A new baby means a new generation: and an opportunity to intentionally pass along those things that are important. Some of those things you may have had in your family of origin. But parenting a new generation also means you have a chance to try parenting the way you wish you were parented. It isn’t always easy being parents and deciding what is important to pass along to the next generation. It is worthy of thought and conversation. When two people come together to have a child, they each come with a set of experiences that they would love to share as well as others they do not want repeated, ever.
God works with the long term in mind. “His faithfulness continues through all generations,” Psalm 100:5. I am so thankful for that truth. He always sees the bigger picture. He hears the prayers of His people.
Since the beginning of time parents, grandparents, and even great-grandparents have prayed over future generations. I don’t know the prayer life of my grandparents of great-grandparents but I know they were people of faith. They knew God. And here I am. My life has had interesting paths and it feels like I have always known of and been confident in God’s love for me. And that love reached through to me in even my most unlovable moments.
I love praying for others. I have always prayed for my siblings, friends, children and their friends. But I don’t think I have thought too much about praying for the generations beyond them. I think I was too distracted by the immediate to think that far forward. But, here I am, awaiting a couple of precious grand babies to be born and my husband and I have been praying for them and their parents. The next generation is in the works. We are counting on God’s faithfulness!
1 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
2 Worship the Lord with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the Lord is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his[a];
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations. [Psalm 100:1-5, NIV]
May God give you His insight into generations!
Liz
PrayerPrompt: SHELTER
Hello! Hello! and Welcome!
God is always working in my life but sometimes I just have to slow down and pay attention. That is a part of why I like cycling, especially on a path. The freedom to ponder situations is so important for me. But it is also important to view things in light of Scripture and that means I have to be in God’s Word to get His perspective. I know that if I am unchecked by Scripture, I can muddle all sorts of things rather quickly.
Sometimes our waiting is a looming dread and sometimes it is a joyful anticipation of what lies ahead. But God is always working, sometimes behind the scenes where we don’t see the entire layout of the plan. We might just see little bits and pieces of His work poke through like flowers peek through winter debris in early spring.
The other day I made a very public mistake. You may not have noticed it. I certainly didn’t notice it because if I had, I would not have done it. I am not a perfectionist by any means but when I share information I want it to be accurate, properly spelled, and all that.
Have you ever read a book with minimal margins? I haven’t seen one and I don’t know for sure that one exists but just imagine one with me.
But that isn’t exactly how our world tends to think. It is easy to get caught up in the gain, the advance, the conquer….and sometimes we lose ourselves in the process. Respite from the world’s demands and times to ponder and pray can make our days, our nights, and our responses more informed, more measured, and more calm.
prayerpointsbyliz 