Scripture:
“Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth! I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old, things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.” (Psalm 78:1-4)
Reading:
I love family history. My grandparents had a box that held bits and pieces of newspaper clippings and souvenirs; evidence of decades and centuries past. Family stories shape our identities like underground boulders poking through the surface, reminding us of the shoulders on which we stand.
Within my family history, the spiritual testimonies fascinate me. I see how these God-stories pass the gospel message from one generation to another. Today by God’s grace, you and I are creating a similar spiritual inheritance by following Christ as Lord.
From one generation to the next, God intends for faith to flow. Paul wrote to Timothy, “I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.” (2 Timothy 1:5)
It is our job to share the gospel as well as “the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders he has done” in our lives (Ps. 78:4). The next generation needs the evidence of our testimonies.
What has more eternal value than sharing the gospel and the testimony of your history with Christ as Lord? If you take a passive stance assuming someone will do this for you, likely your spiritual inheritance will not be passed onto the next generation. The riches of your story will end with you.
You may or may not have the gift of knowing your family’s spiritual stories, but if you trust Christ as your Savior, you have the “sincere faith” Paul wrote about to Timothy. The Lord has been at work in your life from the beginning as well. You are a part of God’s family, and your story is His evidence to the next generation.
Reflect:
1. What are a few ways you can pass your God-story onto the next generation?
2. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you into conversations where the gospel and the wonder of knowing Jesus Christ may be shared.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for bringing me into Your family. Thank You for the story of Your exceeding goodness in my life. Please show me how to pass the gospel and my testimony to the next generation as their spiritual inheritance. In Jesus Christ’s saving name, I pray. Amen.