As I said in last week`s newsletter my parents encouraged me to have complete trust in, reverence for, the One and only God. I wasn’t the perfect child living in a perfect family! When I did wrong (often!) I was expected to take responsibility, ask for forgiveness and change my ways! My parents always forgave me. Never in doubt they loved me!
On a Saturday night in October 1952 I went to Glasgow, with my parents, to hear a male voice choir. I believe my Grandpa MacVicar sang in the choir directed by his brother Tom (40+ years later I conducted my Grandpa’s funeral service at Ayr cemetry). That Saturday evening some of the men spoke of their faith in Jesus Christ. One talked about Jesus coming again, leading me to ask the question: ‘If Jesus returned tonight was I ready to go to Heaven?’ That night I asked Jesus into my life to be my Lord and Savior. My brothers and sister also came to Christ at an early age. My mother was a soul winner and she started with her family! Both parents exercised a prayer life demonstrating the depth of their relationship with God. This spoke to me at an early age. Another memorable experience was when my Grandma McKnight died of cancer @ 60 +. At age 18 I watched her give instructions to her husband and family and then told us she saw the angels coming to take her home to Heaven, saying it was beautiful! My parents’ priorities were centred in God! They not only blessed their children but honoured their parents. My parents and grandparents are now enjoying God in Heaven having left a good legacy on earth and I believe they will, or have received the Lord’s ‘well done’ in Heaven.
God honored my parents as we, their children (3 boys, one girl) saw evidence in them that brought us to make Christ Lord of our lives. Apostle Paul encouraged Timothy, whom he brought to the Lord Jesus, to please God and not people, to seek Spiritual qualities and invest his life in those who would impact generations to come. How do we invest our life? There’s a need for parents, grandparents and others to demonstrate a holy reverence for God, to trust, love and obey Him whatever the cost!
- 2 Timothy 1:5-7, ‘I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also…God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and self-discipline.’
- W. Tozer: ‘Where faith is defective the result will be inward insensibility and numbness towards spiritual things…A spiritual kingdom lies all about us, enclosing us, altogether within reach of our inner selves, waiting for us to recognize it. God Himself is here waiting our response to His Presence. This eternal world will come alive to us the moment we begin to reckon upon its reality.’
How we live speaks volumes!
- Psalm 101:2b, ‘I will walk with integrity of heart within my house.’
As I continue these articles/Blogs on Leaving a Spiritual Legacy, I challenge you and I that our example, not so much what we do but who we are is the best teacher! (to be continued…)
Your friend and Pastor
Jim