Our Heritage
I’m interested in family history. A few years ago, my granddaughter became really interested in family history. At the cemetery in Abilene, she found where Jody’s Grandmother and her Papa were buried. While I may not know much about my family history, I do know where most of my Dad’s family are buried. One day he and mom will be buried there too. Those pieces of information are interesting.
Moses wanted the people to know about their history. So, he wrote the first five books of our Bibles. They were written to tell the people of God their history. In order to tell that story, he goes all the way back to the beginning when God created everything. Those stories not only tell the Jews about their history, they tell Christians about their history too.
What happened to Adam and Eve? Why is there sin? Why is there a need for a Savior? Why did Christ come? What does it mean to be a new creation? From the very first sin to the coming of Christ, the story is about God’s eternal plan to save man. His eternal plan, family history, is filled with all kinds of people. Each one filled with their own story and history. We shake our heads at the eternal plan of God to use such seriously flawed people to bring about His redemptive plan. However, each one is important and each one is part of the story.
Making a transition to us today, all of those stories are interesting, but the only story that really matters is “my” story, or “your” story. The story of our salvation. The story of our spiritual growth. The story of our relationship with God. Who taught us? Who influenced us? Who had the biggest impact on us?
Moses told the children of Israel to tell their children, at any opportunity, about the stories and to write the law on their heart. My appeal is for us not to neglect our history and stories. My appeal is to write the word of God on the hearts of our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Yes, I am part of the Jenkins/Gidley family. I am proud of that. But greater, and far more important, is I am a child of God, a part of the family of God. Blessed by Him. Saved by Him. Trusting Him and His promises! Tell the story!
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