Over these past holidays I got to spend a lot of time with my family. I love every single person in the family. My aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, and my immediate family. I don’t know what it was about this year, but something hit me really hard. Not everyone in my family believes in God. Not everyone in my family knows the love of the God that created them. This breaks my heart. This breaks my heart to the point where I am at tears just even thinking about it. I hate the fact that they do not know the love and the forgiveness and they do not know the grace that the Lord will give to them. They don’t know that Jesus suffered on the cross, just for them.
I am sad at the fact that some of my favorite little cousins are being brought up in a home where they have no idea who Jesus is. Their parents used to go to church, and for whatever reason they do not like/believe in the institution of church. My alcoholic uncle, who has a true golden heart, who genuinely cares for everyone in the family, has alcohol as a god rather than the One True Creator. He sits at home while my aunt attends church. I have cousins who do not know God, an aunt, and an uncle. It breaks my heart.
I want to partially blame myself. Even though I have spent time with them, I have not done my part in sharing my faith. My uncle refers to my job as “that thing you are doing with the kids”. I can do a better job at what my job is and the entire purpose of what I do. I can and need to be more intentional on how and when I talk to them about my faith.
Going back to my last post, I can work on this idea of “boldness” with my family. This is something that I must do. There is a hope already though. Over this Christmas season I invited my entire family to JOY, the Christmas services that CCV (the church I work at, check them out HERE). EVERYONE CAME! Even those who have not stepped inside a church in I don’t even know how long. I just pray that the seed that was planted that night though the message grows with a little help from me and a lot more help of God.
I hope that my tears of sadness for them turn into tears of Joy one day.
Random Fact: Cracking your knuckles does not actually hurt your bones or cause arthritis. The sound you hear is just gas bubbles bursting.
Very cool, Justin. God has a place in heaven for your family. Over the past ten years of my walk with God I have seen my little sister, my aunt, my uncle, my dad, my mom, and three weeks ago my older sister, my brother-in-law, and my niece come to know Jesus. It takes time. I have been praying and inviting but simply loving for 10 years but my older brother has been doing this for decades being the first Christian in our family. I am agreeing with you on this on Justin. Keep being bold, loving, and passionate about the Savior.
ReplyDeleteYour Short brown friend and brother,
Joe Romero
I always pray for boldness too. It is so easy to get up in front of people and try to draw them to the Lord, but so much harder one on one with those closest to us. Congratulations on getting them all to JOY
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