Jump Start # 990

Ecclesiastes 1:4 “A generation goes and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever”

I became a grandfather again this week. This is my second grandchild. My oldest son and his wife had a beautiful baby boy, named Harrison. This passage came to my mind as I held him and looked into his sweet little face. I’m the sentimental type, without any shame. Little Harrison carries on our family name. That was extremely important to the women in the Old Testament. Not having a son was a mark of failure and it also made the future difficult for the family. Sons were help in a rural setting. Sons would take care of the mother after the father departed. Even Jesus upon the cross, being the oldest son, senses that as He tells John to look after Mary as his own mother. Being without a child in the Biblical world was viewed as being cursed. Times have changed. Society has changed.

As I held little Harrison, I thought a long time ago, someone held me when I was first born. I was born in the late 1950’s—black and white TV, no internet, cell phones, disposable diapers, microwaves, dishwashers. Most kids shared bedrooms back then. Most houses had only one or at the most two bathrooms. Many families only had one car. Nostalgia makes us think how simple and nice those days were, but were they? Cancer was death back then. Few if any survived. Heart valve replacement, transplants and many of our medicines didn’t exist. We also had prejudice that was deep rooted. There were problems.

One thing that remains the same for the both of us is that our God is upon the throne. He loves us and wants us to trust Him, worship Him and follow Him. The Bible I read is the same that Harrison will read someday.

Solomon says a generation goes and a generation comes. A generation paves the way and another generation walks along that path. A generation leaves a mark and a generation is influenced by those marks.

As I held that little boy, I wondered if he would lead God’s people in singing as his daddy does so well. I wondered if he would some day preach as both of his grandfathers now do. His life is surrounded and filled with faithful and godly Christians. He will have such an advantage. He will have so many wonderful examples. He will have so many people to go to for wise counsel. For that I am thankful. He will have to make his own way and his own choices, but he will have such a great start knowing the Lord. His little sister, already knows Bible songs and what prayer means. You wish every child in the world could have such a beginning. The advantages that make a difference are not the financial ones, but the spiritual ones. Beginning life with those who love and trust the Lord settles so many questions and sets forth a way that is so clear and bright that it is easy to follow.

I’m so pleased with my son and his wife for the great example and spiritual teachings that they are doing with their young family. It’s not the church, it’s the home where these things begin, are emphasized and are taught. Choosing the right shows to watch, the best books to read, taking the time to set forth the fundamentals such as singing praises to God and praying are things that every home can do. It takes effort and time. It takes thinking and planning. The easy thing to do is plop a child in front of the TV and let the TV influence and raise the child. We see the results of that every where— superficial, shallow, selfish and godless thinking, choices and lifestyles. Why are people like this? Schools? No. Government? No. Home. What is happening at home? A little child who can just start to talk can understand prayers, sing praises and know about God. Start early. Teach every day. Pray often. Sing children’s Bible songs. Don’t complain all the time. Be bright and sunny.

Too often I hear folks saying, “The future of the church is in the young people.” I think I know what they mean, but actually, they miss it when they say that. The future of the church lies with those of us who are in the position of teaching, leading and influencing our homes. The choices we make determine the future of the church. What are we going to be handing to our children? Are we so busy that we can barely squeeze God in for a few minutes on a Sunday morning? Is that what we are handing to our children? Are we so full of our lives that we are not connected to anyone else and barely know anyone else at church? Is that what we are handing to our children? Or, are we engaged, connected, trying and putting the kingdom first, before ourselves. Our children will see that. And that is what they will be handed. Let’s not make a mess of the church and then expect the next generation to straighten it out. Let’s get things the best that we can so we can hand to our grown children a congregation that is hitting on all cylinders and making an impact for the Lord. That means us. That means now. That means getting busy, connected and active. If we fail, our children will likely do the same. You want your children to go to Heaven, get your home and your congregation going that direction. You want your children to be kind and make a difference. You show them how. You want your children to be teachers in Bible classes, you get there and show them. Let’s not sit back and do nothing and think our children will turn the boat around. That rarely happens. If anything, they’ll jump ship because of the mess we made of things.

Holding a sweet little grandbaby is good for the soul. It makes a person look backward and forward. It makes a person look deep within and it makes a person look up and be thankful.

God is good. Welcome, sweet little Harrison.

Roger