Tag: grandchildren

Blessings

OLD TESTAMENT: Ezekiel 31-32

POETRY: Psalm 128

NEW TESTAMENT: John 3:22-36

Psalm 128

A song of ascents.

1 

Blessed are all who fear the Lord,
    who walk in obedience to him.

2 

You will eat the fruit of your labor;
    blessings and prosperity will be yours.

3 

Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
    within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots
    around your table.

4 

Yes, this will be the blessing
    for the man who fears the Lord.

5 

May the Lord bless you from Zion;
    may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
    all the days of your life.

6 

May you live to see your children’s children—
    peace be on Israel.

Today is a special day.  It’s the birthday of my oldest grandchild, Scarlett.  All of my grandchildren are precious and I love them all dearly.  I can’t believe how blessed I am to have so many who call me Grandpa or Poppa or Poppy.  Scarlett is the first to make me a grandparent.  Psalm 128 names being able to see your children’s children a special blessing.

Reading this Psalm again touches me deeply and reminds me not to take things for granted like enjoying the fruit of your labor.  Not everyone does enjoy the fruit of their labor due to war, disaster, or disease.  We should not take the blessings we receive in life for granted.  Life does not always go how we planned or wished.  Not every man is blessed with a fruitful vine with a table surrounded by olive shoots.  Not every parent is blessed to live long enough to enjoy their grandchildren.  I’m currently battling some pretty serious diseases.  One of my motivators to be healed is to enjoy my family… and honestly, I’d like to meet not only my grandchildren but also my great grandchildren in a few years.

I also want to see the prosperity of Jerusalem and peace in Jerusalem.  That will happen when King Jesus returns.  I’d like to be around to see that too.  But if I should close my eyes in the sleep of death, I will see Jesus, and I hope my family, my church, and my friends at the first resurrection.

The blessings that await us at the coming of Jesus will be awesome. I want to see you there too.  Don’t overlook both the promises or warnings in John 3:36 “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.” Don’t miss out on the blessings that come through Jesus. May God bless you.

Pastor Jeff Fletcher

Reflection Questions

  1. What are the blessings you have already seen? Thank God for them
  2. What are the blessings you still hope to see before Jesus returns or you sleep in death?
  3. What does Jesus’ return mean to you?
  4. What is your greatest hope for the future? What do you need to do today to increase your chances of taking part in that future?
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Follow Your Heart – or Not?

Proverbs 16-18

Proverbs 16 3 4 NIV

For those of you that don’t know, I love Disney.  Like, a lot.  But one thing that often bothers me about many of the movies is the message to follow your heart.  It sounds nice, but I know if I always followed my heart, I would not be in a good place.  The beginning of Proverbs 16 reminds me of this.

If we just follow our hearts, we are likely to go the wrong way.  We need to seek the LORD, and He will establish our steps (16:9).  When we set our hearts on the LORD, then we become the wise.  When we are the wise, then we become the discerning (16:21), the ones who say what is right (16:23).  There are examples of many kinds of people in these chapters, but one thing is clear – all of the good things come from God.

A couple other of the lines of these proverbs stood out to me:

17:6 Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children.

I have a daughter, and I know how much she is loved by her grandparents.  I may have even heard them say something like grandkids are better than kids.  What really struck me in this one is that parents are the pride of their children.  Am I living a life that my child would be proud of?  I mean, she is almost 2 right now – she loves everything I do.  But give it a few years – are my actions worthy of her pride?  Maybe some of you reading are parents and can ask yourselves this.  Maybe some of you are younger – direct yourselves to that first part – are you living a life that makes you a crown to your grandparents?

18:21 The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

When we talk, do we think about this big of an impact in what we say?  The power of life and death.  Sometimes we (or at least I) say the first thing that comes to my mind, and it is not always the best thing.  If I could remember this proverb, would it make me take the time to think about what I am going to say before I say it?  I hope so.

As you read through these chapters, spend some time focusing on the lines that stand out to you.  Take time to examine the parts of your life that might be calling out as you read these Proverbs.

 

~Stephanie Fletcher

 

Today’s Bible reading can be read or listened to at https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+16-18&version=NIV

Tomorrow’s reading will be Proverbs 19-21 as we continue the 2020 Chronological Bible Reading Plan