08/29/2026
Thought: Faith requires us to hang on and pass it on.
Quote: "God can use even the evil actions of these patriarchs to prepare the way to conform the descendants of Abraham into the image of Christ."
--Phillip Bethancourt
Church Family,
Do you have that distant relative whom you have to remind your immediate family to kind of stay away from during family reunions? That shady relative who may or may not be telling the truth; that relative whom you trust about as far as you could throw them. The cautionary tale might be: if you cannot think of that relative, maybe you are that relative!
As we consider our entries into the hall of faith, I propose that Isaac and Jacob fit the bill of a wacky distant relative. Both men prove an important truth regarding faith. Faith is not earned by good works; good works are a response to our faith. I do not know about you, but I am thankful to our awesome God that He uses broken vessels to carry His goodness and glory. It is a good thing He does use broken vessels, because that is all He has! Isaac and Jacob were broken vessels, but they had faith. Faith to believe in God's promises and faith to continue living as strangers in a land of promise.
Abraham left a legacy of faith. Isaac took hold of that legacy and advanced it, passing it on to Jacob. Jacob continued the legacy of faith. Both men had many faults, but they continued to walk in the faith they had learned from Abraham. Think of the some of your faith legacy heroes. Grandparents, parents, maybe an aunt or uncle—those that lived out their faith in Jesus and encouraged you to walk by faith. If some of your faith heroes are still around, thank them. If not, thank God for them. Until Sunday.
Captivated Servant,
cj