God's Favor

 

God’s Favor

Jeremiah 35

Jeremiah 35:19 “Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before me forever.”

Deuteronomy 7:9 “Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;”

     Some thoughts just blow your mind.  Is my obedience to God rippling to the next generations in God’s mercy as He remembers my walking with Him?  Is it more than blessings of me being a good boy and leading a right life that affect the ones who come after?  Oh sure, I can quit alcoholism and drug addiction.  We see what benefits weigh out in that.  Stability and emotional control as the next generation finds security in its own homes.  But God’s favor?

     Can I trace it back?  Back through my people. Grandpa’s and Grandma’s up through the tree to the east coast where we jumped off the boat?  People of substance, given to hard work and wherewith.  Nose to the grindstone, busting up sod in a new land?  Possibly.

     But more than that.  Something had to keep the family ship straight.  Hard work was great, but everyone had to eat.  So a milk farm wasn’t more Godly than a simple hardware store. What did keep this arrow on course?

     My wife has given birth to seven believers.  She herself was one before our first.  I was one before her.  God came to us.  He visited us and gave us a choice.  Through being churched at a young age?  By having a cross on the living room wall?  Any trinkets in the house to magically remind us of a savior?  Don’t think so.

     God sends His Spirit down the generations on a hunt.  Not on works.  He is seeing where He can keep His promises to His good pleasure.  He delights to get involved with us.  I think the prayers of our ancestors may have had something to do with it.

     God’s covenant in Jeremiah meant He had permission to enter into their lives.  Abraham opened a wide gate of blessing and Moses clarified it.  All who were willing to identify with God, got His presence.  So, has God covenanted with me, a lowly Gentile?

     Some things are too difficult to grasp.  I don’t know the future.  But He knows me. 

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