Posts Tagged ‘granddaughter’

The Legacy We Leave

Monday, January 3rd, 2011

I enjoyed holding my three-year-old granddaughter Anna during yesterday morning’s church service. During the praise and worship songs, I balanced her on my hip and moved with the music. She’s a born dancer, so she loved every minute. She grinned at me and I grinned back, especially when she mimicked me as I raised one hand heavenward.

At one point, the worship leader led a familiar old hymn:

“I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene

And wonder how He could love me

A sinner condemned, unclean.

How marvelous, how wonderful

And my song shall ever be.

How marvelous, how wonderful

Is my Savior’s love for me.”

The lyrics moved me to tears as I thought about my unworthiness and Jesus’ deep love for me. I brushed those tears from my cheeks, aware of Anna’s curious stare. “What’s wrong, Grandma?” she asked. “Why are you crying?”

“Nothing’s wrong,” I answered. “These are happy tears. I’m happy because Jesus loves me so much. And He loves you, too.”

“Yeah,” Anna said. Her eyes sparkled. “Jesus loves me. That makes me happy!”

I want to remember yesterday’s scene forever. It intensifies my desire to leave a godly legacy for my grandchildren. It renews my resolve to walk in fellowship with God and to let Him have full control over my life with the hope that my descendants will do the same.  

Genesis 5:22,23 further strengthens that resolve. It tells the story of Enoch, a man who walked in close fellowship with God. He left a legacy that paid off several generations later. Guess who his great-grandson was? Noah—the man who found favor with God when the entire population around him was headed the opposite direction spiritually. Scriptures says that he, too, walked in close fellowship with God. He was a righteous man, the only blameless person living on earth at that time (Genesis 6:8,9). I have no doubt that great-grandpa Enoch’s legacy played a role in Noah’s spiritual well-being.

I want to play a role in my descendants’ spiritual well-being, too. I want to leave a legacy that points them toward God. This happens as I walk in close fellowship with the Lord day by day, moment by moment, just as Enoch did.

How about you? Who played a role in your spiritual well-being? Whose legacy made a difference in your life?

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When Dependency is a Good Thing

Friday, July 23rd, 2010

NOTE: I’m without internet access for several days while ministering at an evangelistic family camp in Poland. As a result, I’ve scheduled devotionals to be posted as usual on Monday, Wednesday and Friday until I return to someplace with internet. So, here goes with devotionals again…

When Dependency is a Good Thing

My 2 ½-year-old granddaughter is developing wonderful verbal skills. One of the things she says is, “Will you help me, please?” She speaks those words with confident expectation that Grandma will listen and respond. And she’s right – of course I’ll help her.

By the time you read this, I will have just completed a 13-day mission trip to Romania. I’ve delivered one Canadian short-termer to Slovakia where she was scheduled to minister at an evangelistic family camp with several other volunteers. And now my husband and I are leading a team of 14 short-termers at an evangelistic family camp in Poland. I’m fully aware of my inadequacies to accomplish anything of eternal value and by now I’m physically weary and wishing for a good night’s sleep in my own bed. My prayer, spoken many times a day is this: “Will you help me, please?” Like my granddaughter, I’m confident that God will answer.

Psalm 138:6 says, “Though the Lord is great, he cares for the humble, but he keeps his distance from the proud.” Being humble simply means that we admit our dependency upon God. We admit our inadequacies and trust Him to meet us at our points of need. We don’t have to beg or plead; we just have to state the need and expect Him to answer.

What’s your need today? Are you tired? Are you lacking wisdom for a particular situation? Are you feeling discouraged? If so, remember that the Lord cares for the humble. Admit your dependency on Him with a simple prayer: “Will You help me, please?” and trust Him to answer.

How has God answered your prayers for help in the past?

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