Grateful for Ancestors IPSICC 2018
Thursday Grateful for Ancestors IPSICC 2018
There have been two types of ancestors:
- the leaders of God´s Kingdom, who lived before us and
- our physical ancestors,
The last ten years I have been looking at the Church fathers how they preached the Gospel. How they shared their faith at the cost of their lives, dying because they were believers. Praying for their torturers, blessing them, as Jesus had told them to do that.
Let us read Hebrews 11:32-12:3. New International Version (NIV)
32 And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. 35 Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. 36 Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were put to death by stoning;[a] they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground.39 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, 40 since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes onJesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross,scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
We have a great cloud of witnesses before us, they know what is happening to us, they are encouragements for us. We know they worship the Lord, they ask the Lord to give us also the courage to obey the Lord. We need to throw off anything that so easily entangles us, and we need to run with perseverance our race marked out for us. Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author, and perfector of our faith.
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How can we follow Jesus faithfully? Jesus is the author, and he writes some of Gods plans for us. He perfects our faith. It is all grace.
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Jesus had the end goal in view: the joy that we would all be there together before the Throne of God. He scorned the shame and survived the opposition from sinful man. Looking at Jesus in this way helps us not to grow tired and lose our courage.
Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.
Studying the Church Fathers inspired me immensely.
Live in such a way that you can inspire people.
I also am aware that my life needs to be of high quality. I hope to be here again next year though. I am still asking the Lord for 11 more years…
I have a great inheritance. One grandfather became 96. One uncle became 102. For all of us, though, there comes an end. That is not a tragedy for a believer! We go to that grand party in heaven!
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My grandparents from my father and mother side were believers. Focussed on the Lord, they did whatever they had to do, with persistence.
My parents found Jesus as their Savior when they were in their forties. By then my character was already more or less formed. War traumas on top of that messed me up. I am so grateful to the Lord that He gave me a second, third and even more chances yet.
You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 9 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 10 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
What we do have consequences, until the third and fourth generation. Not only the bad we did but also the good. I know that there have been throughout the generations before me, believers. We all here stand on the shoulders of those who went before us. We can thank God for that privilege. We are so grateful to the Lord and our ancestors.
One time I was teaching in Norway. A young woman asked for help.
She was heartbroken and told me how her father had called her in the attic on the third floor of their home. He said. ” you are now old enough to know some of my problems. The sex life with Mom is dead. I need you now”. She looked at him shocked. Went downstairs, packed her suitcase and went to an ant, the sister of her father. She received her, and she never asked her what had made her leave her parents. She understood without words. A few weeks later this father suddenly died.
I saw how this young woman was burning with anger towards her dad and to the Lord. I didn’t know what to say, and we sat quietly together, she was crying, and I had tears in my eyes. Then suddenly a picture came to my mind: I saw a ring once it was beautiful… but a massive stone in the ring was not there… I told her that picture. She thought a moment quietly and then she said:
“He didn´t have a good chance in life as well. He had experienced abuse as a child”,
I looked her in the eyes and quietly inside my self I blessed her.
Again she was silent, Then, with a peaceful smile she stood up and thanked me. There are times that we can only look at what is left and realize the loss.
Some situations never get cleared up. I got strength from the Lord when I remembered what Job said: “Shall I take to good from the Lord and not the bad”? I didn´t tell her that though at that time.
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Be thankful for what you had. It is O.K. to grieve about what never was there…
I too have at times moments that I still grieve… But I can choose the rejoice about what was and still is a blessing.
We all have now a wonderful Father in heaven. He is waiting for us. He fulfills our deepest needs. Thank God!
