40 Days of Faith: Day 21

Hebrews 11:21 – By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff.

Rev. Glenn Wagner recalls a fishing trip at the age of three, deep in Glacier National Park. His grandfather, LeRoy Rhodes (69 at the time), guided him in a quiet rowboat on a glassy alpine lake, teaching him how to:

• Sit still
• Bait his own hook
• Cast patiently
• Listen and watch for the bobber to dip

Wagner says, “Grandpa taught us how to climb into [the boat]… stay low and center… fishing is mostly about being patient, being quiet, being persistent. And mostly just being.”

That dawn experience—catching his very first crappie—was more than a childhood memory. It shaped how Glenn understood his later ministry. He now views “fishing for souls” as requiring the same attributes: patience, presence, and persistence.[1]

 What Glenn Wagner didn’t understand, but his grandfather most likely did, was that there was a generational impact taking place in that boat that day. The lessons imparted from grandfather to grandson provided the foundation for a lifetime of ministry. The same values—wait, observe, respond—were passed from grandfather to grandson, and then from pastor to community. It’s a living illustration of Proverbs 13:22: “A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children….”

 When Jacob was ill and nearing his death, Joseph received word and came to him with his two sons, Ephraim and Manesseh. Joseph’s sons were young, Jacob had yet to meet them. During this moment of meeting Joseph, his dying father says to him, “And now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, as Reuben and Simeon are,” (Genesis 48:5). Then, before he bestows the father’s blessing on his other sons, he blesses his two grandsons as his own.

 In this blessing, the younger, once again, will rule over the older. This seems to be a theme, as Isaac, not Ishmael received the blessing of God’s plan through Abraham. Then Jacob, not Esau, received the blessing of God’s plan through Isaac. Now, Jacob meets his grandsons and blesses the younger with the blessing of the firstborn, which is time and a half an inheritance. As Joseph requests that the blessing of the firstborn stay with the older son, the Scripture says:
 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great. Nevertheless, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his offspring shall become a multitude of nations.” 20 So he blessed them that day, saying,
 “By you Israel will pronounce blessings, saying,

‘God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh.’”

 Thus he put Ephraim before Manasseh. 21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am about to die, but God will be with you and will bring you again to the land of your fathers.[2]

 Then we see these words in Joshua 16:4 – “The people of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, received their inheritance.”

 What inheritance are you striving to leave your grandchildren? Do you see the opportunity you have to share with them, not just possessions, but also character, values, principles, and faith?

 Jacob’s final act of faith was not building an altar, winning a battle, or leading a nation. It was leaning on his staff, blessing his grandsons, and reminding them that God would be with them. What a picture of legacy! Faith doesn’t stop with us—it multiplies through us into the lives of our children and grandchildren. Just as Glenn Wagner’s grandfather quietly passed on lessons that shaped a future pastor, so too can our words, prayers, and example mark generations to come. You may never stand on a stage before thousands, but you can sit in a boat, a living room, or around a dinner table and sow seeds of faith into the hearts of those who follow you. Today, ask yourself: What blessing, prayer, or word of encouragement can I speak into the life of a child or grandchild? How can I intentionally invest in their spiritual inheritance?

 Prayer:
Father, thank You for the example of Jacob, who blessed his grandchildren by faith, trusting in Your promises to extend beyond his lifetime. Thank You for the grandparents, parents, and mentors who have spoken life and faith into me. Help me to be intentional today with the words I speak and the example I set for the next generation. May my life point them to Jesus, and may my prayers create a spiritual inheritance that outlasts me. Strengthen me to be faithful, even in small, quiet moments, knowing that You use them for eternal impact. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
 
   [1] Glenn W. Wagner, “Grandpa Taught Me How to Fish,” Michigan Conference of the United Methodist Church, May 6, 2019, https://michiganumc.org.
    [2] Genesis 48:19-21.