Whose Purposes?
Whose Purposes?
David, after serving his own generation in God’s plan, fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and decayed. (Acts 13:36)
Your Times
It’s morbid but true. Every one of us has an appointment with the worm, a time when our earthly body will decay in the grave. And no amount of Botox, liposuction, or medicinal herbs will delay that appointment.
The apostle Paul, in this sermon preached in Acts, says that before David died, he served God’s purposes in his own generation. The Greek word behind the phrase “in his own” is idios, which is where we get our word idiosyncrasies. In other words, David served the purposes of God according to the uniquenesses of his own generation.
Their Times
Your generation is different from the generations that have come after you. Chances are, the way you would do things doesn’t always square with the methods and opinions of those who are younger. But their differences aren’t always wrong. Must your children have the same camp experiences, sing the same songs, and express themselves in worship the same way you did for their faith to be valid? Or is serving the purposes of God according to their own generation enough?
It’s the arrogance of every generation to believe theirs is the best ever. The “how” of kingdom building is never as important as the “Who.” Make sure you are serving God’s purposes in your life, not your own.
Bottom Line
Learn the uniquenesses of your kids, and ask God to fulfill His purposes in their lives, not your purposes for them.