Bible (it has her name engraved on it).
My mother passed away when I was 16 years old. When I remember my mother, the very first thought that comes to mind - is a picture of her that I hold dear in my memory: I was about 14/15 and came bounding down the staircase in the morning to see her in the quiet of the morning; with this Bible open, spending her alone/quiet time with the Lord. It is the greatest inheritance she could have given me; "faith" and a love for God's Word. She wanted to leave behind so much more; but she was the supporter of our family - working long hours to pay the bills; because my father often lost jobs due to drinking and gambling. When I was 21, I received some monies from her life insurance policy; those monies are long gone, but the life lessons she taught me - and the great faith she maintained in the 3+ years she battled cancer - I will carry with me for a life time. Hundreds of people attended her funeral; all of them talked about what a great friend she was (always laughing and joking, and there for whatever friend needed her), and how much she loved serving the Lord through her gift of singing in the church choir. She went to glory and she left behind a great legacy of faith, as did my grandmother who also instilled so much of God's Word into my life.
There was a time when my children were much smaller, that I allowed the cares of the world to crowd in to what was truly important. I was busy with many "good works" - serving in church, helping friends, working to help provide income for nice things for our family, fun vacations, etc. - but I was so busy, that my "alone time" with God was crowded out (I could not discern His voice)- I was moving full speed ahead and just asking Him to bless things as I moved along. The one day, He caused me to stop in my tracks and spoke to me: Coleen, your 2 children are the 2 greatest disciples you will ever pour into. Everything would change....for the good (change isn't always easy - it;s usually painful, and HE often has to pry things we are holding onto; but its very necessary and the blessed outcome so worth it). The Lord spoke to my heart that I needed to leave my job; JeJe was in full agreement. When we made this announcement to our children, we explained that it would mean tight budgeting; do you know both of them squealed in delight? Both of them (grade school age) said I was too stressed with work and they were excited that this would take away my stress. Oh, sweet children; they see/perceive much more than we give them credit for.
As I found more time for my personal time with the Lord, my eyes and heart became open to the Him speaking to me about some "bad habits" I was passing along to my children. They were learning them from me. Some people call these "generational curses"; as children of the Living God, my husband and I reject the fact that His beloved would be "cursed" and do not like this term. It's really "bad habits" and things we need to get cleaned out because they are harmful to them and can harm relationships; especially their one with the Lord. Best way to kick a bad habit? Ask the Lord to search your heart and reveal them to you (I am the world's BIG-est excuser/rationalizer/blamer) - and repent. Then give Him the authority over that area of your life, and ask the Holy Spirit to convict you when that old tendency rises up. You will watch it melt away; my family watched mine, and they have my full permission to hold me accountable (in love, always in love); and sometimes still need to. The sinner never stops sinning; but the repentant at heart, work on keeping it away and allow for that accountability to help them.
In closing thoughts, I guess it's just my hearts cry to help all of us leave behind the best legacy possible for our children. I was so blown away at reading God's Word during the service as JeJe pointed out so many important points in scripture about our faith inheritance extending to future generations:
"As for man, his days are like grass;
As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
For the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
And its place remembers it no more.
But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting
On those who fear Him,
And His righteousness to children’s children,
To such as keep His covenant,
And to those who remember His commandments to do them."
Psalm 103:15-18
Also: In 2 Timothy 1, Paul talks to Timothy about how he sees the faith his mother and grandmother had, on display in him. The House of King David was promised blessing into future generations because of His faithful relationship to God; you can see in the books of Chronicles and Kings that God showed mercy to his descendants "because you are from the house of David"; even when they behaved abominably !!! God remembered David - even 1500+ years later (and today to the house of Israel) - and said "because of my promise to your descendant David; I will have mercy on you". Rich, rich treasures are held on the pages of Scripture !
I want to give my kids a faith they can hold onto in any storm, and one that will move any mountain they face. A faith that will extend for many, many generations beyond me.
