Now is the time..... To Check Your Legacy

….I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also. 2 Timothy 1:5

This week when we picked up our 2 youngest grandchildren, Dan and Leah from school it was a chance to get involved in their homework. Leah’s task was to join a friend or relative in a leisure activity or pastime. She helped me with a crossword puzzle and did a good job.

Dan’s homework was to think about and discuss the word legacy. His Mum had begun the task earlier and we got to continue. When Granddad asked him the meaning of the word ‘legacy’ he was unsure so was sent off to check it out on the internet! The simple answer is ‘anything handed down from the past’. There followed a discussion in which we talked about the most important legacy parents and grandparents can leave their children and grandchildren; a legacy of faith in Jesus Christ and one of righteousness. Sadly, this is missing from so many families today.

Even when our example to our children has been a good one, it does not automatically guarantee an immediate good result. If not we should not be discouraged. Today I was reading about Manasseh, the son of King Hezekiah. His father had set him a wonderful example (2 Chronicles 29 – 32). He had become king of Judah at age 25 and reigned for 29 years. During that time he destroyed the places of pagan and idol worship and redirected the people back to worship of the one true God. He stood firm in the face of attack from the Assyrian army, and God delivered the people in answer to Hezekiah’s prayer (2 Chron 32:20) and his obedience brought peace to the whole land.

When Hezekiah died, his son Manasseh became king at the age of 12. Instead of following his father’s godly example he restored the places of pagan worship, he practiced divination, consulted spiritists and mediums and even set up a carved image in the temple of God. 2 Chronicles 33:9 tells us that "Manasseh did more evil than the pagan nations before had done." Amazingly discouraging…….BUT GOD….!

If you read chapter 33 you will see that God allowed Manasseh to be captured by the Assyrians and he was led away a prisoner by a ring through his nose and bound in bronze chains. He was brought low so that he would feel enough pain to cry out to God for help, which he did. God was then able to have him released with a new understanding of the love, mercy and power of God. “Manasseh had finally realized that the Lord alone is God”. (2 Chron 33:13). Do read the story!

It is our privilege and our duty to pray for our children and grand-children that they may know the one true God and worship and serve only him so they may know God’s peace and protection always. It may not happen right away but God is faithful to answer these prayers as he did for Hezekiah.

Prayer: Merciful God, help me to set a godly example to my family and to pray for their salvation always. Have mercy on them and lead them into your kingdom of righteousness and peace. Amen

Now is the time..... To Watch Out

Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour. Take a firm stand against him, and be strong in your faith. 1 Peter 5:8

Our home is in a semi bushland setting where care has been taken to protect the environment and its natural inhabitants. We enjoy watching the birdlife, especially now it’s spring and there are families of ducks wandering around. Though of course there is always the cycle of life and there are predators roaming around.

Last week I was alerted by the screeching of a sulphur-crested cockatoo and a number of the noisy mynah birds. I knew it meant danger because I’d heard similar warnings before. The birds went crazy swooping low and squawking close to our house. I went out onto the front deck to investigate in time to seek a 2 metre long Lace Monitor Lizard cross from the empty block next door into our garden and disappear under our house. I didn’t go down for a closer look!

It didn’t particularly concern me as we have seen this happen before and they just wander through and out the other side and on their way. So why all the fuss? It’s spring and these lumbering fellows are really good at tree climbing and they rob the nests if the parent birds are not vigilant. It’s great that the neighbouring birds all cry “watch out!”

Peter warns us that our enemy the devil is roaming the earth in the same way looking for victims to devour. How does he do it? He pounces when we least expect it and it can come in many forms. Sickness, depression, discouragement, criticism, financial struggles, loss of loved ones, loss of job are just some of the ways that Satan uses to devour us. Sometimes things start small and if we don’t have Christian friends around us to encourage us and give us perspective then we are much more susceptible to ‘going under’. There have been times when I haven’t even realised that it was the devil attacking me. I thought it was ‘just me’ or ‘all in my mind’! It certainly was but it wasn’t just me, it was Satan, my enemy messing with my mind to put me in a place of vulnerability. Remember that Satan is out to rob, kill and destroy (John 10:10) but Jesus mission was to destroy the works of the enemy (1 John 3:8). With Jesus help we are to do the same.

We are surrounded by people wearing masks to cover their pain and unless we allow ourselves to get close to them we may never realise the danger they are in from the enemy of our souls. Satan is out to destroy lives and we need to be the ones to reach out, rally round, support and love people to a safe place and the Strong Place – Jesus.

Friends we have an amazing gift within us and that is the love of God that has been planted in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. Will we allow that love to flow from us today to save a friend, a neighbour, a stranger from the devourer? It will cost in some way but the rewards are eternal.

Prayer: Loving God, thank you for pouring your love into my heart. Forgive me for not allowing it to flow freely to this hurting world. Grant me the grace and strength to love freely as you love me. Amen