Faith Across Generations
The Apostle Paul opens his second letter to his young pastor friend, Timothy, with some comments on family connections.
He speaks with heartfelt gratitude—not just for Timothy, but for the long line of faith behind them both. I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did… (v.3). He remembers the deep roots of his own faith, stretching back to Abraham.
Likewise, Timothy inherited his belief from the teaching of his grandmother Lois and mother Eunice.
Isn’t that how faith often comes to us? Through Scripture shared in regular moments of life, quiet prayers at bedtime, and the steady example of someone who trusts God. Wherever it began, your faith is now part of a living chain. Build on it. Pass it on. Start it fresh if you must.
What do you know about family members before you? Any funny stories or traditions they have passed down to your generation? How about examples of faith or great memories of being in the Word together?
In our family it can at times be easy to talk about faith, and at times very challenging. Paul encourages Timothy—and us—not to be ashamed of this faith, even when it’s hard to share. We’ve been called with a holy calling, not because of anything we’ve done, but because of Christ’s grace.
And while faith often begins at home, it grows as we long to be with our spiritual family, those united not by blood, but by hope in their Savior, Jesus Christ.
I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did (2 Timothy 1:3)