The teacher asked her class to say why they believed in God. There were a variety of answers from “I don’t know” to “I just believe it”. When it came time for Jimmy to give an answer, he didn’t hesitate. He shrugged his shoulder and said, “It runs in the family.”

I was blessed to be part of that kind of family. I have vivid memories of my parents and grandparents kneeling in their living room with other believers praying for the lost and that their children and grandchildren would walk in the truth. I am now able to rejoice that our daughters know the Lord and are teaching the truth to their children—all who have made professions of faith. The apostle John is right—there is no greater joy than to see it run in the family.

I realize many have come to Christ without that kind of family legacy. Please don’t be discouraged if you are one of those people. You have an incredible opportunity to establish a new legacy of faith for your family and the future generations that will follow should the Lord tarry.  As grandparents you are in a unique and influential position to represent Christ as conduits of God’s grace to the next generations. To do so will require intentionality, perseverance, prayer and patience expressed through a life that is lived with authenticity, compassion and grace. God has positioned in this time where you are to set an example of godliness and tell the next generations the Good News of God’s grace. You are now a conduit of that grace.

May God strengthen and embolden you for the task. May you one day hear your grandchildren also say “it runs in the family”!

GRANDPAUSE: “Nothing motivates me more to do all I can to bring my grandchildren to Christ than my desire for our family circle to be unbroken when we get to Heaven.” –Ila McIlvain