“Nevertheless, for David’s sake the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem by raising up a son to succeed him and by making Jerusalem strong.”
We spend a fair amount of time worrying about the future. We work hard to pay off the mortgage. We try to put a bit of money aside for our children. We want to make sure that when we are gone, we leave something behind that helps our family. That is a good instinct. But I want to suggest that the most valuable inheritance you can leave isn't financial. It is spiritual.
In his book Soulprint, Mark Batterson points us to a fascinating moment in the history of Israel. It involves a king named Asa. Now, Asa’s father was a man named Abijah, and the Bible tells us that Abijah was not a good king. He made plenty of mistakes. Yet, when Asa took the throne, God blessed him. God established him. God gave him a "lamp in Jerusalem."
Why would God do that?
The text tells us clearly. It wasn't for Asa’s sake. And it certainly wasn't for his father Abijah’s sake. It was "for David’s sake."
David had been dead for decades. He was a distant memory to the people living in Jerusalem at that time. But David had lived a life of such passion and integrity that he left behind a spiritual bank account. He had stored up so much blessing through his obedience that God was still paying out the interest to his great-grandchildren long after David was gone.
This challenges me deeply. It makes me ask a hard question: What kind of legacy am I leaving?
Batterson shares a beautiful story about his own grandfather. His grandfather was hard of hearing. At night, the old man would take out his hearing aid and kneel beside his bed to pray. He would pray for his children and his grandchildren. Because he couldn't hear himself, he prayed loudly. Everyone in the house could hear him calling out their names to God. Batterson says that today, years later, he is reaping the harvest of those prayers. He is living on the spiritual interest of his grandfather’s faithfulness.
Your prayers are not just for today. They are seeds. You are planting something that will produce a harvest for people you might never even meet.
I know some of you might be thinking that your family history is messy. You might not have a "David" or a praying grandfather in your family tree. That is okay. If you are in Christ, the chain is broken. Batterson reminds us that all curses, generational and spiritual, are broken at the Cross.
You can be the first link in a new chain. You can be the David of your family line.
Every time you choose integrity when no one is looking, you are making a deposit. Every time you pray for your children, you are making a deposit. Every time you serve the church or give generously, you are adding to a spiritual account that will bless your family long after you are gone.
We need to live with a long view. We need to stop thinking just about next week and start thinking about the next generation. Let’s live in such a way that fifty years from now, God will look at our grandchildren and bless them "for your sake."
Prayer of the Day:
Lord God, thank You for the godly men and women who went before me and prayed for me. I want to leave that same kind of legacy. Help me to look beyond my own life. Help me to build a "spiritual bank account" of prayer, integrity, and faithfulness. I pray that my obedience today would become a blessing for my children and grandchildren tomorrow. Let my life be a lamp that keeps burning for generations to come. In Jesus’ name, Amen.