“And, But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.” – Hebrews 10:38 (NIV)
Abraham made all the preparations for the ritual sacrifice, but God spared Isaac at the last moment (Genesis 22:10-12).
In both the Old and the New Testaments, God is called the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This is a clear description of generational relationships detailed in promises and purposes for generation after generation.
God’s plan is for us to pass our relationship with Him from one generation to the next. He provided guidance for what we needed to be successful. Deuteronomy 11:18 (NIV) says, “Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.” Moreover, He not only provides guidance for our success, but He instructs us to pass on the guidance to our generations so that they, too, may enjoy good success.
In Deuteronomy 11:19-21, He instructs:
“Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth.”
God is a generational God.
We are all so familiar with generational curses and blessings but overlook the fact of generational faith. In 2 Timothy 1:5, the Apostle Paul said to Timothy, “I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.” According to Apostle Paul, the faith that Timothy had came from his mother, which was passed from her mother, Lois.
Likewise, we have the ability (and duty) to pass down our faith to our children and to their children and their children. We do this by exercising our faith in the presence of our children. We must not be afraid to let them see us struggle, but even more important is for them to see how God helps us overcome, taking us from strength to strength and from glory to glory.
The necessity to live by faith can be seen in Romans 1:17, where it is emphasised, “…The righteous will live by faith.” If we are the righteous of God, then there is only one way God instructed that we should live, and that is by faith. Faith in God and Faith in His Word/Promises.
Prayer
Dear heavenly Father, how thankful I am that Your faithfulness endures forever, that even though my faithlessness and unbelief often mark my journey with You, You remain faithful. How great is Your faithfulness! Forgive me, I pray. Strengthen me by Your Spirit so that I am able to persevere, do Your will, and receive what has been promised, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Read: Genesis 22:2; Galatians 3:11
Bible Reading Guide: Psalms 119:113-120; Titus 3; Lamentations 1; Lamentations 2:1-6
