God has been at work in your life long before you were born. God has been at work in you, a work of preparation and work leading toward redemption since before you saw your first light of day and before you took your first breath.
"Upon you I have leaned from before my birth; you are he who brought me from my mother’s womb. My praise is continually of you." -- Psalm 71:6
God's Long-Range Plan
God’s plan for your life is to set things in motion that will affect generations to come. He has plans for you. He has plans for you as an individual and he has plans for you as a parent. God’s plans for your life go beyond your time here on earth. Plans of blessing through your family tree. Blessings passed down to family members that will never know your name.
"Oh God, from my youth you have taught me, and still I proclaim your wondrous deeds. So even to old age and gray hairs, Oh God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come." --Psalm 71:17
The psalmist saw the plan. The psalmist sensed the urgency to complete the work that God had given. To complete the work of passing on the story of God’s greatness to another generation. God has plans for you. Part of the plan is for you to proclaim God’s greatness through your mouth and through your deeds to your kids. Whether you realize it or not, God has been directing your steps in your life.
Children as Legacy
Before you knew for sure if you were officially expecting, God had plans for your kids. You see, God has been at work in your children since before you officially knew they existed. Those plans began long before you and those plans will be carried on long after you are gone. Yet while we are still in the game, even into old age and gray hair, we need to look to God to allow us to proclaim his glory to another generation. Especially that generation that lives in our very own homes.
Lead Intentionally
The patterns we set in our children’s lives right now will likely be carried on with their children. Starting this legacy really just takes a degree of intentionality on our part. Keeping this goal as top of mind will allow us to be that much more intentional with the remaining balance of opportunity that today offers.
Let’s be intentional today. For the next generation.