The Blessing of a Single Guy
Tonight while I was jogging I replayed the song The Blessing many times. When I first heard the song, I was taken aback because there is a line that I would sing and I couldn’t relate.
May His favor be upon you
And a thousand generations
Your family and your children
And their children, and their children
I most likely will not have a thousand generations.
For some reason, God hasn’t ignited the notion in my heart to settle down and get married and have kids. I always thought I would, but it just hasn’t happened. (Who knows?)
So when I first sung this song, my heart was a little heavy with the idea of not having a next generation. Not because I want children, but the line in the song is about praying for your children and their children. And I thought, who is my next generation.
Then suddenly, it’s like God knew my heart because he brought up memories and faces of young guys that I have discipled and mentored over the last 15 years.
As I was jogging tonight I started to pray for the next generation in them.
I prayed for the guys who spent the weekend at my house and laid sporadically in my small living room as they played video games til all hours in the night. I prayed for their wives that they have now. I prayed for God to bless them abundantly, not with possessions and good incomes, but they possess a love for God and a contentment in their heart.
I prayed for the guys who I taught weekly on Sunday mornings as I would yell at them to stop running around and just listen to me as other leaders would cycle through like a revolving door annoyed at the immaturity of a group of 7th graders. A group who are now grown adults, living a full life. I see their posts of mission trips, weddings, births and its humbling to think God allowed me just a little time with them.
Just a few weeks ago another one of my guys from years ago texted me for my address…a wedding invitation is coming my way. I prayed for God’s provision and daily grace as he embarks on this new journey with someone by his side.
As I was running with my knee bandaged up, I can laugh now at the moment when my ACL tore as I was jumping around with a group of middle school guys 5 years ago. I pray often for these guys that welcomed me into their lives for 7 years. Now they are in college or joining the workforce. I pray God blesses them with wild dreams they could never dream. Many good memories of laughter and wounds, usually at my expense.
Now, I have a new group of little brothers (I always think of my guys as my little brothers and I’m just here for a brief time to encourage and lift them up). We swim, hike, text, they beat me at video pool, but I can school them at other games. I pray for God to open their hearts.
I used to think that it was my duty to help the next generation.
But really, it is a privilege.
I laugh with some of my older guys and say that if I’m not married when I get older, someone is going to have to take care of me since I won’t have any kids.
So, tonight as I sung the song, I was thinking of my guys. If you’re reading this, you know who you are.
Whether we met on Sunday mornings, or Sunday nights or Monday nights or Tuesday nights, Wednesday nights or hung out on weekends (I later found out that if they invited me, they knew I would pay for their supper…yep, I usually did) I am truly thankful for the memories. And I will always be praying for you and your children and their children.
The Lord bless you
And keep you
Make His face shine upon you
And be gracious to you
The Lord turn His
Face toward you
And give you peace
Amen, amen, amen
Amen, amen, amen
May His favor be upon you
And a thousand generations
Your family and your children
And their children, and their children
May His presence go before you
And behind you, and beside you
All around you, and within you
He is with you, He is with you
In the morning, in the evening
In your coming, and your going
In your weeping, and rejoicing
He is for you, He is for you He is for you, He is for you He is for you, He is for you
He is for you, He is for you
Amen, amen, amen
Amen, amen, amen
I have been blessed. Extremely blessed. They may never know the impact their lives have had on my life. It filled a hole I didn’t know I had. May you always remember God is for you, He is for you.
And if you need anything, I’m always here for you and I’ll always be for you too.
Peace
