Praise the LORD. Blessed are those who fear the LORD, who find great delight in his commands. Their children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches are in their houses; and their righteousness endures forever. (Psalm 112:1-3, NIV)
My grandmother’s piano arrived at my house last week. My aunt found the original receipt inside, purchased in 1924 for $450. I wonder how long they had to save for it.
I was the third generation to grow up playing hymns on the handsome Waltham upright. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what we pass down.
Michelle Wie West makes her return to golf this week at the Kia Classic in Carlsbad, California, her first tournament since giving birth to daughter Makenna. It was important to Wie West that Makenna see her mother strongly compete.
My dad taught me to play golf when I was in elementary school. The game not only led to my career, but also introduced me to friends and teammates who opened the door to a deeper level of faith for me and to salvation for others.
It was never just a game. It was never just a piano.
It’s never just a game for believers when relationships are involved.
May His favor be upon you
And a thousand generations
And your family and your children
And their children, and their children
May His presence go before you
And behind you, and beside you
All around you, and within you
He is with you, He is with you
Kari Jobe released these lyrics in “The Blessing” last year. It’s a song largely based on the priestly blessing found in Numbers 6, and I’ve listened to it on repeat for the better part of a year. Was there a better year than 2020 to be reminded of the promises of God? Of what he has done for the generations before us and what he will do for those who follow?
The generations, of course, aren’t bound by bloodline. I was reminded of that last Sunday during worship when the Holy Spirit whispered the name of a friend in golf who came to know Christ as an adult and is now raising three sons.
And then the face of another friend searching for answers flashed before me. What about the generations in his family? Immediate prayers followed.
“Blessed are those who fear the LORD,” we read in today’s opening verse from Psalm 112, “who find great delight in his commands.”
It was never just a game. It was never just a piano. It was always a divine appointment, intimately orchestrated and assigned to impact generations.
And it hinged on obedience.
What will you pass down?
—
Beth Ann Nichols
March 25, 2021
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The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.