Passing on our faith
I hope this doesn’t step on anybody’s’ toes (or maybe I do), but I always liked it when people told me their faith was a personal matter.
You know, they didn’t openly talk about it so as not to make anybody, including themselves, feel anxious. I guess it was always from that unwritten rule that you don’t talk about money, politics or religion. Well, to be perfectly honest with you, I don’t necessarily like talking about religion either. But, I love talking about my Jesus and what He’s done for me and what He’ll do for anyone else.
I thought of that today as I was reading Exodus 13. It’s here that Moses told the people about telling the generations to come what God did for them. Essential to passing on the faith, in the community of faith, was the personal testimony of rescue. A father was to pass on the faith to his son by telling him – not just what the LORD did for Israel, but what the LORD did for him personally. (Exodus 13:8-9, 14 CEV)
If you were to read Exodus 13, you might notice some of the elements of that personal testimony:
- The LORD did for me what I couldn’t do for myself. I was in bondage, and I couldn’t work or buy my way out. The LORD redeemed me.
- The LORD set me free. I had been a slave, but by the strength of His hand He cut me loose.
- The LORD consecrated me to Himself. I celebrate each year by eating this bread without yeast. It reminds me that I am different because the LORD chose to rescue me – to take me out of Egypt.
- The LORD taught me how to share my faith with you. He instructed me to pass on my faith in Him because He wants to rescue you too.
Not much has changed over the millennia, has it? God is still counting on us telling the next generations His saving grace through His Son, Jesus.
He was us to tell them how we were in bondage to sin and couldn’t pay our own debt.
He wants us to tell them how we were slaves to sin and couldn’t free ourselves.
He wants us to tell them why we celebrate at His table and how each time we eat the bread and drink the cup we tell about His death until He returns.
He want us to tell them to pass the same story on to the next generation.
Here’s my word of encouragement for you today
Don’t let His Story end with you! Tell someone, everyone, what He has done for you! Be a friend. Make a friend. Bring a friend to Christ!
Father,
Thank you for the testimony of faith that we have because of You rescued us, You saved us, You set us free. Remind us when we have opportunities to share this faith with others. For Jesus’ glory and name, Amen.
Rev. Dr. MM Marxhausen
Mark was Spiritual Director for VdC from 2016 to 2019. He's written many of the devotions, especially the Devote and Affirm series, found on this website.
