“And you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” We are so excited about going to Kenya but if that was the only place we ever witnessed we would really be missing a part of God's plan. This verse, recorded in the first chapter of Acts, is the last words Jesus spoke before He ascended into heaven. Jesus was telling his disciples to start witnessing right where they were and then move out from there. When we apply this to our lives, our neighborhood is our “Jerusalem”.
Michael and I began hosting a backyard bible club for our kids’ friends last spring. I wish I could tell you that I was inspired by this verse to witness to the families in our neighborhood. Unfortunately, that would be a lie. I didn’t really want to start a bible club. With homeschooling and working part-time life was busy enough. I was already helping in a Kindergarten Sunday school class each week. Surely that was good enough. But I wanted to obey the Lord and through a series of events He confirmed to us that this was something He wanted us to do.
I won’t lie. It has been a lot of work. (Try having 8-14 children over for two hours and you will see what I mean.) But it has also been a wonderful blessing. I have learned so much about the Lord. I have learned that there is great satisfaction and peace that comes from obeying the Lord when obedience is not easy. I have learned that, while it is important to know my limits, there are times when the Lord may challenge me past them. And when He does, His grace will be sufficient if I rely on Him.
If you can't go to "the ends of the earth", God will show you ways you can witness right where you are - in your Jerusalem.
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