Passing on the Legacy

By Roland Ledoux

“When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men. But My mercy shall not depart from him. . . .” – 2 Samuel 7:12-15.

Almost all of us know the Scripture from Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.” It’s not just something to do for the benefit of our children but it holds a very clear promise.

Notice it doesn’t promise that your child won’t stray, won’t sow their “wild oats” as it were and won’t stumble when trying to live life with the foundation you gave them to go out and journey through this natural world. However, with the right foundation, a spiritual foundation being the “right” way, in other terms, the righteous way, we have the promise that they will come back to it! If we do our part in the beginning, we have the promise they will not forget it and eventually recognize the blessings of eventually following that training! What a great assurance to have a promise like that and especially when rearing and training children.

But you may be asking what any of that has to do with our opening Scripture. Consider the following, David was probably the greatest of all the Israelite kings and he was devoted to God from a very young age. However, for anyone who know the story of David, you also know that he was most definitely not a sinless man! Lying, murder, adultery are just a few of the things that David fell into throughout his life. So what made him the “man after God’s own heart?” (see 1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22).

For one thing, David always acknowledged his sin and he sincerely repented and was remorseful. In Acts 13:22, it is recorded that God chose David because he was a man after God’s heart but would also do His will. Again in 1 Samuel 15:22, we see the prophet Samuel chastising King Saul, David’s predecessor, “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice.” In essence, God is stating that a man of obedience is much more worthy of Him than one who gives sacrifices without obedience or the proper heart motive.

So that leads us to the Scripture we started out with. Near the end of his life, David reflected on all that he had due to the blessings of the Lord and yet the people of his kingdom still worshipped God from a tent. David more or less said, “It’s not right that I live in a fine house, and we worship in a tent. I want to build a temple for God.” You’d think God would say, “What a great idea! It’s about time you upgraded your worship space and my place of dwelling!” Instead, He said, “You are not the king I’ve chosen to build the Temple. That will be your son.”

David had this great idea and through the Prophet Nathan, the Lord dashed all of David’s hopes. You would think that he would be angry, but instead of being angry, David rejoiced in God’s plans for His people and his son. Again, despite all the years of stumbling and rising back up, David’s heart was still where God could deal with him. David was probably also looking at the subject of the prophecy over him that God would use his lineage and legacy to establish God’s Kingdom forever!

We have to consider and remember that in our lifetimes there are consequences for our actions even within this dispensation of grace in which we are living. We train our children but they also see our mistakes and shortcomings. It is how we deal with those mistakes and shortcomings in their presence that determines whether the foundation you laid in their lives will be built upon by them or not.

The Bible is very clear that the gifts AND callings of God are given and God is never sorry He gives them or takes them back! (Romans 11:29). The Bible says He never repents of giving them nor does He revoke them. God will always use someone who’s heart is ever repentant and tender towards Him.

Sometimes, God will fulfil His plans through you, but not necessarily by you, as in the case of David and his son Solomon. Because of your heart attitude the Lord may use you as the vessel or the channel through which He can accomplish the work, but the work may actually be done by someone else, such as your children or grandchildren due to the foundation of the teaching you have laid down. As long as we are obedient in what He gives us, even when we make mistakes, His promises are sure and will be accomplished and that is the great hope that we are able to pass down to our children AND grandchildren, no matter the mistakes that we may have made. God’s will is always accomplished and remember, He is never taken by surprise, so His plans are already laid out ahead of time.

I guess if there’s a moral and a lesson to be learned with assurance and confidence, it to not question God, His plans, or His methods. Let’s rejoice, as David did, that we can have a part in what He is doing on the earth even AND especially if it is through our children and grandchildren! When you consider that legacy, what a Great and Awesome God we do serve!

Roland Ledoux is Pastor of the outreach Ministry, Oasis Bible Ministry, specializing in Teaching, Encouragement and Intercession (both prayer and needs) since the early 1990s. Married for 50+ years with two adult sons, a grandson and a great grandson. Living in Delta, Colorado. Been ordained since 1986. Fundamental Full-Gospel, Non-denominational. To learn more about Roland visit his website.

CGM wish to thank  Mike Scheid for graciously allowing us to use his photo as our feature photo.