The Legacy Of Your Faith
Genesis 22:16-18 NIV —
‘I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.’
We looked at Abraham’s incredible story of faith yesterday. In today’s scripture we see that the impact of Abrahams faith didn’t stop with him or his child, but generations to come after him.
We are beneficiaries of God’s promise to the Israelites – through Christ. In Galatians 3:29, Paul writes ‘if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.’
David is one of my favourite bible characters, he really loved God, and had a beautiful understanding of God’s love for him (Psalm 8 & 139) and the Bible says he was a man after God’s heart (I Samuel 13:14). A big part of David’s legacy are his psalms (73 of them!), his expressions of love, devotion, and faith in God. Now thousands of years after he lived, we are still being impacted by his relationship with God.
Looking at Abraham and David as examples, we see that our faith in God does not only impact our relationship with him but leaves a legacy for generations after us. Before you count yourself out, perhaps because of mistakes you’ve made, it’s worth noting that Abraham and David were imperfect men who made mistakes (see Genesis 12:10-20; 2 Samuel 11).
Paul is another example, an ordinary man who had a history of prosecuting the church prior to his conversion. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, he wrote letters to the early church with such depth, understanding, wisdom and revelation. His letters make up a considerable proportion of the New Testament and his teachings are still impacting Christians all over the world.
The good news is the Holy Spirit who empowered him lives in us, what could he do in and through us if we surrender completely to his will?
Prayer – Dear Father, I thank you for the gift of faith, would you help me begin to see that my faith in you has far-reaching implications. Please help me take a step deeper in my faith today.