Thought for the Day - Saturday 26 September

 

Thought for the Day – Saturday 26^th September

‘I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you. For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.’ (2 Timothy 1: 5-7)  

 

Autumn is definitely here you can feel the chill in the air, the cars are needing the condensation wiped from their windows in the mornings and even yesterday I had to scrape frost from the windscreen, and, of course, that sure sign that autumn is upon us - the leaves are starting to turn and fall.

The thought of the leaves changing colour and then falling, yet in their falling encouraging new growth, reminded me of this passage from 2 Timothy. It is a passage which speaks of faith and the passing on of faith and faith stories to us by generations of our families who have gone before us. It also speaks of us rekindling our faith just as the action of a tree losing it leaves one year causes regrowth the next year. I have to say I was also reminded of a reflection I had once read on this passage, one which had stayed with me, written some time ago by my colleague Rev Liz Crumlish and on managing to re-find it thought I would share it with you today for in it she expresses so well what this passage is saying to us about our generation taking on the ‘faith mantle’, passing on faith and keeping the memories alive. 

 

As leaves fall

and replenish the earth

letting go of their hold on life

yet still giving

of all that enriched and sustained

passing on

to a new generation

their gifts

that continue to nourish

and renew

So those who have gone before us
our mothers
and our grandmothers
our Eunice and Lois
or Cathy and Mary
or...

those from whom we gleaned

the stories of faith

those in whom we witnessed

the wonders of grace

continue to enrich our lives

as we remember

their goodness

and their love

And we take on the mantle 

of the story tellers

the ones who 

live out faith today

for a new generation

the ones who

keep memories alive