Skip to main content

“We must not fail to pass the baton of faith to the next generation.”

A thought by Christine Caine from her book, Unstoppable: Running the Race You Were Born To Win (p. 111). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)

There are so many things that I appreciate about my life.  One of the greatest gifts that God gave me was a dad and mom who loved God and shared the fact that God loved me and that he had a plan for my life.  Margaret and I have done the same with our kids and our grandkids.

Christine says, “Are you a parent? Consider this: ‘These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.’ Deuteronomy 6:6 – 7

“Nick, the girls, and I take time each day to share with one another all of the great things that God is doing in our own lives and ministry. As our girls learn to see God at work, they will see God’s faithfulness in the past and will learn to trust him with their future. If something comes up at school, we talk about it from Jesus’ perspective. As they participate in loving God’s Word together, speaking to God together, personally interacting with him, praising him, and taking their needs to him, it will all become a natural part of their lives. Even as Nick and I nurture our marriage, we are handing off trust and sacrificial love to each other while modeling it for our girls. The media, educators, and politicians do not have the responsibility to carry the baton of faith to a generation — nor will they. It is our job.”

She goes on, “No matter how fast-paced your life is, you can always find a way to turn the normal, inconsequential moments into eternal moments. Traveling with a coworker on business? Use that time sitting in an airport between flights or during a car ride to share an answer to prayer you’ve experienced. What about a coffee break? Going shopping with a friend? Casually talk about a Bible verse that struck you or a life concern you’ve taken to God in prayer. Make the sharing of life a transfer of spiritual truth."

She says, “I hope you are catching a vision of how all that we do is an opportunity to either carry the baton of faith until we put it in the hands of the next generation or drop the baton so it does not get to them. It is so tempting to make short-term decisions that will result in our own immediate gratification, but in order to fulfill our purpose, we must keep an eternal perspective. Faith is always only one generation from extinction, and we are the ones entrusted with carrying the baton to our generation and handing it off to the next. Let’s determine that we won’t drop it.

Would you determine to not drop your baton?  Would you?

Yes, yes!
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

“We believe it’s important to derive value from everything in our lives.”

A thought by Jon Tyson from his book, The Burden Is Light: Liberating Your Life from the Tyranny of Performance and Success (p. 118). The Crown Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) But is that all that is important? Jon says, “We want to realize an immediate return from whatever we invest in. I am prone to this way of thinking in so many areas of my life. ‘I paid a lot for that meal, yet the portions were not that big.’ ‘I invested two hours in that movie, and it was just okay.’   ‘I went to church, but the sermon wasn’t that profound.’ We believe it’s important to derive value from everything in our lives. But beauty doesn’t fit within that framework. When Mary anointed Jesus with oil, there was an immediate outcry against her extravagant generosity. ‘It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.’ (Mark 14:5) One gospel depicts the disciples crying, ‘Why this waste?...
Post a Comment
Read more

"Lie 2: The more you worry about it, the better your odds of avoiding it."

A thought by Louie Giglio in his book,   Winning the War on Worry    (p. 5). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) Here is another lie that the Enemy uses with us. And Louie says, "This is a tricky lie. Yes, we often have cause for concern and preparation. But the Enemy wants you to believe that if you worry or fret over a certain outcome long enough, you can keep something bad from happening." But this is so important to realize. He says, "The reality is worrying has never once prevented something negative from happening. Planning might. Prayer has. But worry never will." He continues, "The Enemy tells you that by worrying about a situation (or every situation) you can make your tomorrow better. Really, worry just robs you of today. Jesus implored us: 'I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body mor...
Post a Comment
Read more

“Hurry and love are incompatible.”

A thought by John Mark Comer from his book, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry (p. 23). The Crown Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) Wow, pretty strong thought isn’t it? John says, “All my worst moments as a father, a husband, and a pastor, even as a human being, are when I’m in a hurry—late for an appointment, behind on my unrealistic to-do list, trying to cram too much into my day. I ooze anger, tension, a critical nagging—the antitheses of love. If you don’t believe me, next time you’re trying to get your type B wife and three young, easily distracted children out of the house and you’re running late (a subject on which I have a wealth of experience), just pay attention to how you relate to them. Does it look and feel like love? Or is it far more in the vein of agitation, anger, a biting comment, a rough glare? Hurry and love are oil and water: they simply do not mix.” He goes on, “Hence, in the apostle P...
Post a Comment
Read more