ON THE VANGUARD

LEGACY:
"'The LORD is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.'"
Numbers 14:18

This is not an easy devotional to write this morning. In the past I have shared with you about my overcoming the addition of porn and the lessons I learned from kidney stones, but this one is different. Today I want to share a piece of what God is stirring in me personally. While mowing the grass over the weekend and listening to my ipod, I heard a song that touched me. I had heard it before and had purposefully put it on my ipod. Maybe it was because it played in my headphones while my kids played in the yard that made all the difference. Whatever it was, it moved from just being a song to being a challenge.

I see their faces, look in their innocent eyes
They're just children from the outside
I'm working hard, I tell myself they'll be fine
They're in independent
But on the inside, I can hear them saying...

“Lead me with strong hands
Stand up when I can't
Don't leave me hungry for love
Chasing dreams, but what about us?

Show me you're willing to fight
That I'm still the love of your life
I know we call this our home
But I still feel alone”
Lead Me - Sanctus Real


I am one of the lucky people these days who's parents are still together and just celebrated their 38th anniversary last week. What a testimony of love and devotion. And although I got my share of punishment for the stupid actions I did while growing up, I never felt as though my parents did not love me. They challenged me to be the man I am working hard to be now.
But here in lies my confession; my challenge. Am I being the father God has called me to be? Am I leaving a legacy that my kids will be happy to receive? In reading Numbers 14:18, it says that God will punish the children for the sins of the father. I feel bad enough that my kids have to deal with knowing that their parents could not make marriage work. To add any additional trouble to my kids breaks my heart. I do not want to see my son have to deal with an addiction to porn, or my daughter give into temptations to be popular. It is not worth me seeing them carry on my ill-fated legacy just so that I can enjoy another moment of sin now.
I would much rather see my children receive and carry on a legacy of love. I want them to feel my devotion to them, see my fight for them, and know my love for them. Is that not the legacy God displayed for us? In devotion He sent Jesus as a sacrifice in our place. On our behalf, the devil was confronted and defeated in the fight of the ages. And in confession of our sins, we are given forgiveness because of His love for us. Then I owe it to my children to leave a legacy for them that resembles the legacy God left for me.
You may have children and feel the tug and challenge I am struggling to write out here. Or you may not have children but can still reflect on the legacy that has been passed down to you from your parents. Either way, we are only human and we want what we want when we want it. But I am learning, maybe the hard way, that what I fail to confront and deal with now will not only affect me, but those behind me. In that thought alone, I want to do better. If you also agree and want to leave a legacy of blessing instead of pain, then let us stand up together under the example given us by Christ. Make the choice to leave a blessed legacy, and join me ON THE VANGUARD!