Thurlow Switzer: Heritage of Those That Fear the Lord

The Heritage of Those that Fear the Lord

Recently, my dear father, James Clark Switzer, revered father of seven children, and grandfather of 70 grandchildren and great-grandchildren, passed from this life to his home with God our Father (September 26, 2009), joining my mother who passed five years ago. As you might well understand, this has been a significant time of reflection as well as a great celebration of his life, a ninety-year pilgrimage lived to the glory of God. He pastored 16 churches in his lifetime, 13 of which he started from scratch as a church planter. The highlight of the memorial celebration of his life was when nearly seventy grandchildren and great-grandchildren ascended to the platform and sang, “To God Be the Glory.”

My dad’s favorite verse, often quoted, was Psalm 61:5. Since I was called upon to speak at his memorial service, I reflected upon the intent and meaning of this text.

“For You, O God, have heard my vows; You have given me the heritage of those who fear Your name” (Ps 61:5 NKJV).

Three great ideas come from this passage and they hit home with me, and continue to impact my appreciating dad’s life. I am embracing them personally with fresh intensity as guidelines for my life, and as ideals to pass on to my own children and grandchildren.

First, the Power of the Vow

My father was a man who lived with a focused life, a man faithful to his vows before God. Dad was a man of his word; he could be trusted; he followed through to what he committed himself to. Dad modeled to all of us a life lived with an intense focus, a life centered and occupied with the vow to honor and glorify God.

Eccl 5:4-5 – “When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; for He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed — better not to vow than to vow and not pay.” NKJV

Num 30:2 – “If a man makes a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by some agreement, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.” NKJV

One time my wife asked Dad if he would consider building a door for the shelf in the corner of the kitchen by the sink. Dad asked for a hammer, walked over to the sink area and punched a hole in the wall, and said, “Done!” Once he committed to something, it was as-good-as-done. He always finished his tasks.

Secondly, Leaving a Heritage

Dad left a strong, vibrant heritage to us his family. The words “you have given me a heritage of those who fear the Lord,” find their power in the word “heritage.” It is the Hebrew word, yeyuschah, which means, “to occupy, a conquest, something occupied, to drive out and possess.” Dad left us a heritage of one who overcame obstacles and possessed life in the spirit of overcoming. The power of a legacy that he passed on showed its power in three ways.

The power of this heritage was felt first in his love and commitment to his family; they were his heritage. He lived his whole life and prayed in such a way as to leave a spiritual legacy of faith and faithfulness to his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He strongly believed in a faith that would reach to the third and fourth generation.

Ps 127:3-5 – “3 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward. 4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one's youth. 5 Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; they shall not be ashamed, but shall speak with their enemies in the gate.” NKJV

Deut 4:9-10 – “Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children and your grandchildren.” NKJV

The power of this legacy was felt secondly in the fact that he and mom lived in such a way as to pass on “pleasant” and “goodly heritage” to his family.

Psalm 16:5-6 – “O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; you maintain my lot. 6 The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; yes, I have a goodly heritage.” KJV

I do not recall ever having a head-to-head battle with my dad, or he with me, yet I clearly knew when he corrected me and provided guidance for my life, not only as a child, but also as a grown man, even to recent times of conversation and heart-to-heart discussion.

In addition, I felt the power of this heritage in the fact that dad never backed away from an attack coming from other people or from circumstances that challenged him to the hilt. For instance, he knew the power spoken of by the prophet Isaiah that God would always be his defender and that he did not need to react to the voice of those who opposed him or stood against him.

Isa 54:17 – “No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from Me," says the Lord.” NKJV

Third, the Fear of the Lord

Thirdly, Psalm 61:5 emphasizes that a sound heritage is characterized and motivated by a desire to see all “fear” the name of the Lord. Dad’s prayer was that of David.

Psalm 61:5 - “For You, O God, have heard my vows; You have given me the heritage of those who fear Your name.” NKJV

To fear God is to reverence Him and His ways, to embrace an attitude of awesome respect and obedient service, and allowing this to be an impetus to pursue the will of God in all that one does. The fear of God lies at the heart of successful living in the world.

Psalm 86:11 - “Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name.” NKJV

Ps 119:111 – “Your testimonies I have taken as a heritage forever, for they are the rejoicing of my heart.” NKJV

Eccl 2:21 – “For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, knowledge, and skill; yet he must leave his heritage to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil.” NKJV

God has established His inheritance in the saints. God our heavenly Father has left us a powerful and eternal inheritance in the person of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Eph 1:15-18 – “15 Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.” NKJV

How does a man and woman, a father and mother, leave such a heritage to his family and to those who follow him? This occurs by living faithfully one’s faith and modeling by life one’s trust and commitment to God. Thanks dad `and mom, for leaving such a heritage to us your children. Thanks for living a life in the fear of the Lord, honoring His Name. We are so grateful.

Thurlow J. Switzer