by Pastor Tim White

Every once in a while, you will hear professional sports stars talking about generational wealth. A typical scenario is when they are combating for a one hundred million-dollar contract over several years. They realize that this could impact not only their life but their family for generations. Well the Bible has a lot to say about generational blessings. And it is more astounding than generational wealth. It points to an individual whose faith is going to impact generations, despite conquests, their family being spread around the world or even despite some of the worst tragedies.

We have been studying the Mission Statement of Jesus Christ in Isaiah 61. Last week we looked at the ministry of Jesus to those of us who grieve. And that is something we all experience at some point. The last part of Isaiah 61 points to the resilient power of intentionally loving the surrounding generations. This includes investing our lives in an intentional manner with family, disciples from our faith community, as well as our neighbors and friends. They will prosper against all odds in their invincible faith.

For me this means so much. Last Sunday after church I had the privilege to meet with a young man who grew up in our church. He now lives in northern Idaho and wanted to introduce me to his fiancé, a very fine Veterinarian. This was a beautiful young couple, and we laughed and shared while watching the Seahawks game. I told his fiancé how much this young man and his family meant to me. He had served in Afghanistan leading a squad with Special Forces. In two years’ time, this young, handsome man used a leadership style to really love and invest in the men he was chosen to lead. In two years of combat he was promoted to an E-5. He essentially was the Squad Leader as they fought on the front lines against the terrorists in Afghanistan. In the picture of him and his squad he looked like a clean-cut high school kid leading these bearded, rough, Special Forces guys in the thick of the most dangerous fighting you can imagine. He told me that everything he learned told him to invest in knowing his troops and their families and he was inspired to promise that he was going to make it home with every one of his men alive. And they made it. A few are amputees, but he said they are still a group of incredibly close friends who still tease each other and help each other. The couple told me, “Pastor Tim we can’t imagine anyone else performing our marriage ceremony other than you.” Well, that is one of the highest encouragements in my life.

Later Jackie and I went to dinner at our good friends David and Rosanna Fox. We laughed and enjoyed a good, healthy meal together. Afterwards we got out the board games and played with these good friends and their son Fernando. (Andres is away at College.) As we played, I thought how much this family means to me. Not only to pray for them almost constantly, but Fernando is the one who comes up to me almost every week to have a long conversation and to encourage me. He is a brilliant young man and we enjoy talking about geography and many other subjects. Oh, how I pray that I will be a good pastor to Fernando and Andres, pouring my life into them that they may be all that they can be! That is what Isaiah 61 is talking about and that is what this troubled world and we all need to hear. How do we intentionally pour out our lives into those we are given to in friendship? Please join me this weekend - you will be blessed.

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White