Nevertheless for David's sake the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, by setting up his son after him and by establishing Jerusalem; 5 because David did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, and had not turned aside from anything that He commanded him all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.—1 Kings 15:4-5
Throughout these chapters we read that David’s descendants, despite their many sins, were blessed for David’s sake. What a joy to know that a life led for God will have a beautiful ripple effect...not only on our own lives, but on the lives of those who will come after us. As I read this short passage of Scripture my heart went to Psalm 103...
Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,—Ps 103:4
I am so grateful that my God redeemed my life from destruction and in so doing He redeemed the lives of my husband and my children as well. My decision to follow Jesus encouraged my husband to make that same decision a few months later. The children that God gave us were raised in a household that loved and honored the Lord. They in turn made the decision to accept the Lord...
Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!—Romans 11:33
I don’t know about you, but sometimes I get lost in minutia and microcosms and forget to look at the big picture. The big picture for me is this: God used that one decision I made (solely by His grace) to follow Him over 25 years ago, for His glory and my good. The ripple effect of God in my life and the lives of my children after me echoes these words in Isaiah 61.
To comfort all who mourn,
To console those who mourn in Zion,
To give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified."
It is mostly encouraging to think on all the good God has wrought in that one decision, but also a bit off-putting to know that my children, grandchildren and great grandchildren lives can be affected by the decisions I make TODAY. Even in this though, His grace abounds. I am my Beloved and my Beloved is mine. As a believer, Scripture tells me that My God works ALL things together for my good and His glory...all things...that means He can use even my wrong decisions and sin for His purposes!
On that day twenty five years ago, when I brought my despairing and hopeless heart to Him, His grace truly changed everything. The course of my life and the lives of those close to me were altered at that very moment both temporally and eternally forever! I cannot imagine...I shudder to think....of what my life would be like if I had not surrendered my heart that day into His care and keeping.. Spurgeon says that the mercy seat is the life of hope and the death of despair.
Sing praise to the LORD, you saints of His,
And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.—Ps 30:4
Come, Thou Fount of every blessing
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace
Streams of mercy, never ceasing
Call for songs of loudest praise
Teach me some melodious sonnet
Sung by flaming tongues above
Praise the mount, I'm fixed upon it
Mount of Thy redeeming love
Here I raise my Ebenezer
Here there by Thy great help I've come
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure
Safely to arrive at home
Jesus sought me when a stranger
Wandering from the fold of God
He, to rescue me from danger
Interposed His precious blood
Oh, that day when freed from sinning
I shall see Thy lovely face
Clothed then in the blood washed linen
How I'll sing Thy wondrous grace
Come, my Lord, no longer tarry
Take my ransomed soul away
Send Thine angels now to carry
Me to realms of endless day
Oh, to grace how great a debtor
Daily I'm constrained to be
Let that goodness like a fetter
Bind my wandering heart to Thee
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it
Prone to leave the God I love
Here's my heart, oh, take and seal it
Seal it for Thy courts above
Here's my heart, oh, take and seal it
Seal it for Thy courts above—Robert Robinson
