Last Words
So many good books and movies are tied to the last words of a character. Perhaps the words set the stage for the unfolding story or maybe they wrap up the entire plot and provide a moving and meaningful end. Either way, last words seem to have the ability to elevate a situation or story and deepen its impact.
In Genesis 22, God asked Abraham to offer a sacrifice to show his love and obedience to his Lord. But it wasn’t ‘just’ a sacrifice, it was the thing dearest to Abraham’s heart. The sacrifice God requested from Abraham was his son, Isaac. The son of the Promise.
Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied.
Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.” (Gen. 22:1-2)
Abraham didn’t question God, he obeyed. But I’m sure with every step toward that mountain, questions flew through his mind and his heart grew heavy in anticipation. As Abraham and Isaac, his only son, climbed Mt. Moriah, Isaac broke the silence and asked his father a question.
“Father?”
“Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.
“The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” (Gen. 22:7)
At that moment, Abraham had to be aware that the words he spoke to his son might be the last words Isaac would hear from his father. That’s a sobering moment if ever there was one, isn’t it?
What if we were in his shoes, what would we say? If we had one final opportunity to build into our sons and daughters, would we embrace the moment with the clarity of eternity? Would we take that one final moment to point them to Christ?
Abraham’s response reflected the trust of one who was a friend of God, with the faith of one who believed in the sovereign provision of God, knowing God could do the impossible and bring the dead to life.
“Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.” (Gen. 22":8)
Abraham took the opportunity to point Isaac to the Lord. Of all the things he could have said, he used that moment to speak life, hope and spiritual confidence into Isaac and to affirm the goodness, the Sovereignty and the perfect provision of God. Isaac was the child of promise, the one God would use to multiply Abraham’s descendants like the stars of the heavens and the sand of the sea. Abraham didn’t know how God would redeem this sacrifice, he just knew that He would. He knew God did not go back on His promises. Abraham spoke into Isaac with strong faith and a confidence in God, his Lord and his Friend.
When we have opportunity to speak into our sons and daughters, let’s not wait for that golden ‘last words’ moment to speak those things of eternal value. Ponder, what is it we want them to know about Jesus? What do they need to hold in their hearts and minds? What will assure them of the hope that anchors the soul and the promise of eternity with Christ? We must have the conviction to speak words into our sons and daughters that affirm the importance of:
Knowing God personally
Trusting God completely
Following God unwaveringly
Waiting on God expectantly
Serving Jesus joyfully
Submitting to the Lord obediently.
1 Peter 1 is a treasure trove of truths for the Christian life and the passage touches on each of these actions. How can we speak into our kids? We need to read it, pray through it and then pray each word over our sons and daughters. Even more effective is taking the step to commit it to memory and live by it so that our words and actions continually point our sons and daughters to Jesus and how He calls them to live.
1 Peter 1:1-25
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, 2 who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.
Father, God, I pray that (name) would be your chosen and elect, called to salvation in Jesus, set apart for His work and for the inheritance You set in place for them. I ask that in Your foreknowledge, (name) would be chosen as one of Your own, a Christ-follower, sanctified by the work of the Holy Spirit and called to be obedient to Jesus, sprinkled by His blood and blessed abundantly with Your grace and peace.
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
I pray, Lord, that (name) would know You as God and Father. I pray that they would comprehend Your great mercy and clearly see how it is always enough to cover their sin and restore them to a right relationship with You. I pray that (name) would experience a living hope in Christ. One that would grow an eager expectation for the inheritance You’ve prepared for them, the eternal home that far outshines any blessing or beauty they might experience on this earth. I pray that You would shield (name) by Your power so that they would stand before You, worthy and righteous through Jesus Christ. I pray that (name)’s faith would be authentic, resilient and would withstand anything the enemy might throw at them. May (name)’s life and faith bring glory and honor to You. Strengthen them Lord, so that although they have not seen you, they continue to believe and follow after You and know the joy that You give to those who believe.
10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, 11 trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things. 13 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. 14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
Father, I pray that (name) would set their hope on the grace that You promised to bring when Jesus is revealed. Do not let them defer to any lesser god offering false hope and counterfeit rewards. I pray that their obedience to You would be unwavering. Continue to increase their knowledge of the Word, their wisdom in spiritual things and their commitment to Jesus, no matter what.
17 Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. 18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 20 He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. 21 Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.
22 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. 23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. 24 For, “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall, 25 but the word of the Lord endures forever.” And this is the word that was preached to you.”
Lord, help them to obey You.
Soften their hearts to love others.
Strengthen their commitment to live in holiness
Sharpen their vision to see the promise of eternity
Deepen their resolve to follow Christ without compromise
In Jesus’ name, amen.
May we speak life-giving, soul-affirming words that will point our sons and daughters to the cross, to Jesus as their Lord and Savior, to the value of eternity in the Presence of Yahweh, the Great I Am. Speak words of life. Speak words that will always be remembered and valued. May the words our sons and daughters recall from us, be the words that continually point them to Jesus.
Pray without ceasing.