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Living An Intentional Legacy

Written by Lillian Penner

Grandparents are a critical link to a child’s future. Whether it is intentional or not we are leaving a legacy behind. We as grandparents have a responsibility to play a significant role model in the lives of our grandchildren, just as Lois was a spiritual role model for her grandson, Timothy.

Spiritual role model

We can leave an important legacy by modeling the reality of a daily walk with God. We demonstrate our dependency on God when we walk with Him in the hard times as well as the good times

The Son of God must be shining in our lives to reflect His love, joy, and peace to our grandchildren just as the sun must shine on a lake in order to have a reflection. We might ask ourselves, “Am I passing on a spiritual role model to my grandchildren and future generations?” As we invest in our walk with the Lord, we provide a spiritual foundation for future generations. God tells the Israelites in Deuteronomy to be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. “Teach them to your children and to their children after them” (Deuteronomy 4:9).

I had many opportunities to visit my own grandmother while attending college in her hometown. Recently widowed, she shared how God was comforting her during her times of loneliness with the promise Jesus gave His disciples after His resurrection. “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world” (Matthew 28:20 KJV).

Her faith that God would always be there for her made a great impact on my life. Her testimony influenced me to incorporate that verse into my daily experiences. Since those early adult years, whenever life has been difficult, disappointing, or downright discouraging, I have claimed that same scripture verse.

Prayers

Our prayers will not guarantee our grandchildren’s salvation, but we can pray our descendants will live in a constant awareness of God’s presence and be firmly established in His Word, preparing their hearts for when presented with an opportunity to step into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

We must be diligent in demonstrating a life of prayer to teach our grandchildren to see prayer as a privilege as well as a responsibility. It is not about praying to see what we can get; it is praying to see how God changes our hearts and those around us.

My granddaughter confirms that praying for these precious loved-ones is never a wasted effort. She wrote, “Especially while living away from home during college and after starting married life I sensed your prayers. They were rock solid reminders of God’s truth amid my crazy and incredibly life-shaping years. They helped me to surrender the craziness of life to God, slowly but surely,”

Spiritual trust fund

We can lay up a storehouse of imperishable wealth by praying for our grandchildren and future generations. Author Jennifer Kennedy Dean shares in her book, The Legacy of Prayer, “It may be wonderful to leave behind wealth for the generations to follow. However, at best, money and possessions are fragile and unstable. However, we can leave behind for our descendants a spiritual trust that can never be stolen, squandered, or lost. We can leave riches that will only increase in value. We can lay up a storehouse of imperishable wealth.” Our prayers are deposits in their spiritual trust fund and will be there when needed. Now isn’t that a return on an investment all of us would enjoy seeing.

God still promises to pour out His Spirit and blessings to our descendents. Just as God told Israel in Isaiah 44:3 He would pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; He would pour out His Spirit on their offspring, and His blessing on their descendants.

Recently, I found a letter in my family archives written by my great-grandfather in Poland to my grandfather in America. My great-grandfather never had the privilege of seeing my grandfather’s family. However, in the letter, he wrote that he was praying for my grandfather and his children, and grandchildren and great-grandchildren. It was a blessing to see in writing that my great-grandfather had prayed for me before I was born.

My husband and I have experienced blessings because we have seen God answer many prayers in the lives of our children and grandchildren. There are still needs, but we know we have a great God on whom we can call because the Lord tells us in Jeremiah 33:3 if we call on Him He will answer us.

God does not always answer our prayers immediately. Often we have to wait for God’s perfect timing. We may not even see the answers to our prayers in our lifetime but our prayers are an investment in our grandchildren’s lives.

My dream or desire is that my grandchildren and future generations will develop an intimate relationship with God and serve Him fervently. God has promised in Exodus 20:6 if we love Him and keep His commandments He will show His love to a thousand generations. In order to be intentional about building a legacy of faith into our grandchildren, we may ask ourselves the following question, “Do my grandchildren see Jesus in me?

My grandmother’s faith, prayers, and dependence on her heavenly Father left a lasting legacy that has helped sustain me for more than fifty years. I hope to do the same for my grandchildren.

Tags: grandparent, Legacy, Lillian Penner, prayer