One of our family traditions at Thanksgiving is to pause before we eat to hear a family member read the 100th Psalm. I remember the day my father asked me to read the passage as my grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, parents and siblings listened as I read the sacred text. Being the reader at Thanksgiving was a rite of passage in our clan, and I was honored to step into that place among my family members.
This past Thanksgiving I asked my oldest grandchild to read the psalm. She is now eight, and is growing into a sweet, creative, precious girl. (I could go on with more adjectives.) I stood proudly with four generations of my family as she flawlessly read praises to our God in the soft, clear voice of a child. The picture here is of us practicing for the big moment, and when I saw it the other day, it became a metaphor of what we all should be doing with our lives: passing on the Word of God to the next generation.
“We equip missional leaders,” is our mission, and an aspect of that mission is to “entrust” what we have heard and been taught to those whom we equip to teach others. (2 Timothy 2:2) To entrust means, “to place by the side of, or near; to entrust.” Isn’t part of equipping to place alongside for learning the word and things of God to those we seek to entrust with that Word? When our professors teach a course they are doing just that. When a parent teaches God’s word to a child are they not doing the same thing? When a grandparent invites his granddaughter to exalt the Lord through reading the Scriptures at a family gathering, isn’t that equipping a potential missional leader?
As we come to the end of another calendar year, I am thankful to God for his bountiful provisions in people and resources to do the work he has called us out to do. I do not have words or space to tell you how God has raised up the right people at the right time and provided the right amount of resources at the exact moment to do what he has called us to do.
The last verse of Psalm 100 is the reason for our praise and giving thanks, “For the Lord is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting and His faithfulness is to all generations.” Join me in singing that song of praise to our God who gave his Only Son at Christmas “not to condemn the world, but to save it.”
As you consider what God has provided for you today, please consider a Carroll Christmas Gift. You can read about it here. Your gifts will make it possible to equip church leaders to share the Good News of Jesus here and around the world.
Serving Him With You,
