“Reaching Upcoming Generations”

Fresh Manna 2009© by Pastor Tim Burt

Today as was meditating on the word, I was reminded of verses that literally shaped the direction of my life. They had to do with Abraham. Abraham, or Abram as his name was called when God first began to speak to him, reminds me of us all. He was a man who had just been about doing his business and living out his life when God had first spoken to His heart. God is always trying to speak into each and every person’s heart. They just have to get to the place where they are paying attention and can hear Him. For me, that was at the age of 24 and at a time when a series of circumstances led me to search for more meaning to life. God reaches us all in a variety of ways when we finally pay attention.

For Abram, he was seventy years old. I guess that proves it’s never to late to begin a new journey. Hebrews 11:8 reveals, “By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.” Already we see great things about Abraham. God called him to begin to trust him and follow his direction and Abraham did it. He left his relatives and moved to a place where God could have his focus and teach him about Himself. God does that with each of us in degrees. He wants us to leave the safety and comfort of what we were taught and knew growing up so that He can teach us of Himself through His Word.

God established a covenant with Abram and changed his name to Abraham — the Father of a multitude, the father of a great nation. Abraham became a great man of unwavering faith in God, fully convinced that what God promised him he would perform. Abraham was human and struggled with his own self-generated fears but his faith in God’s promises always prevailed and directed his life.

Then we read something very revealing from God’s word relating to the very reason God chose Abraham: because He knew Abraham would teach God’s ways and covenant to the generations to come. Genesis 18:17-19 Then the Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.”

This character quality in Abraham that created the very reason why God picked him became foundational to me and the course for my life. I wanted to learn of the Lord, follow, and teach my children and their children of the love of Jesus Christ and God’s precious word. But not just to them. It’s why I have been writing devotions for nine years; so that you can learn of and pass on the knowledge of God’s goodness to the next generations. I pray you will!

Psalm 145:1-7 I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name forever and ever. Every day I will praise you and extol your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; His greatness no one can fathom. One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts. They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works. They will tell of the power of your awesome works, and I will proclaim your great deeds. They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness.”

In His love,
Pastor Tim