Overview

God has been at work in you, since before you took your first breath. He has plans for you as a person and as a parent. These plans will set things into motion that will affect generations to come. Part of His plan for you is the passing on of the story of His greatness to another generation (your children). The work God began in your children, before they were born, will be carried out when you are gone. While we are an active part of His plan, we need to look to Him to allow us to proclaim His glory to another generation. Start a legacy; be intentional today, for the next generation.

Recall

When did God’s work begin in your life? In the lives of your children?

Reflect

Are you intentional in passing on the story of God’s greatness to your children?

Respond

What specific thing can you do this week to intentionally show your children God’s greatness?

Rethink

What are you doing right now to leave a legacy and be intentional?

Here’s to Old Age and Gray Hair

God has been at work in your life long before you were ever born. Psalm 71:6 reads, “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.”

God has been at work in you, a work of preparation and a work leading toward redemption, since before you took your first breath. He began his work in you in utero. That’s amazing.

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. God’s plan for your life will affect generations to come. Plans of blessing through your family tree. Blessings passed down to family members that will never know your name.

Whether you realize it or not, God has been directing your steps in your life. Psalm 71:17 shares, “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.”

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.

You see, God has been at work in your children since before you officially knew they existed. Before you knew you were expecting, God had plans for your kids. 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.

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.

God’s been working on me since before I was born. God will continue to be at work in me as the number of gray hairs surpasses the number of non-gray hairs. God has been at work in my children since before they were born. And I get to play a part in proclaiming the excellencies of him who called me out of darkness to walk in his marvelous light with my own children.

Let’s be intentional today. For the next generation.

  • Recall: When did God’s work begin in your lives? In the lives of your children?
  • Reflect: Are you intentional in passing on the story of God’s greatness to your children?
  • Respond: What specific thing can you do this week, to intentionally show your children God’s greatness?
  • Rethink: What are you doing right now to leave a legacy and be intentional?