“I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you.” 2 Timothy 1:5
Our Christian faith has been passed along in a similar manner for thousands of years. The burning faith on one person helps to ignite or awaken the soul of another and the gift of God’s presence is known by another person. I have treasured this experience and principle for all of my Christian life. I could easily insert several names in my own “faith lineage”. How about you?
A principle of our Christian faith I have struggled with is applying this to my own children, outside of Church. Don’t get me wrong, they love Christ and are encouraged to live out their faith in their daily lives the best they know how. Yet, until recently I felt like something was missing. I feel I have not been able to convey or share with them the powerful witness I experience of God’s glory outside of the church or formal church work, at least not very often. This summer I felt like I was finally able to share some glimpses of “what I see” when I gaze in awe of God’s handiwork. Any parent, aunt, uncle, mentor who feels like they are able to share a piece of their soul to their children understand the deep joy I am about to speak about.
As we walked the rocks of a tidepool, Emma and I shared moments gazing in wonder at the crabs scurrying over rocks worn by millennia of relentless waves. Caleb enjoyed the wonder clear mountain streams and the simple joy of tossing rocks into the stream. Heidi and our friends’ daughter Ella (who traveled with us to Texas) finally stood in awe as they gazed into the canopy of the Redwoods. The cathedral formed in a valley surrounded by green carpeted mountains and the boiling mud of Yellowstone seemed to finally whisper a message to them of God’s grandeur. God is not “something” we talk about, God is someone who uses the work of God’s hands to convey the timeless message: I am here, I love you, this is here for your enjoyment and stewardship for later generations. “In the beginning God…” rang in my heart and I think they heard the same echo.
What are the joys you carry? Have you found others with whom you can share it? I can witness, in the giving I have received. In the sharing of my own wonder, I found more through their eyes than I had before. From the words of Grace which bear in the church, to the experience of God’s Grace revealed all around us, I want to share friends: until you share it, you will only know a small part of the story. Below are a few pictures worth more than a thousand words.
