Family/Parenting/Piety/Theology

Rejoicing in the Birth of a Grandchild: A Modest Start on a Thousand Generations                                                  

Posted on by Carl Robbins

thumb_emmie ruth_1024The Living God has richly blessed Sandy and I with a 3rd grand-child (following Bray and Jack)…the much anticipated “Emmanuel (Emmie)  Ruth Robbins”, born on July 27 to our oldest son John and his wife DeAnna in Tupelo, Mississippi.

Of course she is easily the most beautiful child born in this hemisphere in the last decade, and should just be given the crown of “Miss Mississippi” for 2033.

But her incredible cuteness is NOT the primary reason why we are rejoicing. We are overjoyed because:

  • It is always a great mercy when God opens the womb: “Children are a heritage from the Lord. The fruit of the womb is a reward” – Psalm 127:3.
  • It is God who has knit this child together in the womb (Psalm 139:13-16) and we are commanded to rejoice and praise Him for ALL His works.
  • Seeing one’s children, then grandchildren (Psalm 128:6) is to be understood as an unparalleled honor.

We are not overjoyed because we NOW have a (growing)  bunch of grandchildren. What we want is a bunch of gospel–believing, Christ-loving, church-centered, Holy Spirit- sanctified grand-children.

We have known far too many evangelicals who have lots of children, but are horrible at covenant nurture.

So, we clearly recognize it is incumbent upon Sandy and I to pray for our grandchildren – for their conversion and growth in grace. It is also vital for us to use all the means that God has appointed (the Lord’s Day, teaching, the Word, prayer, fellowship, consistent Christian nurture and discipline), and to assist and cheer our children on as THEY raise the next generation for Christ.

We do not see this as a fool’s errand, since God has promised (Deut. 7:9) that “He is the faithful God who keeps covenant & mercy for a  thousand generations with those who love Him & keep His commandments.”

Generation One – In the 1920’s The Lord sovereignly plucked my grandfather Roy Haskell Moore, out of a family deeply enmeshed in sin and degradation and saved him.

Generation Two – God had mercy upon my parents (Gordon & Janice Moore Robbins), causing them to love His Word, filling them with His Spirit , giving them holy affections , shaping them into highly principled people.

Generation Three – Once again, God was faithful, in saving Sandy and I as newlyweds, unveiling Christ as our only hope, giving us the gifts of faith and repentance.

Generation Four – The Lord showed His covenant mercies to our children, removing their heart of stone and giving them a heart of flesh.

Generation Five – Now, all of our grandchildren are growing up in homes where Christ is reverenced and loved. Our regular prayer for them is that they would embrace Christ as Savior at a very early age and then far surpass all their parents and grandparents in wisdom, zeal, holiness and Kingdom usefulness.

Only 995 generations to go!

Carl Robbins
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Carl Robbins
Carl is a native of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, a graduate of Crichton College and Covenant Theological Seminary. Pastor Robbins has served churches in South Carolina, Oklahoma and Nevada. In addition Carl has served on the board of crisis pregnancy centers, Christian schools and seminaries. He has spoken to college groups, medical school forums, state legislative groups, seminary chapels and church conferences. His special passion is training pastors in developing countries. Carl and wife Sandy have been married for 37 years(!) and are the parents of three believing, adult children: John and his wife DeAnna and their children (Bray, Emmie Ruth, and Maggie Grace), James and his wife Megen and their children (Jack and Lainey Janice), and Sarah and her husband Andrew Holmes. Carl and Sandy love OU football, big dogs, good Mexican food, and the beach—any beach, any time.