3 Minute Read
Prepare Your Heart
To the best of your ability, get rid of all distractions. Take a few minutes to breathe deeply and quiet yourself in the Lord’s presence. Then, ask the Lord to speak to you in this time. Let Him know that you will listen and make whatever adjustments He will reveal to you.
Read God’s Word
A Verse for Today
Slowly and reflectively read the following verse(s) and listen to what God will say to you through His written Word. Consider writing down any insights He reveals to you.
Numbers 14:18 (CSB): “The LORD is slow to anger and abounding in faithful love, forgiving iniquity and rebellion. But he will not leave the guilty unpunished, bringing the consequences of the fathers’ iniquity on the children to the third and fourth generation.”
Reflecting on God’s Word
Something I have increasingly understood as I get older, and my family grows, is that my beliefs and behaviors often have a huge impact on those closest to me.
As a single young adult, I could make decisions and behave in certain ways (positive or negative) that would not have had much impact on others. But as a husband, a father of three, a father-in-law to one (so far), and a grandfather to one (so far), I now realize that my beliefs and behaviors could greatly influence my family.
For instance, if I was an alcoholic (I’m not; never even taken a sip) but defeated the monster by God’s grace, it’s possible that my kids and grandkids could observe how a good God helped me conquer that sin in my life. They would have a very personal testimony of dad or grandpa that might give them hope if they ever stumbled into some big sin. My beliefs and behavior would give them hope and so much more.
But let’s now say that I never conquered being an alcoholic. Let’s say that as an alcoholic, I verbally and sometimes physically abused my family. I created a neurotic atmosphere in our home where my wife and children never knew what to expect when they were around me. My children also learned that life is hard, and it is dealt with by consuming a substance to numb the pain. It’s possible that they could become alcoholics and teach those lessons to their children. And it sometimes takes multiple generations to weed out the sins of one person.
That’s some of what the verse I have chosen for today says. Let’s reread it.
Numbers 14:18 (CSB): “The LORD is slow to anger and abounding in faithful love, forgiving iniquity and rebellion. But he will not leave the guilty unpunished, bringing the consequences of the fathers’ iniquity on the children to the third and fourth generation.”
So, my friend, your relationship with Jesus isn’t to be lived out in private. It cannot. It must not! You have the opportunity to experience victory over sin, which could, in turn, pass on some wonderful lessons to the generations that follow you.
The other possibility is that you could allow sin to get victory over you. In your broken, sinful condition, you could pass some really bad lessons to the generations that follow you.
It’s up to you. Do you love the Lord and your posterity enough to take your walk with Jesus seriously? I sure hope so!
Spend Time in Prayer
- Ask God to help you see that your beliefs and behavior will directly impact those you love the most.
- Ask God to expose and root out any sin in your life.
- Ask God to help you daily spend time in His Word, obey what you read, and demonstrate to those you love that following Jesus is worth it.
Going Deeper
If you want to dig a little deeper into how children feel the effects of their parents’ sins, consider reading the following GotQuestions article:
“Are children punished for the sins of their parents?”
“What does the Bible say about breaking generational curses?”
Sharing
If this post has been helpful to you or if you think it could help others, please consider tapping one of the social media buttons below to share it on your favorite platform.
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Matt Ellis is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Polk City, Florida (fbcpolkcity.com)
Matt’s Musings 