Family Tradition

• Printable Version - Share on Facebook - Posted by Dion Todd September 28, 2015 - Filed in Devotional - 12,236 views
  Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he was making a work on the wheels. When the vessel that he made of the clay was marred in the hand of the potter, he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying, House of Israel, can't I do with you as this potter?' Jeremiah 18:3 WEB
  
  When I was young, I followed the family tradition of dropping out of school and going to work. By seventeen I was married with a child on the way, house, car, full time job as a construction laborer, and bills coming due. My Dad was on his own at thirteen. I was a late bloomer. I did not know of anyone in my family that had ever finished high school. You were not expected to. I honestly do not remember hearing the word 'college' until I was in my twenties, it was never an option.
  
  When I was around thirty, I was serving the Lord with all my heart and one Sunday night at church, the Lord spoke to me and urged me to go back to school. The word came through the pastor's wife, who simply came up to me and said: 'Dion, the Lord wants you to get your GED.' Her words had impact and I knew that it was the Lord speaking to me through her, so I took it seriously.
  
  The following morning, I went to the adult education center in Conway, South Carolina to see what it would take for me to finish school. Though the parking area was full of cars, there was one spot open right by the entrance. I went inside and they explained that I had been out of school for a long time. I would need to take a pre-test and then we would start classes to learn the areas that I needed to work on. Best case scenario, in about one year I would have my GED. This was during the 90s in the South, computers were rare, and all school work was done with a pencil and paper.
  
  I went back Tuesday and took the pre-test. There was a parking spot in front of the door open for me. The test seemed very easy and I just breezed through it. On Wednesday, I went back to find my test results and get the books that I needed so that I could get started. Once again, my parking spot was open for me.
  
  When I walked up to the counter, a couple of instructors were discussing some papers. One looked at me, cocked her head to one side and asked 'How long have you been studying?' I told her that I had just decided to start Sunday night. She said 'Well, you did excellent. You needed a 70 to pass. You scored a 97. I believe that you are ready to take the test. It is too bad that you did not come a few weeks earlier. The GED test is only given in this part of the state every six months and it is going to be held in Georgetown this Saturday, but the state requires you to sign up a month in advance.' She paused a moment and said, 'Let me call them.'
  
  She called someone, found out they had a cancelation, got transferred to someone else, then to someone else, faxed them my test scores, smiled at me and said 'You got in!' She was so happy, and even hugged me. Saturday I drove to Georgetown to take the eight hour test. As usual, there was a parking spot open near the door. The test had questions like 'How far is the sun from the earth?' Didn't have a clue and just wrote whatever came to mind, and got it right. I was one of the first to finish.
  
  To shorten this up, the following Sunday when I returned to church, I had my GED. I had completed the entire process in one week. I went on to attend bible college for a bachelor's degree and graduated. It was totally the Holy Spirit reshaping my life. He was the driver, I was the co-pilot. I knew nothing and was just along for the ride.
  
  Some years later, I decided that I would return to college and work on a master's degree. I did not pray about it. I just assumed that it was the right thing to do. After signing up and paying the tuition, it was like a living hell. The teacher seemed to be speaking gibberish and I could not comprehend anything.
  
  All the presence of God dried up on my life. After struggling for a month or so, we went to the elders and got prayer about it. They immediately said: 'It is not the time.' I dropped out of college and the presence of God came back to my life. He did not want me in school at that time, but I had not taken the time to ask Him.
  
  What was the difference in the two seasons of school? A timely word from the Lord. Do not assume that something is right for you, even if it is a good thing. Inquire of God before you commit to things. Should I do this? When He says go, nothing on earth can stop you. But if He says no, you really should listen.
  
  A timely word from God is priceless and brings grace and provision with it. Jesus said 'My sheep hear My voice' (John 10:27) and that man shall live by every word (Rhema) that comes from the mouth of God (Matt. 4:1). A Rhema word means an utterance, or spoken word. A Logos word is the written words that we read in the Bible. A true Rhema word from God will never contradict His written word, though He has no problem correcting our understanding of it. Use this as a guideline when hearing from the Lord because the Logos (written word / Bible) is our immutable anchor of truth and all rhema (utterance / spoken) words must align with it.
  
  It does not matter if you were brought up as trash, when you submit your life to God and follow His guidance, He will put your life back together and make it meaningful. God is able to reshape you on His potter's wheel (Jeremiah 18:1). Just because that is the way that it has always been, does not mean that is the way that it will always be. When He adopts you into His family, He may break all the family traditions.
  
  Prayer: Father I want all that You have for me. Break me out of my tiny box and change my way of thinking. Teach me what I need to know. Lead me and I will follow, in the name of Jesus Christ I pray.