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"For God so loved the world that He gave His onlyh begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
(John 3:16 - NKJV)
"For God so loved the world that He gave His onlyh begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
(John 3:16 - NKJV)
SPIRIT BREAD WEEKLY
IN THE DAYS OF GRANDPA
By Jerry D. Ousley
By Jerry D. Ousley
In the Days of Grandpa
By Jerry D. Ousley
I loved my grandpa. I’m sure that he wasn’t a perfect man, but in my young eyes he could do no wrong. Over the years I’ve told many stories about him, his kindness, and his mishaps. I really don’t know much about his past life before he accepted Christ as his Savior. What I do know is that after he became a Christian, his life changed. He wasn’t perfect. But he did perfectly repent to the Lord. I learned many things from him. Oh, he did believe some things that he had been taught that were not quite according to the Bible. But then, as I have often said, we are all perpetual students of God’s word and none of us will graduate from learning the ways and truths of God until we reach our final home with our Master.
Things were so much different in grandpa’s day. My grandpa was born in the year 1900 and died in 1963. In those 63 years he saw a lot of change in the world. As a child the automobile was just beginning to take on popularity. In the American wild west, there were still wars going on between the Native American people and the U.S. Army. He witnessed WW1 and WW2, as well as the Korean War. He lived through the Great Depression - A lot of change.
King Josiah’s grandpa was a character. In fact, he had been one of the most wicked kings ever to sit on the throne of Judah. You can read the story of Manasseh, Amon, and Josiah in II Chronicles 32-33. Honestly, it’s a very interesting read.
Manasseh was the son of Hezekiah who had been a great king of Israel. Again, he wasn’t perfect but there hasn’t been a perfect man on the planet that I know of since Enoch and Elijah (both were taken up to God without tasting death). I’m not certain exactly how Hezekiah failed to teach his son about God, but after his death, when Manasseh took over as king, it was said in the scripture “So Manasseh seduced Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to do more evil than the nations whom the Lord had destroyed before the children of Israel.” (2 Chronicles 33:9). Think of it – God had brought the Israeli people from slavery in Egypt into this Land of Promise, commanding them to eradicate the inhabitants because they had become so wicked, and now, one of their very own kings is accused by God of leading His people into worse sin than those they had driven out!
But God has His ways and, long story short, put enough pressure on Manasseh until he repented and turned back to God. His son, Amon, wasn’t as repentant but Manasseh’s grandson, Josiah, turned completely to God, tearing down all the idols, removing the blasphemous items from the temple and restoring Israel to God.
I can’t help but wonder if, because of his young age, Josiah remembered only the good of his grandfather, Manasseh. Perhaps the later days of Manasseh during which he turned to God, allowed Josiah to know a good grandfather.
Here’s the thing; we may never know how much we influence our offspring and future generations. Are we showing our following descendants the way to Christ? We could preach to hundreds, thousands, perhaps even millions, but if we fail to share with our own family then we have failed.
How will our grandchildren remember the days of grandpa? I am human, and I know that my human nature fails. But I pray that I leave the witness of Christ to my family. I hope you do as well. How will our descendants remember “the days of grandpa?” Huh?
By Jerry D. Ousley
I loved my grandpa. I’m sure that he wasn’t a perfect man, but in my young eyes he could do no wrong. Over the years I’ve told many stories about him, his kindness, and his mishaps. I really don’t know much about his past life before he accepted Christ as his Savior. What I do know is that after he became a Christian, his life changed. He wasn’t perfect. But he did perfectly repent to the Lord. I learned many things from him. Oh, he did believe some things that he had been taught that were not quite according to the Bible. But then, as I have often said, we are all perpetual students of God’s word and none of us will graduate from learning the ways and truths of God until we reach our final home with our Master.
Things were so much different in grandpa’s day. My grandpa was born in the year 1900 and died in 1963. In those 63 years he saw a lot of change in the world. As a child the automobile was just beginning to take on popularity. In the American wild west, there were still wars going on between the Native American people and the U.S. Army. He witnessed WW1 and WW2, as well as the Korean War. He lived through the Great Depression - A lot of change.
King Josiah’s grandpa was a character. In fact, he had been one of the most wicked kings ever to sit on the throne of Judah. You can read the story of Manasseh, Amon, and Josiah in II Chronicles 32-33. Honestly, it’s a very interesting read.
Manasseh was the son of Hezekiah who had been a great king of Israel. Again, he wasn’t perfect but there hasn’t been a perfect man on the planet that I know of since Enoch and Elijah (both were taken up to God without tasting death). I’m not certain exactly how Hezekiah failed to teach his son about God, but after his death, when Manasseh took over as king, it was said in the scripture “So Manasseh seduced Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to do more evil than the nations whom the Lord had destroyed before the children of Israel.” (2 Chronicles 33:9). Think of it – God had brought the Israeli people from slavery in Egypt into this Land of Promise, commanding them to eradicate the inhabitants because they had become so wicked, and now, one of their very own kings is accused by God of leading His people into worse sin than those they had driven out!
But God has His ways and, long story short, put enough pressure on Manasseh until he repented and turned back to God. His son, Amon, wasn’t as repentant but Manasseh’s grandson, Josiah, turned completely to God, tearing down all the idols, removing the blasphemous items from the temple and restoring Israel to God.
I can’t help but wonder if, because of his young age, Josiah remembered only the good of his grandfather, Manasseh. Perhaps the later days of Manasseh during which he turned to God, allowed Josiah to know a good grandfather.
Here’s the thing; we may never know how much we influence our offspring and future generations. Are we showing our following descendants the way to Christ? We could preach to hundreds, thousands, perhaps even millions, but if we fail to share with our own family then we have failed.
How will our grandchildren remember the days of grandpa? I am human, and I know that my human nature fails. But I pray that I leave the witness of Christ to my family. I hope you do as well. How will our descendants remember “the days of grandpa?” Huh?