A New Calling

I have not blogged for some time because I have been in a period of waiting. Since November, I have known that God has something in store for me. A job to do. I did not know what it was and I have been praying regularly for Him to reveal the next step He wants me to take. He's been nudging me to serve with a particular ministry at my church for quite a while but I have avoided it or thought I could not do it for one reason or another (mostly because of fear or pride). I finally gave in and contacted the person leading that group about joining and it was not long after that He started revealing more of His plan for me. Sometimes (or in my case--a LOT of times) it just takes an obedient heart in order to get things moving again.

I have always had a deep interest in the Jewish people and their culture. As a teenager who loved to read, many of my favorite books were historical fiction set during the time of the Holocaust. Even earlier, in the Lutheran church I attended as an elementary aged child there was a Sunday School teacher who would present a passover seder. I loved it, and even now sometimes when I smell celery or haroset it reminds me of that time. Later, as a newly-married adult, I had a friend who shared with me her interest in celebrating the biblical feasts and listening to Messianic praise music. As I've gone through life, the Lord has inceasingly been adding more and more of His chosen people's culture and traditions to my life.

Even more recently, when we first moved downstate we knew of a messianic congregation in the Detroit area through one of my husband's friends. We spent several months attending regularly their sabbath services and getting to know the people there and it was a very enriching time. Unfortunately, due to life circumstances we were not able to be as involved as a member needs to be so we found our current church. Also, this past summer our annual homeschool camp theme was the Biblical Feasts and How They Point to Christ. After that inspiring week, my husband and I made a commitment to celebrate the feasts this year as a family. We even invited friends to come to our home and share a meal and learn a bit about the Feast of Tabernacles.

After a week of being reminded of all of the above, reuniting with my old friend who observes the feasts and while starting to plan the passover seder dinner for our homeschool support group which I volunteered for, I decided on Friday that I would take the kids with me up to the sabbath service for the first time in years. I am so glad I did. My kids loved the service! These are kids who normally sit in the seats looking bored or tired. My 8 year old son was standing next to me on Saturday morning, clapping, singing, trying to sing in Hebrew, and read the prayers and getting very excited about it all. He did not want to go that morning but before the first couple songs were done he was already saying he wants to go back every week.

All of this is background to explain how God has revealed to me my new job in His kingdom. I am to be an ambassador of sorts. He wants me to dispel the myths about Judaism that abound in the Christian church. He wants me to share the beauty of Israel with the gentiles. To share the truth of who we are as a Church; Jew and Gentile, together, one in Messiah Jesus/Yeshua, the Christ. He wants me to help silence the voice of the enemy who seeks to divide the Body of Christ. We are entering some turbulent times and we need to be prepared and we need to be made strong. We cannot be strong if we are divided. He also wants me to pray for Israel, and provoke the Jewish unbelievers to jealousy so that they too will turn to Yeshua their Messiah. This is my calling. I will keep one foot in the church and one in the synagogue, and do what I can to help the Holy Spirit bring the two together as one Body.

So be ready to hear more from me on this in the future. The plan is to head up to the synagogue with the kids at least once a month so we can learn and grow under their wisdom in this area. We are also going to continue celebrating the feasts and inviting whoever the Holy Spirit leads our way. If you are local and want to join us let me know so you don't get left out! I am also reading and studying a book I got at camp from James Whitman from the Center for Judaic-Christian Studies called Our Father Abraham: the Jewish Roots of the Christian Faith by Marvin R. Wilson. Now that I know who I am and what I'm supposed to do I need to "go to school" and learn about my field. I am going to have so much fun doing it too!

Now I am off to eat non-kosher pizza and watch Fiddler on the Roof with the family! :)