TAKING THE LONG VIEW
Ps. 78:3-7
“What we have heard and known, what our fathers have told us we will not hide from the children. We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done. He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our forefathers to teach their children, so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands.”
I’m sure you have all heard the contemporary wisdom that teaches the importance of living "one day at a time." It seems like a good philosophy. The problem is that when you put it to practice you find yourself bumping into things you didn't expect and didn’t prepare for. The fact is, the future is coming and you need to be prepared for it. You see, there is more to life than today, than this moment!
And as the Psalmist teaches us, we must consider not only our own future, but that of our family, our children, and even our children's children’s children. In the same way that the lives of our ancestors, grandparents, and parents affected us; the things we do -- or fail to do -- today reach into the future and impact the eternal destiny of those who are yet to come. I would simply ask you to consider two things today: your heritage and your legacy. Think about the good and godly things that have been passed on to you from those who have gone before. That is your heritage. What you do to assure that those same good and godly things find their way into the lives of your children and grandchildren and those who follow them, what you pass on from your life to theirs, is your legacy.
Your life is the point of conversion--it is through your relationships and interactions with others that your heritage becomes your legacy. This is particularly true within the family. It is the responsibility of parents to take the wisdom, the faith, and the biblical truths that have been handed down to them, and teach them to their children so they can teach them to their children.
--- Pastor Keith Andrews