Some years ago, in a Bible Study group, we were given a little assignment: to draw up our family genogram and identify unhealthy relationships. I sensed that I needed to set specific time aside and be diligent about it.
Once it was complete and satisfied that all the significant details were in the chart, I sat with it in front of me, waiting for some amazing insight from the Lord. I believed that I had grown up in a good Christian family and that all the relationships were fantastic.
As I looked at this completed genogram, the reality of the condition of my family unfolded before me. It was nowhere near the perfect family that I had always believed. It was a bit of a shock as I faced the reality of the evidence. I could cry, get into self-pity, and accept the lie that this is my lot in life. But instead, I chose to do what Daniel did when he read the book of the prophet Jeremiah. After he counted the years of captivity and what Jeremiah prophesied, Daniel realised that the time was up. In a similar way that Daniel prayed, I prayed.
1 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahazuerus, of Median descent, who was made king of the kingdom of the Chaldeans- 2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, observed in the books the number of the years which was revealed as the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet for the completion of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years.
3 So I gave my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes. 4 I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed and said, “Alas, O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments, 5 we have sinned, committed iniquity, acted wickedly and rebelled, even turning aside from Your commandments and ordinances. 6 Moreover, we have not listened to Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings, our princes, our fathers and all the people of the land. 7 Righteousness belongs to You, O Lord, but to us it is this day – to the men of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, those who are far away in all the countries to which You have driven them, because of their unfaithful deeds which they have committed against You.
Open shame belongs to us, O Lord, to our kings, our princes and our fathers, because we have sinned against You. To the Lord our God belong compassion and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against Him; 10 Nor have we obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in His teachings which He set before us through His servants the prophets. 11 Indeed all Israel has transgressed Your law and turned aside, not obeying Your voice; so the curse has been poured out on us, along with the oath which is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, for we have sinned against Him. Thus He has confirmed His words which He had spoken against us and against our rulers who ruled us, to bring on us great calamity; for under the whole heaven there has not been done anything like what was done to Jerusalem.
13 As it is written in the law of Moses, all this calamity has come on us; yet we have not sought the favour of the Lord our God by turning from our iniquity and giving attention to Your truth. 14 Therefore the Lord has kept the calamity in store and brough it on us; for the Lord our God is righteous with respect to all His deeds which He has done, but we have not obeyed His voice. And now, O Lord our God, who have brought Your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand and have made a name for Yourself, as it is this day – we have sinned, we have sinned, we have been wicked.
16 O Lord, in accordance with all Your righteous acts, let now Your anger and Your wrath turn away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; for because of our sins and the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people have become a reproach to all those around us. 17 So now, our God, listen to the prayer of Your servant and to his supplications, and for Your sake, O Lord, let Your face shine on Your desolate sanctuary. 18 O my God, incline Your ear and hear! Open Your eyes and see our desolations and the city which is called by Your name; for we are not presenting our supplications before You on account of any merits of our own, but on account of Your great compassion. 19 O Lord, Hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and take action! For Your own sake, O my God, do not delay, because Your city and Your people are called by Your name.
Daniel 9:1-19 (NASB 1995)
After praying, I folded it up and put it away and then a bit later, after another counselling session where I shared about the genogram, a thought came about people with an amazing talent for purchasing old, run-down, abandoned, condemned houses. If it were up to me, the house would be knocked down and another rebuilt in its place. It is fascinating how the renovators can see beyond the ruins, walk in each area and see what others could not see and maintain the style and character of that house from when it was initially built.
The skills of these people had to come from somewhere, it is a gift from God, and if God gave that gift, then that has to be part of His character, and if that is part of His character, then that is what He is also doing.
God is in the renovation and restoration business. Job lost everything and God restored double of what was lost and “The Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning;” (Job 42:10-12).
My house (family tree) is in need of repair and restoration. Praise God He does not knock down and rebuild; He comes in, looks beyond the ruins, sees what it should be and restores the house with its character to better than what it was originally.
When the renovators come in, they first do a lot of demolition, and there is rubble everywhere. Some original parts are reused, and a lot is sent to the tip. Then, when all that remains is a shell with the framework, the builders start rebuilding, and when it is finished, we marvel at the transformation that has taken place.
Then, during worship at our Sunday Church service, I saw before me, in a vision, the family genome on a whiteboard that I had diligently put together. As I looked at this scene, I saw a hand with a whiteboard eraser wipe everything off, and now I was staring at a genome chart with names only, and I heard the Lord say, “Prophesy.”
At an appointed time in prayer, the Holy Spirit showed me individuals in the family, and as He revealed His plan for each person, I agreed with it, spoke it out, and made a note of the prophecy next to their name on the genome chart. Things have gotten pretty messy in the “house” since then, but I know this is part of the renovation process, and when the “Reveal Day” comes, everyone will be in awe of Jesus, our Master Builder’s handiwork.
With an unemployment rate of 0% in God’s Kingdom it has been a bit of fun when asked if I have a job. Holy Spirit comes up with some wonderful answers that initiate conversation. The next question that typically follows is: “Where do you work?” Father gave me an excellent answer,
“I work in a restoration organisation called Father and Son Restorations.”