A Father's Greatest Legacy

I spent many years trying to figure out how I can make an impact on this world. From high school until about 3 years ago I spun my wheels serving at various churches some in the capacity as worship leader and others as just a member, I spent time in various mens groups, trying to get ahead at work, looked for ways to possibly sing for a living, and went down a lot of wrong roads. All the while feeling like I had to do something that would make a difference. Then it happened, wham! The Lord got my attention, I was thrown off the road I was on. Throughout 2006 and 2007 the Holy Spirit showed me my sin, convicted me to get into the Word of God and was turning my world upside down. All I had thought, all I had sought after suddenly faded away. After all toiling was meaningless, only the Creator and Lover of my soul brought meaning. I had read through most of the Old Testament and what struck me was how messed up Israel had gotten. I read Lamentations and my heart ached, I saw a lot of our own country in how Israel had hardened their hearts and turned away from the Lord. Weren't the warnings given in Deuteronomy 9 and 10 enough? Apparently not. With each generation Israel grew further and further from the Lord. Their hearts were hardened. Why did that happen? What jumped out at me was reading 1 and 2 Kings. As it went through each king it always started off with the king's name, age, how long he ruled and then most would say "He committed all the sins his father had done before him". Typically it would refer to what that king's father had done. Oh every so often it would say "and so and so did what was right in the eyes of the Lord" but that was the exception. However the father lived is typically how the son lived. It all started with David. David was a man after God's own heart; however he did evil in the eyes of the Lord. His sons (remember most of David's sons were from many wives, Solomon was from Bathsheba) took notice and most often repeated what David did, but more often worse than what David did. The trend continued with Solomon and so-on. Now please understand this has nothing to do with generational curse baloney (that's a whole other topic); however, Dad's, our sons learn from how we live. What the Lord had revealed to me was this: The greatest legacy and impact I will have on this earth is how I raise my sons. I have 3 sons, each one will probably have their own children, and each of them their own children. Folks if we want to turn this country around focus on your children, teach them how to live. As Deuteronomy 11:18-24 states (please read that whole chapter in context):

"Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes 0f your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the Lord swore to give your forefathers, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth. If you carefully observe all these commands I am giving you to follow - to love the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways and to hold fast to him - then the Lord will drive out all these nations before you, and you will dispossess nations larger and stronger than you."

It took many generations to get where we are at today and it will take many generations to change it... starting, Fathers, with our own children. If you haven't yet, listen to the song "Slow Fade" by Casting Crowns... wow! Nothing happens overnight. I urge all Fathers, to surrender to the Lord, turn away from your sins, be broken and humble before the Lord, if you do that then we will start to see change, raise your children in a manner that will honor and worship the Lord Jesus Christ. That will be your greatest legacy!