A Generational Vision Through Prayer, Food, and Fellowship

So how early can you start reading and praying with a child?  Right from the womb, Nancy said.  2 Timothy 3:15 says, ..."and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings..." The Word prepares them for salvation.

Her final word for us was about leaving a generational vision for our families.  Genesis 18 says, "For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him."  We are never parenting just for today.  We must see beyond these children that we have now.  It'll affect the decisions we make for the future.  That was one of the motivating factors a few years ago when we did our "anger experiment".  I didn't want my kids to be yelling at my grandchildren so I determined that anger needed to leave our home,  Sarcasm needed to leave our home.  If we didn't change it now, it would be carried into the next generation.  I didn't want that.

The key way to make sure there is generational vision is through prayer.  She asked us, "If you aren't praying for your kids, then who is?"  Then she took us to Exodus 28:11 where Aaron's garments were being described, "You shall take two onyx stones, and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel, six of their names on the one stone, and the names of the remaining six on the other stone, in the order of their birth."  Then later in verse 12, "And Aaron shall bear their names before the Lord on his two shoulders for remembrance."  This is what we are to do.  Just like Aaron, we are to bring the names of our children before the Lord, on our shoulders, like a burden we are to carry, for remembrance.  Later, in verse 21, a breastpiece is also described, "There shall be twelve stones with names according to the names of the sons of Israel.  They shall be like signets, each engraved with its name, for the twelve tribes."  Verse 29 says what Aaron is to do, "So Aaron shall bear the names of the sons of Israel in the breastpiece of judgment on his heart, when he goes into the Holy Place, to bring them to regular remembrance fore the Lord."

So there you have it - the challenge is to daily bring the names of our children before the Lord, on our shoulders, like a burden we bear, and also on our hearts, where we feel deep concern for the salvation of our children and any other needs they have, from the oldest to the youngest.  This will bring a generational vision.

My husband and I have always prayed together, but have we literally daily prayed from oldest to youngest, each name before the Lord?  Perhaps not exactly.  We've prayed in a general sense for their needs and specifically when a concern has come up, but daily, every name, I admit we haven't. Having shared Nancy's reminder with him, however, has changed that - we've made a more deliberate effort to say every name, specific concerns, and have brought them before the Lord for "regular remembrance."

I know this is happening in my parent's home, too and I know for sure it happened in my grandparents' homes for us and for the future generations.  I often get a quick note from my parents mentioning how they are specifically praying for us.  Sometimes they don't know exactly how to pray, but I know they are praying.  I know they are not just praying for their children, but now they bring all 18 grandchildren before the Lord, too.  That is the greatest gift they've given us and I know it is rare, to have a godly heritage.  I do not take it for granted.

The gift of prayer is something they passed on to us.  Nancy talked about how important it is to pray for immediate family, but to go beyond ourselves and pray for others, the world, our leaders, specific nations, the persecuted church.  When I grew up we had a prayer bulletin board that was literally divided up into different days of the week.  Because my parents were on staff with a Christian organization my parents had to raise their own support which was done through the generosity of a specific support team made up of families.   Each family that was supporting us was on our bulletin board.  We also had pictures of cousins and other friends or missionaries on our board.   Each night after dinner we read the Bible and then prayed for a family on the bulletin board depending on what night it was.  It was funny to reflect and remember fighting over who would get to pray for who, "I want to pray for them!"  "No, I picked them first!"  But even if we were fighting, the point was we were being taught to pray, out loud, as a family and to think beyond ourselves.  What a gift that was! Thank you, Mom and Dad!

One final thing she did say was what most women find frustrating - our most critical place to start being the best wife and mother we can be is......you got it....in the kitchen.  Oh my goodness, the feminists would be mortified to read that, but it's true.  It can be such a wonderful place if we'll let it - a place of food and fellowship.  Meals pave the way for greater things to happen.  Truths and traditions can be passed on here, if we'll let them.  And it isn't just food for the body, but for the soul. She placed much of the responsibility on the moms again as we must prepare not just the food, but what we'll talk about around the table.  So we were encouraged to come up with questions, like, "What was the most fun thing you did today?"  "What was something you learned?"  Things that can generate good conversation.  We have little cards you can pick up that have questions on them. These can also be used to have very interesting conversations.

That helps me to stop disliking grocery shopping so much as it can be a real chore.  I'm doing a much greater thing than just keeping my family alive.  I'm keeping them ALIVE, spiritually and physically! I'm creating an environment where truths are being passed on.  When they enjoy what I cook, it's even better!  I remember lively conversations around the table when I grew up .  I also remember my parents using it for a time of teaching.  We were typical children who got into little scraps all the time.  My mom or dad would use that time to bring out Scripture that spoke of using kind words or if we were grumbling and complaining about something else, they would pull out Scripture that spoke to that sin in our lives.  No need to have a family meeting to share those truths.  If everyone is around the table eating, you have a captive audience!

There were also lots of guests at our home when I was young.  My mom was very hospitable even though we were on a limited budget, I'm sure.  That never stopped her from having people over.  We all loved that as children.  Now my kids beg for friends to come over, too, and look forward to being hosts almost weekly.  Generational hospitality has been passed on!  There was little of that in my husband's house and no family worship when he grew up.  These concepts were all new to him and so he has appreciated what my parents taught me.

Well, Nancy said a whole bunch of other little tidbits here and there, but that's the official end of my notes.  It took a whole week to write out just a few sessions.  I sure don't want it to be a waste of time - getting a whole weekend away and not coming back changed would be pointless.

Nancy puts out a magazine called Above Rubies that anyone can get, for free, off her website aboverubies.org.  Each magazine is full of articles related to being a godly wife and mother written by other mothers around the world.  It is such an encouragement.  They only get sent out as the money comes in to pay for the issue, so it isn't sent out monthly, but when it comes, it always gets eaten up by all moms who receive it.  I highly encourage all moms to sign up to receive it.

I'll close with one of my favourite psalms, Psalm 78:5-8;

He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children, that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments; and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generations, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God."

You can't argue with Scripture.