A Legacy Lost
There they were, on the precipice of beginning their lives in the promised land. The inheritance had been divided out and the people were happy. Life was good.
So when the book of Joshua closes out with Joshua’s invitation to choose whom they would serve, the Israelites shouted out unreservedly, “We will be His witnesses. We will serve the Lord!” And so they did, all the days of Joshua and the elders that survived him. They had known all the deeds of the Lord and rejoiced in what He had done for them. Life was good in the land of milk and honey.
Now turn the page and fast forward one generation in the story of the Israelites to Judges 2:7-10 and we see a legacy lost. Enter the Dark Ages in their history where they lost their sense of national unity under God. 350 years that can be summarized by disobedience, discipline, desperation, and deliverance; not once but 7 times!
How did this happen? Joshua and the elders and the generation that first entered the land knew the Lord. They knew all the amazing deeds He had performed on their behalf. But according to Judges 2:10 “there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord, nor yet the work which He had done for Israel.” How is it that the next generation didn’t get it? How was the legacy lost?
Joshua and the elders were so busy conquering the Canaanites and the people were so busy enjoying their new found freedom and possessions that they forgot one very important thing. They forgot to train up the next generation of leaders in the faith. To tell them of the works of the Lord, of their deliverance from the hands of bondage. They became more focused on themselves and protecting what they had rather than passing on their faith, therefore the next generation succumbed to apostasy, to the Canaanite’s idolatry.
As women of influence we must remember, we are only one generation away from apostasy. We must be about training up our children, our grandchildren and those we have influence with to walk in the fear of the Lord now BEFORE they become the leaders of tomorrow. Before our legacy is lost.
I love Psalm 145:4-7. May it always be true of me; of each of us.
“One generation shall praise Thy works to another, and shall declare Thy mighty acts. On the glorious splendor of Thy majesty, and on Thy wonderful works, I will meditate. And men shall speak of the power of Thine awesome acts; and I will tell of Thy greatness. They shall eagerly utter the memory of Thine abundant goodness, and shall shout joyfully of Thy righteousness.”
This week my husband and I prepare to once again say good bye to our daughter, son-in-law and 4 granddaughters. They’ve been home from Kenya for one year and head back to the mission field on March 30th. I find myself wanting to make every moment count. I want those precious grandchildren to remember me, especially the two youngest – 3 and 20 months. But more importantly, I want them to remember I’ve tried to share with them the goodness of God.
(Pictured from top to bottom: Mike, me, Logan, Sarah*, Lana, Summer*, Savannah* & Skylar*. * denotes heading back to Kenya.)
Lord, May I be faithful to pass on my faith to the next generation. They are watching, Lord. Help me to be careful in what I say and do. I don’t want to be full of religious jargon, cute cliches and a plastic smile. Make me into a woman who is real, authentic, sincere and transparent. Lord, they can not hear unless I speak. They can not learn through osmosis. Yes, they will learn from watching my life, but I must speak. Speak through me the Words that will point them to You. Help me to train them up in righteousness. Lord, may my life and all that I say, do and write be honoring to You and You alone. In this technological world of the Internet, the words I wrote have the potential to reach around the world and last indefinitely. May I choose my written and spoken words wisely.
I love You, Lord.
