Over the past few weeks I have heard and read a number of verses that promise good to future generations for those who follow Him and do His will.
Exodus 20:4-6
You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them: for I, the lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of he fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them: for I, the lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of he fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
In 1 Chronicles David is establishing the kingdom and says he wants to build a temple for the covenant of the Lord. He looked around at all of the blessings of his own cedar palace and exclaimed that the covenant of the Lord should be in a glorious temple, not in a tent (my paraphrase). God told Nathan the prophet to tell David the following:
1 Chronicles 17:11-14
When your days are over and you go to be with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will never take my love away from him, as I took it away from your predecessor. I took it away from your predecessor. I will set him over my house and my kingdom forever; his trone will be established forever.
Before I sat down today to do this bible study, I prayed that God will reveal to me His desire for my life so I can better serve Him. Maybe I'm reading more into this than I should, but when I read the verse from 1 Chronicles I heard God say that the best way for me to serve Him is to raise my child in the ways of the Lord and that it is future generations (maybe Jonah, maybe grandchildren) that will make great impacts on the world for Christ.
I was blessed by the verse in Exodus that says those who follow the Lord for generations will be loved. Another verse that I've read (can't remember where it was found) stated that God will bless the faithful from generation to generation.
When I glance at the generations of those who serve the Lord in our family, I am seeing spiritual growth and strength in each generation. I am excited to see the blessings of God fall on Jonah. It's a blessing to see His desire to do God's will in his life. My prayer is that I will continue to heed God's teaching and guidance in raising Jonah, so that his life will focus on God's will and not his own will. May God bless my child and path that lies before him.
Dear Lord,
Thank you so much for your love and the sacrifice of your Son on the cross for our sins. Thank you that through your Son died in my place, even though I am an undeserving sinner. Lord help Josh and I to always seek your guidance in raising Jonah so that we will continue to instill the Word of God in his heart and that He will want to serve the Lord over the worlds demands. You are such an awesome and wondrous God! Thank you Lord for the blessings you have bestowed upon our lives. Thank you for our church family that encourage, rebuke and walk along side of us on our journey of following Your desires for our lives.
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