“The righteous lead blameless lives; blessed are their children after them” - Proverbs 20:7 (NIV).
When King David wrote, “I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread” (Psalm 37:25), he certainly must have observed something extraordinary worth pointing out. While no one can dispute that tragedies have befallen even those that walk faithfully with God, there is something of their conduct that draws blessings eternally to them. “Surely, LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield” (Psalm 5:12).
The righteous not only experience blessings in their lifetime but God has given them wisdom to plan and secure a good future for their descendants. Deuteronomy 7:9 says, “Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.” God gives the righteous wisdom to put in place those plans that will endure. He also, among others, creates those conditions where the inheritance they leave behind is not just easily squandered away.
On the contrary there are many occasions where one chances upon the wealth of the wicked that has disappeared the moment once they depart this earth, or even before. It’s saddening to see how one exerted so much energy to build up something that disappears like a house of cards the moment he is gone. Swords are drawn by almost everyone claiming and running off with a piece of his hard gotten wealth. Who has not seen those castles that used to glitter when the owner was around but now lie in ruins, just a few decades after his death! Here in Africa there is a certain President who at the peak of his power raised a city of gold, which was looted and quickly disintegrated into abject poverty the day he fell from power.
King David’s observation should inspire us to look up to the Almighty God for not just blessings in our lifetime, but also that such blessings should follow us, up to a “thousand generations!”
Prayer for today: Lord Father God of Abraham, I thank you for not just the favor of the blessings I experience in this life, but also the knowledge that it may be experienced by those that follow me long after, this I pray in Jesus’s name.
Related upcoming events
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17/05/2024 - 18/05/2024 All day“And I in righteousness I shall see your face; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with seeing your likeness” (Psalm 17:15)
One of the defining aspects we see in the life of the Lord Jesus Christ is that He began the day with prayer. “Very early in the morning while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed” (Mark 1:35). As he was always surrounded by crowds and after such a busy day before of preaching and engaging the Pharisees in debates this must have been a therapeutic moment for Christ when he would have some good time to himself.
But there was also more. For Jesus being away in a secluded place would also mean a chance to pour out His heart to God, meditate in quietness, plan for the day ahead and listen to the Father. Jesus must have looked up to this moment every day knowing its benefits. Conversations with His Father must have been real and intimate, bringing a certain soothing and uplifting of His spirit. You do not wake up and stick to something on a daily basis that is a drag – this must have been his best time of the day!
Martin Luther the leader of the protestant reformation is reputed to once have said, “I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.” Here is the point. In the olden days before the arrival of locomotive transport those who were setting out for a long journey on foot had to start early with the first cock crow before the punishing sun came out. One of the things they had to start with also was a good meal, which was fuel needed to give them energy through the long walk to their destiny.
There are no rules about waking up to pray as first thing- or even saying prayer at a defined hour of the day. God is everywhere and ever with us. He is accessible at any time of the day. But there is something special about prioritizing our lives that the first thing we do is to talk to God. Just like the early traveller we need fuel, for the long day ahead!
Prayer for today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, what a joy and privilege to make time at the start of any day, talk and hear from you, for the power I need through the day, this I pray in Jesus’ name!
