Pass it on

What do you feel will be your greatest contribution of your life?
That's something to think about, isn't it?
Many people devote their lives to building an empire, to amassing wealth, to be able to pass "things" on to their children, grandchildren, and descendants. Cars and boats and multiple homes, huge bank accounts, and more.
It was no different in ancient times. It was just flocks and herds of cattle, sheep, camels, and other animals, and tangible wealth like precious metals fashioned into jewelry.

Here's an idea, though: the greatest thing we can do is pass our faith along to our children and grandchildren, or if we are not married, to those whom we care for.
No kidding.
It's more important than all the usual things that people want to pass along. Aunt Marie's diamond solitaire? Not important in the long run. Great-granddad's millions? Not that, either.
You see, the goal of our race is to become more like Christ!

One generation commends your works to another;    they tell of your mighty acts. (Psalm 145:4)

Abraham made sure that he passed on his faith to Isaac. Isaac made certain that he gave it to Jacob. Jacob passed it along to Joseph, and then Joseph gave his faith to the entire nation of Israel.

Let's apply this to our own lives..... this won't happen by osmosis. It's true that we MUST be good examples, but we must also teach the "why" of our faith in order for it to "stick." It also is not the business of professionals only -- family members and loved ones are the best teachers day by day, good times and bad. And it also is worth our time and effort.... but yes, it's hard sometimes! We need to remember the possible consequences of allowing a spiritual vacuum to exist in our families - what in the world will young people use as their compass when it comes time to make important decisions on their own?

Let's keep going......

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, (Hebrews 12:1)

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13-14)

You see, even though Paul frequently used the illustration of the Christian life being like a footrace, we should remember that it's not a sprint. (Grin) Although, if we think about it, it's not exactly a marathon, either.
Perhaps what it is really similar to is a relay race. Each of us is but one member of a team that stretches across many generations. I have faith because someone gave it to me. You have faith because someone passed it along to you. And years ago, someone gave it to the people who passed it to us. The line goes on and one, and stretches back some two thousand years!
It's of vital importance that I pass my faith along to my own family.  I've got to make that extremely high in priority, and do all that I can to make it happen.  Oh, it doesn't happen quickly -- it's the work of a lifetime. In fact, it's never quite finished, no matter how old you and I get. That's why we must be certain that we finish "well."
Are our kids grown? Are the grandkids almost grown, or are they adults? We owe it to them to leave them an example of what it means to finish well. We don't want to run the "race" as Paul said, and then stumble as we are about to cross the finish line.
Joseph finished well.
I pray that I will do the same....

Part of finishing well is to avoid becoming bitter in our elderly years. I'm sure that we've all seen it happen. Maybe to people we know. Maybe to people we're related to. Sometimes as people grow old, they become bitter, angry, and resentful. Why? Often it's because they feel life didn't turn out the way that they thought it would.  Abraham was promised much by God, but he never saw it completely fulfilled. Isaac had the same promise, and Abraham passed along his faith in the promise. But still Isaac died without seeing it fulfilled. Jacob and Joseph both died in Egypt before the promise was fulfilled.
I suppose if anyone had the right to be a bit resentful, and to wonder why the promise had not yet been fulfilled, it was the three of them: Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph.
But here's the thing -- they never gave up hope. They never became bitter or angry. They held on to their faith and also made certain that their kids, grandkids, and more were members of the team, too. Then, at the close their lives, they made certain that they finished well.

We'll talk about this again tomorrow. Hope you will join me!