Focal Passage: Deuteronomy 6:1-15a
As a child, I was fascinated by ripples. The effect of throwing a rock into a pond is harmless. Conversely, a tsunami is an enormous “ripple” which leaves loss of life and devastation in its wake. Consider the ripples of a parent’s life. These ripples permanently impact their child. As a parent teaches their child how to live, and by what standards they should live, a legacy is forming. A legacy is something transmitted by or received from an ancestor, predecessor, or from the past. It is left for those behind us when we die.
Scripture encourages the believer to build the priceless heritage of a godly life.
In Deuteronomy 6, Moses prompts the Israelites to forge a legacy of loving the Lord your God with all of one’s being and teaching one’s children to follow the Lord, His ways, and His statutes. Moses’ words are timeless and true for us today as well. We are to leave a godly legacy for the next generation, and the next, and so on.
Steve Farrar asserts, “In the Christian life, it’s not how you start that matters. It’s how you finish.”
Building a legacy that is worthy of emulation is challenging.
It requires tough choices and brokenness along the way. Farrar mentions that it is the rare, exceptional and teachable person who finishes strong. Is there anything in your life which may hinder you from finishing strong?
It is never too late to begin doing what’s right. Remember that your example casts a long shadow that will impact generations to come. We finish strong by fixing our eyes on Jesus.
Let’s build a legacy of following our Lord and replying on the Holy Spirit to survive life’s ambushes.
What is my legacy? What would my spouse and children say about my commitment to God? My friends?
My co-workers? What would God say about my commitment to Him?
Building a godly legacy for one’s children and grandchild-ren requires us to feast on God’s Word and to live it out daily.