A Rich Heritage
By Jeannine Sawall
“The Lord is my heritage and the wine of my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places, I have a noble heritage.”
Psalm 16:5-6
Stories of personal history fascinate me. They are legacies left behind by those who have gone before. Unfortunately, my heritage story felt incomplete. I knew my mom’s family emigrated from Poland, but the story beyond my grandparents was lost to war and time.By Jeannine Sawall
“The Lord is my heritage and the wine of my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places, I have a noble heritage.”
Psalm 16:5-6
My biological father had never been a part of my life; that half of my story was a complete mystery. Then two years ago, he contacted me, desiring to begin a relationship and those blank pages slowly began to fill. There was a great-great-grandmother who was full-blooded Cherokee. Who’d have thought this blond, blued-eyed girl was part Native American! Another ancestor had fought in the Civil War, and another was burned as a witch in Salem.
Discovering this rich heritage thrilled me, not only because it was so varied and surprising, but because it was my heritage, my story.
As I shared my newfound heritage with friends and family, I was reminded I have always had a rich heritage. I was a member of the family of God, a child of the heavenly Father, co-heir with Jesus! Our family record contains countless stories of spiritual ancestors and their journeys. I can trace my heritage in the Lord without help from Ancestry.com; I just pull out my Bible.
We can be thankful for our earthly history, but doubly thankful for our heritage in the family of God. Our heavenly Father wants His children to know His story because it is our story. It is a record of our rich spiritual heritage in Him and the blessings and gifts that come with being a part of His family. He desires to continue that heritage with us so we can extend the same legacy to all who follow after us.
GOING DEEPER:
1) Perhaps you feel your heritage leaves something to be desired. Thank the Lord for the rich heritage He has given you in His family.
2) Are you leaving a spiritual legacy behind for those who come after you?
FURTHER READING:
Isaiah 45:3; 1 Peter 2:9; Psalm 78:5-7
Jeannine is a wife and active mother of four boys. She works in property management and is a part of the Special Events team for Oakwood’s We Women ministries.
