"A Hundred Years from Now" Mary Beth Woolard
I just finished reading Mark Batterson’s book, Chase the Lion. It was a wonderful, thought provoking read. The last chapter was entitled, “A Hundred Years from Now.” And it made me think. It made me think a lot.
When we were kids, people would say, “Oh, it won’t matter in a hundred years.” Someone hit a ball into a window, had an injury that resulted in a scar, a fender bender…something relatively minor. It was a way to make us feel better. Those statements were meant to show that the events didn’t have any lasting effects on life. But, that isn’t the case. January 1918 marked the beginning of the Spanish Flu pandemic. It is thought that over 20 million people died in the U.S., alone. The church cemetery across the parking lot is full of people who didn’t survive that terrible time. According to church history, Trinity Church suspended services to keep more people from becoming ill, our church did not shutter its doors forever.
What will future generations say about this congregation? In his book, Batterson makes this statement, “Before you were born, God was at work in your life by working in the life of those who would influence you.” Think about it, today, we are the people God is using to bring about change in future generations. It might be by sending a card, coming to prayer group, volunteering to wash dishes or teach a children’s class. The opportunities are endless and the impact is eternal. If you feel God nudging you into ministry, then, do it. Even if all you have is an hour or two, there is plenty of work to be done. Don’t underestimate the power of a single seed. It has the power to influence generations. Be a planter, even if you don’t see the harvest!
“He commanded our ancestors to teach them to their children so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born and they in turn would tell their children.” Psalm 78:5b & 6
I just finished reading Mark Batterson’s book, Chase the Lion. It was a wonderful, thought provoking read. The last chapter was entitled, “A Hundred Years from Now.” And it made me think. It made me think a lot.
When we were kids, people would say, “Oh, it won’t matter in a hundred years.” Someone hit a ball into a window, had an injury that resulted in a scar, a fender bender…something relatively minor. It was a way to make us feel better. Those statements were meant to show that the events didn’t have any lasting effects on life. But, that isn’t the case. January 1918 marked the beginning of the Spanish Flu pandemic. It is thought that over 20 million people died in the U.S., alone. The church cemetery across the parking lot is full of people who didn’t survive that terrible time. According to church history, Trinity Church suspended services to keep more people from becoming ill, our church did not shutter its doors forever.
What will future generations say about this congregation? In his book, Batterson makes this statement, “Before you were born, God was at work in your life by working in the life of those who would influence you.” Think about it, today, we are the people God is using to bring about change in future generations. It might be by sending a card, coming to prayer group, volunteering to wash dishes or teach a children’s class. The opportunities are endless and the impact is eternal. If you feel God nudging you into ministry, then, do it. Even if all you have is an hour or two, there is plenty of work to be done. Don’t underestimate the power of a single seed. It has the power to influence generations. Be a planter, even if you don’t see the harvest!
“He commanded our ancestors to teach them to their children so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born and they in turn would tell their children.” Psalm 78:5b & 6