Heritage of Faith

...you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.

Psalm 61:5

If you were to look at my Bible, you would notice that I write in it. Underlined passages, side notes, highlights throughout the pages.

A few years ago, I was going through some books in my parents house and came across several bibles. Every one of them was so worn that the edges had to be taped so that the cover wouldn't fall off. As I flipped through, I noted the underlined passages, side notes, and highlights throughout the pages. Whoever had owned these had obviously spent a great amount of time in them, reading them, memorizing them, "hiding these words in their heart."

As I flipped back to the front of the Bible, inscribed on the inside of its cover I came upon the name of its owner: Cliff Allen-my Great Grandfather.

Although I never really knew him, my Great Grandfather spoke to me through these keepsakes. Several of his Bibles were passed down to my father, all weathered and torn by the years spent in the hands of a faithful man. They were given to my father because it was his grandfather that took him to church, that exemplified a heart of faith, that instilled the faith that he carried on to his own family.

My great-grandfathers faith spoke through the generations and came to rest on me as I flipped through the pages of that old worn out Bible.

Who's hands will my keepsakes fall into? My kids...my grandkids...my great-grand kids? I don't know-but I do know this: I know what heritage I want to leave, and that is a heritage of faith.