Providing or preserving a heritage of holy living is often at the core of faith-filled parents striving to provide for their children.
The same goal is to be in view of those in other positions of spiritual influence such as church leaders, Christian grandparents, Christians aunts and uncles and on down the line.
I’m thankful for parents and a grandmother who were in church every Sunday and who set good examples of not living like the worldly people around them.
And I’m thankful for Sunday school teachers and preachers and other church leaders who visibly nurtured their relationships with God.
As a husband, as a father, as a pastor and as a Christian friend, I’ve tried to be the role model that God called me to be. I’m sure that I’ve stumbled along the way, but at least my nose has generally been pointed in the right direction.
This is important, not only for me but for those influenced by my life.
I pray that you’ll reflect on who has influenced your walk of faith. And I pray that you’ll reflect upon your measure of influence toward others.
This devotion was prompted by Isaiah 51:1, a passage in today’s Bible reading.
“Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness and who seek the LORD: Look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn”
God referred to Abraham and Sarah in the verse following this one, reminding the Hebrews of their spiritual connection to the first patriarch (i.e., earthly founder) of the Hebrew faith. They knew the story of the famous couple, the good times and the bad times.
They knew that through all the trials and trip-ups, Abraham and Sarah ultimately trusted God and did the right things.
They knew that God was faithful to His promises made to imperfect people who sinned, yet continued aspiring to serve God.
And they knew that Abraham was willing to sacrifice the earthly thing that he loved the most — his beloved son Isaac — in order to obey God.
That’s the quarry of faith from which they were cut.
I want to demonstrate a quarry of faith that provides a heritage of holy living, prompting rock-solid faith among those I influence.
This is what I want for my children. This is what I want for my congregation members. This is what I want for any that see and learn from my faith example.
I pray that this is your desire, too.
As always, I love you
Martin
