Wednesday, June 10, 2015

What Is Your Legacy?

"Therefore we do not lose heart but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.  For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things when are not seen; for the things which  are seen  are  temporal,  but  the things  which  are  not  seen  are eternal"   (2 Cor. 4:16-18).     

Hey Gang:     Several years ago God impressed on my heart a question that penetrated deep into my soul: 'You have diligently prepared to pass your earthly possessions down to the bone of your bone,  but what have you done to pass your spiritual legacy down to them?’   That day I vowed I would give a Bible to each of my children and grand's that would include all the notes I had accumulated while serving as Chaplain at the Village. A massive promise to God that has taken more than twenty years to complete.

I never really realized the impact that decision made until I received a letter written by my grandson Ryan, who lost his battle to cancer.  It is one of the true "pearls of my life".   I would like to quote the entire letter here but it is much too long, but I do want to share one sentence that is etched in my inner most being.  Summer of 2012 he and his bride, Kendra, attended a family camp at Miracle Mountain Ranch.  The speaker talked about passing legacies to our children; His legacy was to pass a Bible that he had read that year to a family member. 

Ryan wrote  these words:

"This hit home with me as I stared down at my Bible.  Back home I had left the worn-out, falling- apart, tattered, brown Bible I'd been given.  It was the same sword my grandfather wielded for many year as he labored and fought to save kids and families through the camp and treatment center he and my grandmother founded.  It has decades of notes, underlines, scribbles and prayers.  As I read my grandfather’s Bible, I encounter the same God he encountered so many years ago when he first opened this book.  More than that I get to see how it impacted my gramps

The power of this book in his life is so evident that it jumped off the pages. I can hear his voice as I read his thoughts and it's almost like sitting here studying with him!  This book is so important to me, I had copied every line, note, jot, tiddle, and scratch to "my Bible.  It too is worn and showing its mileage.  It's a blend of all my grandfather's thoughts and mine added into it as well.  It encompasses my heritage, my faith, and my personality". 

Soooo,  my friends, this is not the message I planned on sending you this morning but we recently celebrated Ryan's life as a super daddy, a great husband, but mostly a dedicated covenant-related servant of Yeshua, his Lord.  

Recently I came across a neat little story about a man who was in his final days. He called his wife of many years to his side, took her hand and said, "I will be going away for a little while to prepare a place for your coming to me again".   

There is no greater joy than to know that one day soon we will join Ryan and David, my son, and I pray all of my children and their children and their children at the Marriage Feast of the Lamb.  I also pray that each one reading this Morning Message from Gramps will be there with us to celebrate the coming together of Christ and his Bride for all eternity. 

Are you passing your spiritual legacy down?  Keep in mind we do not have a clue when God will say, time to come home!


Blessings, 

Gramps   
PS This Bible above now carrie names of three Generations:  Kermit H… Ryan P… Colton P….

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