Day 4: Passing On the Baton

Scripture Focus: Psalm 78

"... that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments." -Psalm 78:6-7, ESV

Young women today are surrounded by a culture that promotes aggressive sexuality, raw ambition, selfish individualism, the pursuit of outer beauty, and overall raunchiness. Many of these young women are crying out to be spiritually "mothered." They may not openly express that desire, but if you are an older woman who will take the time to share loving insights and caring counsel, they will eat it up!

Each generation is commissioned with the responsibility from God to pass on His truth. God calls believers to press on to maturity in order to be a visible witness of His grace and power to the watching world, but also in order to model spiritual maturity to younger believers.

Paul summed up the motivation behind his years of teaching, writing, imprisonment, missionary endeavors, and physical hardship and suffering in Colossians 1:28-29: "We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me" (NASB).

Paul's earnest desire was to see every believer brought to maturity in Christ. He sought to disciple, teach, pass on truth, encourage, exhort, and (if need be) confront in order to aid the spiritual development of the younger believer. He was driven by this mission to see others brought to spiritual maturity in order that they might display God's grace and power, thereby attesting to His reality and bringing Him glory. Is that yours driving motivation in life?

What gets you out of bed in the morning? Do you have a burden for the next generation of young women to know the truth, to live meaningful lives, to fulfill God's purpose, to have healthy relationships, and to love their husbands and children well? Do you see it as your responsibility to pass on to them the wisdom you have gained from knowing God's Word and learning to live it out in the laboratory of life?

Don't allow your "life message" to be wasted. Pass on God's wisdom and truth to the daughters who follow in your footsteps.

Take Time to Reflect

Use Psalm 78:1-8 to inspire you to invest time, energy, and training in the next generation. If you are an older woman, consider how God desires to use you to spiritually "mother" younger women. If you are a younger woman, ask God to lead you to a more mature believer who can serve as a role model.

True Woman Wyoming Prayer Focus

Linda Olsen is the wife of the pastor at Cornerstone Evangelical Free Church. She will be speaking on the importance of purity in our children's lives. Pray that her message will encourage women's hearts to seek purity for themselves as well as their daughters.