Do you have a big family? Compared to my grandmother, who was one of ten children, I have a small family. I was one of three. I’m the middle child and the only daughter. I tell my brothers that our family is like an Oreo cookie, the best part is in the center.
My husband and I have two children. They are our joy. I have loved every stage of their lives from babies to almost adulthood. I would say they are two of my best friends; however, the greater blessing is that they say the same thing about me.
A few years back we were traveling home from a family vacation and all was quiet. It was late and we were all exhausted. I may have been the only one awake so I took some time to write in my journal and have a quiet time. I came across Acts 1:8,
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
I remember writing the verse out in my journal and sitting back to ponder it. Every time I’ve heard a pastor preach on this verse, it has been a message on being filled with the Holy Spirit. I sensed God was trying to tell me more.
My journey with this verse lasted for several days weeks. I would move on and read others, but kept finding myself returning to Acts 1:8. When that happens to me, I know God is trying to teach me something I’m missing.
I finally started breaking it down as best I could. When I got to the second half of the verse, where it talks about being witnesses, I wrote out the places and tried to determine where they would be today. I was doing everything I could to get to the bottom on it.
Finally, the Lord spoke to my heart and said,
Remember your Jerusalem.”
What did that mean? After staring at those three words for what seemed like hours, it hit me. Jerusalem was where Jesus was standing when He was speaking to His disciples. It was their home. God was telling me to remember my home, my family.
It all fell into place and suddenly made sense to me. Typically, when people talk about being a witness or witnessing to others, they’re referring to mission trips or witnessing to people who don’t know Jesus. God was making a point, and a very strong one I might add, to tell me to remember my family. They’re my first mission field.
I’m not sure any scripture has impacted me as powerfully. That verse and the message God spoke to me about it changed the way I did everything. It impacted how I focused my time, the speaking engagements I accepted, the time I would take away from my family, really everything.
As a result, I have the relationships with my husband and children I have so desperately prayed for through the years. My family knows they are my priority relationships and when I travel or spend time away from them to serve others, I do so with their blessing, not their resentment.
Has God taken a scripture and seared it into your heart? If so, what is it and how did it impact you?
*I will be taking some time off to invest in my family before everyone heads back to campus to start classes. I will meet you back here on Monday, August 17th.
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