Leaving a Godly Legacy for Our Descendants

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!”

My heart’s desire for a godly legacy

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 and encourages me to know that it’s possible to leave a godly legacy that impacts generations. 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.

Scripture says that Noah, 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.

As you and I walk faithfully with God day by day, we will leave a legacy not just for one generation but hopefully for several.