Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not.
Romans 4:16–17
I went to several Christian camps while in high school. During one of those experiences, the speaker asked us to write down what we wanted someone to say about us at our funeral. It sounds morbid, but it was meant to help us think about the kind of life that would produce a beautiful eulogy. I don’t recall everything
I wrote that day, but the idea stuck with me. Now, I have children, and much of my life’s legacy is wrapped up in them. I long for them to grow up to know and love God. I want them to discover and use their gifts to better the world.
Imagine if God had spoken to you and told you that your children would become a nation that would bless the world. That is what happened to Abraham and Sarah. Paul acknowledges that reality but extends the idea beyond Abrahams’s biological descendants. Paul tells us in this passage that Abraham’s true children are those who are of the Faith.
Even if you don’t have children, we all long to make a mark on the world. Paul is telling us that we can. Our faith and the faith we encourage in others is the true goal of life. For many of us, that will manifest in how we parent and transfer our faith to our kids. For others of us, it will look different, but the point is that God wants us to have an offspring of faith. That is a calling that anyone can participate in, whether you are a parent, empty nester, or single.
Might God be asking you to inspire faith within special persons? How might you invest your life in others so their faith becomes part of your legacy?
