SECTION 2: GRANDPARENTS AS MENTORS AND TEACHERS: Week 5: A Grandparent’s Spiritual Role, Lesson 1, Week 5: A Spiritual Heritage Requires a Testimony

Scripture for the Week: “He established a testimony in Jacob

and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers

that they should make them known to their children.

That the generation to come might know them. The children

Who would be born, that they may arise and declare them to

their children.” Psalm 78:5 & 6 NIV

Lesson 1, Week 5:  A Spiritual Heritage Requires

a Testimony

Today’s Scripture Focus: “He established a testimony in Jacob and

Appointed a law in Israel.” Psalm 78:5a

*Before you begin, ask the Holy Spirit to teach you as you read God’s Word and seek His meaning.

Do you remember your grandparents? I do and if you were blessed to have grandparents, I’m sure you remember them, too. One of the things I remember about my grandma was seeing her in the kitchen making bread. Now you may be saying What does that have to do with a spiritual heritage?

Maybe nothing, and maybe everything. Seeing her working to provide the bread for the day spoke of love for her family. It spoke of “stick-to-it-ness”which is so lacking in people to day. As I remember her, I am reminded of the Proverbs 31:15 (NIV) woman “She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family.” I also am reminded that it takes faith to believe that the yeast would cause the dough to rise. Every day she exercised that faith. What she did, she always did for the glory of God.

Think on These Things

Generations ago, God provided for another family.  When the Israelites left Egypt (Exodus 16) and were just a few days into the wilderness, they complained of hunger.  They’d had bountiful food in Egypt.  After traveling just a short while, they were sure they were going to starve.  They wanted bread and meat, and they wanted it immediately! 

In spite of the fact that they were complaining against the One who had just saved them from slavery, and parted the Red Sea for their escape, God showed His unconditional love by raining bread in the morning and meat in the evening.

           

After the morning dew lifted, a small round substance, as fine as frost appeared on the ground.  The Israelites named it Manna, which means What?  (Exodus 16:15)  Sweet with the taste of honey and looking like white coriander seed, this was bread rained from Heaven by a merciful God.

           

Moses had told the Israelites that their complaining was not against Aaron and himself, but against God.  Wow!  What an eye-opener.  Often times, we discover life’s most meaningful lessons when we become willing to ask ourselves, What can I learn from this difficult or uncomfortable situation? We must always consider if complaining is hampering our growth.  

The people couldn’t gather more than one day’s worth of Manna. If they did, it would decay. Yet, when it came time for the Sabbath, they could gather for two days, and it was preserved. Many tried to do things their way, but ended up losing what they fought so hard to keep. Still, others tried to work overtime on Sundays, only to find that it didn’t pay. There wasn’t any Manna except when God provided it.

           

Later, the Lord commanded Moses to have the people fill an omer with Manna.  They were to keep this evidence, and show it to future generations.  In that way, their descendants could see the bread and learn how God fed them in the wilderness.  This omer was to be a teachable tool to show that God always provides for His own.

What I Have Learned

--Our lives (our actions) are living testimonies to our grandchildren. How we act often speaks louder than our words.

--A Spiritual heritage will reveal to our children our faith—our personal walk.

--God wanted the Israelites to remember how He provided for them in the wilderness and to pass that information on to future generations.

I Will Apply What I Have Learned

Ask yourself these questions:

What kind of testimony am I living out for my grandchildren?

What are my actions teaching them?

How has God provided for me in the past?

Have I shared that information with my grandchildren?

Don’t put it off:

Travel back in time and examine each decade of your life. How

was God working in your life? Write it out in a journal, a notebook,

or on the computer. Just do it. When you are finished, you will have a

spiritual testimony for your grandchildren and for yourself. I added the

 latter,because you may have forgotten how good God has been to you each

and every day of your life. Don’t forget to add how your faith has

grown through the years. If it hasn’t, now is the time to re-examine where

you shut down. Now is the time to rededicate and ask Him to help you

trust again.You do want to leave a personal spiritual testimony.

Gracious Father,

Because of the story about the Israelites, I see it is important to pass on to the next generation how You have been working throughout my life. I understand that is what You want me to do. By sharing, I realize I will be giving them a godly heirloom. Thank You Father for pointing this out to me in Your word. I also pray Father that You would enable me to do this and provide a special time for me to share this with them. Thank You for teaching me through Your Word. Amen