Throughout All Generations

 By: Joanne Viola

 

We have a granddaughter who did not want to stay at the table when we said grace. She would excuse herself and return after we prayed. Her parents would often joke about “the little heathen”, but hearing the word ‘heathen’ only made me pray for her all the more.

Recently when we all came to the table, this same one asked if she could pray for dinner. Her prayer was the most moving and sincere prayer. It was uniquely hers and precious. It was also an answer to prayer.

“All the persons belonging to Jacob, who came to Egypt, 
his direct descendants, not including the wives of Jacob’s sons, were sixty-six persons in all, 
and the sons of Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt were two; 
all the persons of the house of Jacob, who came to Egypt, were seventy.” 
(Genesis 46:26-27, NASB)

All of Jacob’s people, his family, traveled with him to Egypt. Much like Jacob, I am traveling through my life. In actuality, I am more than half-way there. My children are now raised, and there are grandchildren.

There have been many a time, my own two children have heard me say, “If one day I stand before the Lord and they are also not present before His throne, nothing else done in this life will have mattered.”

“I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.” 
(3 John 4, NASB)

My desire for my children, and now my grandchildren, is for each of them to know and pursue God. I think Jacob knew the feeling as well.

When God calls him to go to Egypt, every family member is in tow. All sixty-six descendants, not counting the women, went with him to Egypt. He left no one behind.

It is nothing short of a miracle to raise children who know and love the Lord with all their heart, soul and mind. May we, as parents, believe, and ask in prayer, for this miracle in our families.

When I stand before Him, I want to be next to all of my family. I want to rejoice that we all made it, and are present before His throne, because of His great power at work in our lives.

And all because each generation believed.

“Your name, O Lord, is everlasting,
Your remembrance,
O Lord, throughout all generations.”
(Psalm 135:13, NASB)

 

Reflection: 
Whether you come from a long line of believers, or you are the first one in a line of believers, may you be encouraged today to keep on praying and believing for every generation. Are there Scriptures you use to pray for your family? If you are looking for an encouraging prayer, you may want to check out Prodigal Prayers: 52 Weeks of Praying Over the Prodigal by Patsy Burnette.

 

**Image was a free download from Pixabay