“Each generation should set its hope anew on God.” Psalm 78:7

Sometimes I think growing up in a Christian home was a detriment to discipleship. I mean, I heard it all since I was two and never missed a Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday night, Thursday night Girl’s Missionary Guild  (in case you were wondering, this is Jill writing this :), or youth group event. I truly loved God; absolutely I did. But some familiarity really did breed a ho-hum, lazy approach to my faith. Really important themes in Scripture, like “don’t be angry” and “forgive anyone who offends you” are ideas I often brushed over. It took years for me to see that I can’t ride on my parents’ coattails. Not one bit. This is my journey. And I have one chance to get it right. There are no second-generation believers.

Father – You are MY Father. Not just A Father or my parents’ Father or someone else’s Father. My Father, I ask you to make Yourself real to me today. I choose to follow Your Son and Your ways, Your Word and Your love. I choose you again today. Please make Your precepts new to me. Forgive me for falling asleep in church, thinking I already know this stuff. I haven’t even begun to know it much less experience it, not to mention LIVE it! I’m Yours, Lord. Every bit of me. I choose to be your child, not your grandbaby. Sign me up for true discipleship. Amen.

We might think about saying this to the young people in our lives:  “If you could find a better way to live, Jesus would be the first one to tell you to take it.” ~Dallas Willard