The Greatest Gift For Our Children

We all want good things for our children, right?

We want them 

to have everything they need,

to be safe,

to be happy,

to enjoy life,

to be successful,

etc.

Most parents do. We want our kids to have it better than we did- whatever that was. This is a wonderful concept. This concept is why we can look back on our country's history and be thankful to all the veterans who have sacrificed so much for our country. They've done it for the future of their own children as well as for ours. What an incredible gift!

So you may be thinking, "I haven't sacrificed that much for my children. My gifts pale in comparison." But did you know that there is something that we can do for our children and all of our descendants that is just as great or even greater?

The Most Powerful Gift

We all know the 10 Commandments. You've probably seen the movie. (I love me some Charlton Heston.) These commandments may be hanging on our wall at home or in our church building. Hopefully we have them hidden in our hearts. Nonetheless, let's look at just a few verses in Exodus which contain these commandments.

4 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 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 the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments." Exodus 20:4-6

Wow!

That is pretty powerful stuff!

I have the power to bless a thousand generations of my descendants with God's love! 

What do I have to do to make this happen again? Let's look at the preceding verses.

1. I must not make for myself an image or an idol. Check. 
2. I shall not bow down to the image or worship it. Check. 
3. Love God. Check. 

Great. Got it. No problem. I don't know about you but I can't remember the last time I bowed down for ANY reason much less to an image.

So I. AM. GOOD. I just hit pay dirt!

Hold on!

Let's see if we can refine this idea somewhat. What might bowing down to an image in 2017 look like? Well, Jesus told his disciples a parable of a shrewd manager in Luke chapter 16. Afterwards he said to his disciples,

13"'No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.' 14 The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. 15 He said to them, 'You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight. 16 The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing their way into it. 17 It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law.'" Luke 16:13-17

Jesus said that we cannot serve two masters. He uses the example of God and money (some versions say wealth.) He probably used money because the Pharisees were listening, and they LOVED money. But logically he could have used anything here: success, work, power, accomplishments, family, heritage, drugs, sex, self, etc. (Insert any noun.) And lest we behave like the Pharisees in verse 14, Jesus says that God knows our hearts. We can deny to that we have idols, and we can attempt to justify ourselves in the eyes of others, but that doesn't mean that we don't truly have them. We must take a long, hard, introspective look at ourselves to see if there is something, ANYTHING, we hold more dear than God. Are there things that we would choose or DO choose over God? We are the only ones who can answer that. God knows our hearts.

So this thousand-generation-lasting love that we seek, demands that we put nothing above God and also that we love him and keep his commandments (Ex. 20:6.) But those commandments were abolished when Jesus came, right? Nope. Look at Jesus' words in Luke 16:17 again. He says that it's easier for heaven and earth to disappear before the least stroke of a pen will drop out of the Law! That's pretty clear.

And now we're thinking, "Nobody can do this!" But we are wrong. How do I know? There are examples of humans in the Bible who put God first, and because of them their children were blessed.

Who Can Accomplish This?

Abraham

Because of his father Abraham, Isaac was blessed.


The LORD appeared to him the same night and said, "I am the God of your father Abraham; Do not fear, for I am with you I will bless you, and multiply your descendants, For the sake of My servant Abraham." Gen. 26:24

The same Abraham that lied, not once but twice, about his wife being his sister? Yep. He's the one.

This Abraham packed up all that he had to follow God- NOT the god of his fathers- to a place he knew nothing about.

David

Because of his father David, King Solomon did not have the entire kingdom torn from him even though the Lord was angry with him for disobeying his commands.

11 "So the Lord said to Solomon, “Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees, which I commanded you, I will most certainly tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your subordinates. 12 Nevertheless, for the sake of David your father, I will not do it during your lifetime. I will tear it out of the hand of your son. 13 Yet I will not tear the whole kingdom from him, but will give him one tribe for the sake of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen.” I Kings 11:11-13

Is that the same David who slept with another man's wife and had him killed as a cover up? Yep. That's him.

For David had done what was right in the eyes of the LORD and had not failed to keep any of the LORD's commands all the days of his life--except in the case of Uriah the Hittite. I Kings 15:5

The Patriarchs

Because of the patriarchs, all of Israel is loved.

25 "I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, 26 and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written: “The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. 27 And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” 28 As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies for your sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, 29 for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable." Rom. 11:25-29

Because of the patriarchs, Israel who currently rejects the message of the gospel will be saved! God keeps his promises. Praise his name!

I think we have certainly undervalued our spiritual influence on our descendants. Yes, we are sinners who have made mistakes and have repented just like Abraham, David, and the patriarchs.  Just as they did, we have the power to bestow God's love on our children by loving God, keeping His commands, and refusing to serve another master. I would be incredibly blessed and thankful to stand before the throne of God to hear him say, "Well done good and faithful servant. Because of you, Ann Love Judd, all of your descendants have been shown my love." Now THAT would be the most powerful gift I could ever give!

Let's ask God to lead us in His ways, keep us from idols, and show love to our children for a thousand generations!