The Heritage of Our Words

Death is not always something that comes hard, nor does it land softly. The Bible tells me it’s “appointed” unto man once to die, and then the judgment. (Hebrews 9:37) Then, Paul shares this thought that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God and asks, “Death, where is thy sting? Grave, where is thy victory?” (1 Corinthians 15:5-58)

Often, death happens, and those left behind struggle with making sense of the moment. Senseless. Tragic. Words left unsaid—burned bridges left in destruction.

Regardless, our time will come. For the reader, today, memories will flit through the years of moments we wished we could make better or thoroughly enjoy again.

Have you ever considered the Heritage of your life? Many led the way to your life today, gone through the centuries, and you are left to pick up their reins and keep heading forward. Think about it.

Who follows you after you’re gone?

Only One Life, ‘Twill Soon Be Past

C.T. Studd was a missionary in a prior century. His father was drawn to Christ through the ministry of D.L. Moody. He poured his hope into his children, and all three boys took on the cause for Christ. Charles Thomas (C.T.) had a desire for missions. There came the point in his life that he dedicated his inherited life to the cause of Christ, and that on the mission fields. China. India. Africa. He died on the mission field of Africa in 1931.

C.T. was also an author and poet and penned the words to a poem that became well known and the inspiration for a songwriter. It begins with these two stanzas.

“Two little lines I heard one day,
Traveling along life’s busy way;
Bringing conviction to my heart,
And from my mind would not depart;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one,
Soon will its fleeting hours be done;
Then, in ‘that day’ my Lord to meet,
And stand before His Judgement seat;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Lives Lived, Gone Too Soon

This morning, I’m thinking about all those who are gone before me. I wonder what life would have been like if I had taken the time to nudge an opening into a conversation that would be with me today.

For example, my granddad from my mom’s side. Her dad. Grady Sumpter Simmons. He was a unique personality. Some of the challenges of his life rubbed off on me with habits I recognize today, and he’s been gone a few decades. Somewhere in my responses and choices, I follow in his footsteps.

My granddad was born in 1900…and he passed in 1987. 87 years old. His life began near the middle of C.T. Studd’s life span and ended some 50+ years later. Since I cannot compare their two lives, I can only say that the words of one impact me one way, and the life of the other impacts me differently.

Granddad’s Farm and Barn

My granddad often showed me how to make do with things that you have on hand and not go running to the store to buy the gadget I think I need. His barn was jammed packed with treasures that some may call trash!

Maybe that’s why I hang on to everything! His barns were bursting with treasures (rusted junk!), shelves full of artifacts (more rusted junk!). I still have some of his treasures in my garage today. (Priceless relics!)

This picture shows his barn in East Texas, close to Lake Murvaul. My brother, Vaughn, found it after it had been abandoned, grown-up, and the timber stripped from the property. (April 5, 2018)

I remember him talking a little about those growing-up years in a vague way. My life was different than his. His mom died when he was young, and he hit the road too soon for most of us! World Wars. Great Depression. Death of a child.

When we had frozen pipes one winter (Seabrook, Texas), I remember him and dad building a small fire around those outside galvanized pipes to unfreeze them. I was perhaps 7 years old, and I watched in amazement as he reached into the fire and turned a glowing log over. With his bare hands!

Those work-scarred hands were a testimony of his life.

Reminiscing

For many reasons, I spend time reminiscing about those that are gone. Recent departees, and those from my youngest part of life’s memories. Gone. Some I never knew well enough, except to call them by their position. Granddad. Aunt. Uncle. Cousin. Mom is working hard to update Ancestry with all the pieces of the pie, so future generations will know our connections.

What’s missing?

Words. Their stories. Experiences. Lessons learned.
Loves lost. Hardships. Victories. Choices. Roots. Foundations.

The words are endless, the sentiment is not. I worry when the next generations care so little about who they are based on who and where they come from. But then, I know that’s simply life. There’s no family bible with the connections documented. There’s only the previous generation reciting the lineage, much as they must have done in the days of old.

Numbers and Heritage

Let me give you an ancient example. It’s from the Old Testament. The book of Numbers. After Israel has left Egypt and heads into the wilderness, getting ready for the Promised Land.

Now the LORD spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of meeting,
on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying:
“Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Israel, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, every male individually, from twenty years old and above—all who are able to go to war in Israel. You and Aaron shall number them by their armies. And with you there shall be a man from every tribe, each one the head of his father’s house.
(Numbers 1:1-4 NKJV)

On One Hand

Think about it like this: on the one hand, I imagine Moses wanting to make sure that everyone successfully made it out of Egypt. And on the other hand, the future is before them. Who can we depend on?

Now we know the heads of the households are essentially the tribal leaders and their immediate offspring. We know who our army is, and we have a sense of the numbers we can bring to the battlefield.

These were chosen from the congregation, leaders of their fathers’ tribes, heads of the divisions in Israel. Then Moses and Aaron took these men who had been mentioned by name, and they assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second month; and they recited their ancestry by families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and above, each one individually. As the LORD commanded Moses, so he numbered them in the Wilderness of Sinai.
(Numbers 1:16-19 NKJV)

Read between the lines. Each one had to identify their ancestry and recite them.

Get it right! Identify Your Heritage. Speak it right!

You must know who you are and where you come from! This is your heritage!

Why Is This Important?

Every tribe, every family within the tribe, had a position and role in fulfilling the national identity. No one was exempt from carrying their national image into the future.

We could spend time with this book and identify all the positions and responsibilities. The book of Numbers contains many details on life, living, worship, and security.

I want to narrow my focus and not discount all the important things.

We should understand that a blessing is a part of who we are, and where we are in the pecking order, and it’s essential to give all the blessing.

And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying:
“Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them: “The LORD bless you and keep you; The LORD make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” ‘
“So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them.“
(Numbers 6:22-27 NKJV)

Notice something? Their heritage came from Words directly from God. Through Moses, then Aaron (priest), and to the people. Speak the Words and Bless the People!

If you want to read a deeper insight into this thought, pick up an older book by Gary Smalley and John Trent, “The Blessing.” By understanding the power of our words and actions, we can extend our heritage through the words we use.

Many are the first generation on this walk with Christ. I’m not. Yet, equally, we can extend the heritage we’ve been blessed with through generations to come.

The Name of The Lord

Here’s the key for all of us. It matters little where we come from on this great big blue ball we call Earth. What matters is whose banner you have rippling in the breeze covering your life.

After Cain slew Abel and was banished, Seth was born to Adam and Eve. There’s something special about this time after the First Family’s expulsion from The Garden of Eden.

And Adam knew his wife again,
and she bore a son and named him Seth,
“For God has appointed another seed for me instead of Abel, whom Cain killed.” And as for Seth, to him also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on the name of the LORD.
(Genesis 4:25-26 NKJV)

What a great starting place for Humanity! It’s carried forward through the generations of time. Patriarchs. Judges. Kings. Prophets. Mothers. Dads. Children.

David wrote:

Some trust in chariots, and some in horses;
But we will remember the name of the LORD our God.
(Psalms 20:7 NKJV)

Call on the Lord. Remember his name! Come and Go in the Name of the Lord. Let the banner that flies over you be his banner of Love.

The Heritage of Our Words extends through the generations of our lives. God has promised covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations! (Deuteronomy 7:6-9)