2 Kings 8:19 (KJV)
Yet the LORD would not destroy Judah for David his servant’s sake, as he promised him to give him alway a light, and to his children.

David was obviously not alive to see how Jehoram turned out. But he would have been broken hearted had he been.

Jehoram would have been David’s great, great, great grandson – distant enough that he would have little personal connection to him but not so distant (especially in David’s case) to have no connection with his heritage. David was a king after God’s own heart. How could his own kin be anything else?

Perhaps it was because of his wife. Jehoram married the daughter of wicked king Ahab, a woman he undoubtedly met through his own father’s willingness to fellowship with Ahab. Jehoshaphat was a good king with this one exception, he refused to separate from those doing wrong.

What I am interested in is the influence David still carried all these generations latter. He was still a light that God honored and that generations later could be guided by. My interest has always been to be able to influence my family for God at least through the fourth generation.

• If I can help my kids to love God and
• If I can help their kids, my grandchildren to love God then perhaps
• I can be a light for my great grandkids, whom I likely will not see in my lifetime 

But what if that doesn’t work out exactly as I wish it would? As much influence as I might try to have, there are other influences at play in their lives. Even if it doesn’t work out as I wish, it’s still right for me to love God and live for him with all my heart so that I might be a light many generations down the road. There are a number of pastors who have rejoiced to discover that two hundred years ago or more there were preachers in their family. I have found a few of them myself. (None were Baptist to my knowledge.)

If I am a light in my lifetime, I have hope that I might still be a light even for my great, great, great grandchildren.

To my readers:
First of all, thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. Secondly, I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

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2 Kings 8:19 (KJV) A Light After My Lifetime

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