Legacy of Faith

Daily Devotional: Day 61

“I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day, ⁴ greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy, ⁵ when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also” (2 Timothy 1:3-5, NKJV).

The greatest legacy you can leave, as a Christian, is a legacy of genuine faith in Christ. Yes, you can be remembered for your wealth, your education, your houses, your property, your children, etc. But nothing compares with the legacy of faith. Genuine faith, the Bible declares, is more precious than silver or gold (See 1 Peter 1:6-8). When you leave a legacy of faith, you’ve left a spiritual blessing that can lead generations of people to eternal life in Christ. Note that the existence of genuine faith implies the existence of pseudo-faith. Christianity today, unfortunately, has been adversely affected by an obsessive emphasis, in some circles, on material gain and prosperity. This has produced carnally-minded “Christians” who despise genuine biblical faith, the kind of faith which isn’t to be identified with material gain. With this in mind, let’s turn our attention to today’s Bible text for more on the legacy of faith.

 Paul writes a second letter to Timothy, one of his most trusted co-workers. Timothy’s father was a Gentile, but his mother was a Jew. After expressing his deep longing to see Timothy, he says something very significant. He says that he remembers Timothy’s genuine faith. This faith, Paul recalls, first lived in Timothy’s grandmother Lois, and then lived in Timothy’s mother, Eunice. Notice the legacy of faith:  LOIS………EUNICE……….TIMOTHY.

Note how Paul also says that their faith dwelt, i.e. lived in them. This is an important detail, because only faith that’s alive can dwell in you; and it’s this faith that you can pass on to others. Lois and Eunice left a legacy of living faith to Timothy. What will be your legacy? Aspire to bless your family and your local church with a legacy of genuine faith. Don’t just talk your faith; demonstrate it. 

Prayer:

Father in heaven, thank you for the gift of saving faith. With you all things are possible. Bless me with the passion and the confidence to leave a legacy of genuine faith for your glory.  In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

For further study: Deuteronomy 6:1-25