When my husband was called in to ministry, the first
thing I thought of was our family and how this was going to change our
dynamics, enter negative connotation here. When we first became Christians, one
of my first thoughts was that I would never want my husband to be a pastor. It
would be far too much work with little pay and too much strain on our family.
Would God call him in to ministry to negatively affect
our family? No. Would my selfish desires say yes? Most definitely. It was a
little death to my preconceived notions of our family unit and would it should look like.
Thus far in the process, it has looked like some late
night classes and homework on weeknights that may bleed in to the weekends but
ultimately, it looks like us sacrificing a little time together now, for
benefits in to eternity. It is having God given boundaries and letting of our expectations. It is not
guarding our family but welcoming others into it.
I recently listened to a past sermon of Francis Chan's
where he spoke about being "on mission with his family." He went on
to say how his mission in life was to follow God's direction, not having his
family be the primary focus, and in doing so, his family had a closer bond. He was not putting family down but
rather elevating God before it. Idols can be found anywhere, especially in
the family unit.
And I think that this is the point God has been
bringing me to with my own. The
point of ministry and life colliding. That is what life is all about. And not
just for pastor's or their wives.
These commandments that I give you today are to
be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk
about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie
down and when you get up. Deuteronomy
6: 6-7
As Moses was preparing the Israelites to enter the
Promised Land, he reminded them to impress God's word on their children and talk about what he had done, that it
would be impressed on their hearts. It was to be consumed in every part of
their day and lives. Simply living out their calling to follow God daily. We
are still called to do so, as well. Living out our faith and weaving it in to
the ministry of our lives alongside our children. Truly showing them
what it means to go and make disciples and how to share the Word and how to listen
to God.
Praying that your family would be driven by the
passions of God and glued together through his Word and what it says to do.
Praying that you would not be held back by thoughts of time lost while ministry
and life is happening around you, while someone's eternity is being changed.
Praying your family would be a group of people built
to spur each other on, stretch each other beyond measure, demonstrate love and
forgiveness and encourage each other to follow God's will in to whatever
ministry it may be. Praying that if you
are not blessed with a family seeking the Lord together, that God would provide
them in his own way - with a beautiful community for you.
Praying that whatever your family looks like that your
goal would be to seek the kingdom first. That your hearts would be set on
things above and God would raise each member up to bring up others who revere
God, multiplying your family's legacy on earth and in to eternity. Praying that
you would not get so focused on the small things that you lose out on the
bigger picture things later.
Here's to family and ministry and God's will.