Someone was talking to me about one of my blogs I wrote after our churches revival. They were saying how neat it is that God gives our pastor a message to send out. When our hearts and minds are open God lets us hear what we need to hear. God loves us so much! I had no idea that Sunday what this sermon would later mean to me. I had two “Godcidences” that came to mind the other week when my daughter was in the hospital.
The first time was when Sarah was in recovery and her blood pressure fell and both lungs collapsed. She said that a resident, who was not supposed to be in there, heard the commotion and knew they needed help and went in. This is who Sarah said God used to save her life. Sarah had asked if she was dying and they said they were doing all they could. She was scared. She took her mask off long enough to ask this resident if she prayed. She told Sarah she did and prayed with her. Sarah knew, immediately, she needed God and His comfort. She never left Sarah’s side and held her hand. Meanwhile I was in a room praying that my child would know God was with her and she would feel His peace and presence. Two days later, Sarah said she did not feel right and began having trouble breathing. We could hear bubbling. The nurse yelled for an emergency in our room and checked the chest tube. It had come out. Just as they called for the Rapid Response team a doctor walked through the door. Sarah calmly asked me to come pray and she held my hand as they worked. Over and over she said, with confidence, “I trust You. I trust You.” Again, Sarah knew immediately that she needed God and His comfort. I watched as her faith in her words calmed her down! Thank You, Jesus, that my children know Who is in control! Faith has been passed down!
We are all going to have tough times in our lives. John 16: 33, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” So we are going to have tough times and so will our children and our children’s children and so on. The best thing we can do is give them the foundation they need to have joy in all circumstances. Not happiness, but joy. Joy in the all-knowing that God is in control! No matter how bad things are, God will take care of us! We cannot make a difference to our family, neighborhood or city until we are transformed.
The added benefits of our children having faith passed down is that they can reach the next generation. My pastor recently shared the four generation fade with us. 1. Parents don’t make church a priority for their kids. 2. Kids grow up and make it less of a priority for their kids. 3. Those kids grow up and make it no priority for their kids. 4. Those kids grow up with no concept of God. Priorities today, impact generations! Judges 2: 10-11, “After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel. Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord and served the Baals.” We don’t want this to happen. Our kids are not going to get what they need, spiritually, from school or television. We must give it to them from home and from church. If we do not have it we can not pass it down! “We cannot pass down what we do not possess.” What we pass down can give our children spiritual endurance when discouragement comes. And who knows who all are watching and being witnessed to?! I am sure there are many ripple effects!
When a rapid response is needed, do you know Who to call? Do your children know Who to call? It is never too late to tell them about Jesus!