Meditation

Read Deuteronomy 11:18-23

A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children.—Proverbs 13:22 (NIV)

It was slow and tedious searching the many secondhand shops, but at last I found what I wanted: a heavy, blue children’s Bible, long out of print. It was battered and missing its outer cover, but I recognized every picture inside. This was a copy of the Bible that my father had read to me and my siblings when we were children. I now had children of my own, and this Bible would last us many years.

My father died at the age of 71, before my sons can remember. But soon after my father died, my occasional Bible reading with my boys became a nightly routine in memory of my father’s love, devotion, and faith. I would read, question, listen, and explain. Then we would look at the pictures and share prayers.

My children, now teenagers, still gather every evening for our Bible reading and discussion. As we revisit well-known narratives, we share new levels of understanding and possible interpretations; we discuss our own desires versus God’s will for our lives; we apply biblical principles to our current challenges. It is a habit now, a time of shared contemplation, and a necessary part of our day. This is my father’s legacy.

Prayer: Dear Lord, place your truth in our hearts through the reading of your word so that we may carry your wisdom and comfort throughout life. Amen.

Thought for the day: How do I share my faith with younger generations?

—Fiona M. Jones, Scotland