Faith of our Fathers by Marietjie Chase

So often we are amazed at the testimonies of those who were ill for years and then healed or of those who lived decadent lives and then saved. We are in awe at the escapes from death and the ones who survive horrible ordeals... but today I was thinking of another kind of hero. The kind who fought the good fight of faith every time sickness or decease came knocking at their door. The ones who raised their kids and paid the bills and cannot tell you how because on paper the figures says that it is impossible. The hero's when presented with the temptation to loose their lives in sin and darkness, said "no" and by God's grace stayed the course. These are the living stones who have gone before us, building a habitation for God.


If we want to know about these we have to dig a bit. These are not easy testimonies, short, one page stories. These are the ones where you read an entire Biography and get the feeling that it is still only part of the story. These are the hero's we will only honor in front of the Throne when all will be uncovered and even then we will not know of their sin - that was covered by the Blood of Jesus.

Thinking about all those whose prayer and faith paved the way for us as we stand before God, so many scriptures come to mind. Paul, talking to Timothy about the faith that was in His mother and grandmother and also in him; Hebrews 11 that says that all those hero's of faith are part of us and we are their victory. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob keeps covenant to the fourth and fifth, and yeah even thousands of generations, of those who fear Him and keep His commandments. What spiritual heritage have been handed down in your generations? Memories of Mamma praying for a pair of black shoes, of Pappa praying over me when my head was delirious with fever, of Ouma Maggie sitting on her bed, awake from pain, yet praying for each of her six children and their many children, all by name. Memories of Ouma Maria sitting at her window, drinking coffee from the saucer relaying a dream or vision or insight she had. Memories of Oupa Gert's Bible with his sermon notes in it. Memories of the twinkle in Father's eyes when he told of the souls being saved at their church and of Mother praying still. What spiritual parents can we honor? What heritage we have received? When in our stupid immaturity we are embraced by Mothers who adopted us and Fathers who accepted us. We are what we have received. And when I look at scripture: He used Angels as messengers only to sent people to "birth" people. How foolish we are sometimes to think we are our own? We are the sum of many lives and much faith.

Everyone of us, whether we admit it or not, are in the Kingdom of God because someone somewhere took a hold of God's promises and in faith and prayer fought a battle on our behalf. We are not of our own making. God have worked in many lives over many years to bring His purposes in our lives to fulfillment. Maybe we can pause and thank Him for those who have kept the faith, paved the way and shined the light for us. Maybe we can remember the parents or grandparents who were married, not always happily, for 30, 40, 50 and 60 years. Maybe we can remember the faith of the ones who taught us to pray. Maybe we can remember the ones who instilled the love for God and His word in us. Maybe we can look away from ourselves and realize, we are not our own, we belong to a whole. We are part of something greater, bigger and more enduring than our fifty, sixty, seventy, eighty or ninety years.

We owe it to these, we owe it to those for whom we are clearing the brush for; to fight a good fight of Faith; to finish well.

Steve Green used to sing:

We're pilgrims on the journey
Of the narrow road
And those who've gone before us line the way
Cheering on the faithful, encouraging the weary
Their lives a stirring testament to God's sustaining grace


Surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses
Let us run the race not only for the prize
But as those who've gone before us
Let us leave to those behind us
The heritage of faithfulness
Passed on through godly lives


Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
May the fire of our devotion light their way
May the footprints that we leave
Lead them to believe
And the lives we live inspire them to obey
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful


After all our hopes and dreams have come and gone
And our children sift through all we've left behind
May the clues that they discover
And the memories they uncover
Become the light that leads them
To the road we each must find

Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful

"Find Us Faithful" Words and Music by Jon Mohr