In the 1700s, a young man named James Taylor proposed to the love of his life and a wedding date was set. Neither of them however, were Christians. James, in fact, so detested all preachers that he would often assail them with rotten tomatoes or eggs. Shortly before the day of the wedding, one of John Wesley’s students entered town to preach a tent meeting. As soon as James heard of the event, he determined to disrupt the meeting. But as James listened in the fringes of the large crowd, the preacher quoted Joshua 24:15: “But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”. The words pierced James’ heart like an arrow. When the day of his wedding finally arrived, the words of Joshua continued to be lodged in his thoughts. That morning James took time to walk alone in the fields near his home to ponder all that was on his mind. He was about to take a wife, to establish a home, but he wasn’t serving the Lord. He knelt in the grass and earnestly asked Christ to be his Savior. By the time he finished praying, he was alarmed to discover it was time for the wedding. Rushing to the chapel, he apologized for being late, and the ceremony proceeded. Then he shocked his bride and guests, by announcing he had become a Christian. He soon began witnessing to his new wife, but she remained resistant. Finally one day James came home so burdened for her that he picked her up and carried her to the bedroom. There, he insisted that she join him as he earnestly kneeled to pray for her salvation. Soon both were weeping, and there she, too, became a Christian. Eight generations have passed since that moment of decision. Each generation has been filled with Christian workers serving the Lord. Included among them is James Taylor’s great-grandson, Hudson Taylor, founder of the China Inland Mission, who opened the interior of China to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
“But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”. (Joshua 24:15)
This amazing story shows how one person’s obedience to the Lord can start a generational chain reaction that can alter the course of an entire family.
You too can set off a chain reaction for good or bad in your family by even one decision. Where will your decisions lead them? I pray with God’s help that I will lead my family down the blessed path of righteous living. I sincerely pray that by God’s grace my example will effect change in the generations beyond me long after I am gone, and that I will look down from heaven should Jesus tarry and see generations of righteous and Godly world changers effecting change in their families and on and on and on…. thus setting off a divine Holy Ghost, God-ordained, blessed chain reaction.
Be encouraged! Your obedience today can change your entire family!
Deeper In God’s Word
Tom Renew
Resources:
“Stake of Commitment”, Ron Moore – ronmoore.org
“We Will Serve The Lord”, Chad Young – Findingauthenticchristianity.org
Joshua 24:15 – biblehub.com