Sometimes I wonder how much of what I enjoy today is because of the faithfulness of previous generations. I know that, as far back as we have been able to trace, my family has been Christians. And not just Christians – many of them in active ministry. Many still are.

From there Isaac moved to Beersheba, where the Lord appeared to him on the night of his arrival. “I am the God of your father, Abraham,” he said. “Do not be afraid, for I am with you and will bless you. I will give you many descendants, and they will become a great nation. I will do this because of my promise to Abraham, my servant.”

Genesis 26:23-24 (NLT)

Isaac was able to begin to see the fulfilment of God’s promise, not because of who he was, but because of who his father was. His prosperity was a result of the promise God had made to Abraham, not to Isaac.

‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ So he is the God of the living, not the dead.

Matthew 22:32 (NLT)

Here, upon returning to the land his father had inhabited, Isaac is reminded of the promise that God made to Abraham. Abraham’s faithfulness and obedience allowed Isaac, as well as the generations that followed, to enjoy the fruit.

Who has been faithful in the generations that came before you? Are you enjoying the fruits of their faithfulness?

Perhaps you are the first generation of the faithful. Think about what you could be planting for the generations that come after you. Abraham never lived to see the whole promise fulfilled. Perhaps you won’t either, but your children might. Maybe your grandchildren and many generations after that.

Seeds of faithfulness and obedience never die.

Daily Bible reading: Genesis 25-26,Matthew 9:1-17