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Leaving a Legacy

Then Jeremiah said to the family of the Rekabites, “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘You have obeyed the command of your forefather Jehonadab and have followed all his instructions and have done everything he ordered.’ Therefore, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘Jehonadab son of Rekab will never fail to have a descendant to serve me.’”¹

 

Imagine being part of a family in which every generation has served the Lord going back thousands of years! Such is the case of Jehonadab’s family. He is first mentioned in 2 Kings 10 and a second time in the book of Jeremiah chapter 35. We know little to nothing of his ancestry and even less about his descendants — except for one very important detail: …. ‘Jehonadab son of Rekab will never fail to have a descendant to serve me.’! Every generation from that day forward would serve the Lord. This is the desire of every godly family ever! Because his sons obeyed their fathers’ instructions faithfully, God blessed them with this enormous detail.

  

Today, it is very common to hear young people speak of their ancestral customs as old-fashioned; how they lived has no place in today’s world. Today’s young men and women have strayed from churches, and God, altogether because that was their parents' religion and, therefore, not for them. It is disheartening to see churches emptied of youth because serving the Lord is outdated. I would love to meet a descendant of Jehonadab today and ask them how they are doing it!

  

In my family, serving the Lord began with my parents. My siblings and I have carried the torch for a second generation. Our greatest desire is that our children, too, will serve the Lord; not because we did it, but because we instilled in them a love for their Lord and Savior. I don’t think that Jehonadab was looking to leave a legacy for his children, rather he wanted his children to obey the Lord’s commandments. I am positive that he led by example and that is why his children had no problem doing the same. He left a legacy of obedience and love for the Lord—that is the very best thing we could for our children, and their children….

 

All the kingdoms built, all the trophies won, will crumble into dust when it's said and done

'Cause all that really mattered, Did I live the truth to the ones I love?

Was my life the proof that there is only One Whose name will last forever?

And I, I don't want to leave a legacy, I don't care if they remember me, Only Jesus

And I, I've only got one life to live I'll let every second point to Him, Only Jesus²

 

Suggested Prayer: Dear Father God, may my children love you better than I do, and may their love for you carry on for generations to come! Let your name be proclaimed in my family forever. In Jesus’ name, Amen

1.    Jeremiah 35:18-19 (NIV).

2.    “Only Jesus”, song by Casting Crowns.

 

Today’s Encounter was written by: Veronica B.