Today’s Reading: Matthew 1:1-3; Genesis 15, 24, 32, 38

Abraham was the father of Isaac.
Isaac was the father of Jacob.
Jacob was the father of Judah and his brothers.
Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah (whose mother was Tamar).
Perez was the father of Hezron.
Hezron was the father of Ram. – Matthew 1:2-3

THE LIFE OF ABRAHAM TEACHES US TO BELIEVE GOD WILL DO WHAT HE SAYS HE WILL DO.

The first person mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus is Abraham, a man who was known for having such a great faith in God that He willingly packed up and followed God’s command to move to the land of Canaan. God told Abraham to look at the stars in the sky and trust that God was going to make his descendants as numerous as all the shining lights above him.

“Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That’s how many descendants you will have!” And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith. – Genesis 15:6

God told Abraham that He would make him into a great nation, and He did. God told Abraham that he would be famous, and He was. God told Abraham that all the land he could see in every direction would one day be his, and that’s exactly what happened. Abraham had faith in God because he knew God to be faithful.

THE LIFE OF ISAAC REMINDS US OF THE POWER OF PRAYER.

Abraham’s servant prayed specifically to God for success in finding a wife for Isaac and God showed His unfailing love by clearly answering that prayer. It was while Isaac was spending time with God, walking in the fields and meditating on God, that he looked up and saw Rebekah approaching him on a camel. He recognized God’s provision in his life and fell deeply in love with this beautiful gift from God. When life became difficult, Isaac turned to the Lord in prayer.

Isaac pleaded with the Lord on behalf of his wife because she was unable to have children. The Lord answered Isaac’s prayer, and Rebekah became pregnant with twins. – Genesis 25:21

THE LIFE OF JACOB GIVES AN EXAMPLE OF STRUGGLING AND WRESTLING WITH GOD.

Jacob struggled to receive his father’s blessing, and his love story was complicated by the struggle he had with his uncle. Jacob wrestled with God and got what he wanted. Jacob’s struggle continued as his daughter was raped and his sons took revenge, creating powerful enemies for his family. Jacob, who had struggled with his brother in the womb, had to deal with the struggle between his sons. He grieved when he thought his son, Joseph, was dead and praised God when he was reunited with Joseph years later. Although struggle was a consistent theme in his life, God blessed Jacob and the nation of Israel was formed through his children and grandchildren.

Abraham was known for his strong faith in God and yet there were moments when he struggled to trust God to protect him. Isaac inherited his father’s faith and found that God was faithful to answer his prayers. Jacob became the master manipulator but learned what it felt like to be on the receiving end of someone else’s manipulation. He struggled to accept God’s plan for his life and persistently sought God’s favor. Perez came from the unholy union of Judah and Tamar, yet God used him in the story of redemption through the birth of Jesus Christ.

As Jesus grew up, he would have been told the stories of those who came before him. From Abraham’s story of obedience, Jesus knew God to be faithful. From Isaac’s story of seeking God’s best, Jesus knew the power of praying to the God who answers prayer. From Jacob’s story of struggle, Jesus could be confident that God is with us even when we are wrestling with His instructions.

As a student of God’s word, my life has been greatly impacted by the power of storytelling. Because Abraham responded in obedience to the calling God placed on his life, I am willing to trust God when He tells me to pack up my life and move to a new place. Isaac set a beautiful example for me of walking in relationship with God, talking with the One who loves me enough to answer my prayers before I finish praying. Have a wrestled with God? Have I struggled with how my life is going or what He has asked me to do? Absolutely! I am thankful for the permission Jacob’s story gives me to be authentic in my prayers and to wear the scars of my struggles as a testimony to the kindness of God.

DO YOU KNOW GOD TO BE FAITHFUL? TELL YOUR STORY.

Do you know God to be trustworthy and kind? Perhaps today is a good day to list all of the reminders of God’s faithfulness in your life. There is evidence all around us that God is good and that His promises are true. Let’s allow God to grow our faith today as we trust in Him, even through the struggles. Let’s use the power of storytelling to impact those who could learn from our journey of grace.

Lord, I ask for you to strengthen our faith for what is ahead. Give us the desire to follow you wherever you will send us, and the humility to treat others as you have taught us. May we be the prayer warriors you have called us to be, hearing from you and recognizing the many ways in which you will answer our prayers today. Give us the courage to be honest about our struggles and persistent in our prayer life. May we see our story woven into the story of Jesus as we begin another journey through the New Testament. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Matthew 1:1-17, Luke 3:23-38

We have spent the last 11 months studying the Old Testament, reading the faith journey of generation after generation of God’s people. We saw them at their best as they trusted in God through the most difficult of situations, and we saw them at their worst when they took their eyes off of God’s perfect plan for their lives. Some chose to abandon their faith when things got hard, and others gave God their “yes” even when they needed the reminder to be strong and courageous.

THE OLD TESTAMENT PROVIDES A GREAT CONTEXT TO OUR STUDY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.

“Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Mary gives birth to Jesus, who is called the Messiah. All those listed above include fourteen generations from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the Babylonian exile, and fourteen from the Babylonian exile to the Messiah.” – Matthew 1:16-17

The New Testament begins with the genealogy of Jesus, which can be used to remind us of the threads of redemption and restoration that are woven throughout God’s story. Two of the writers of the gospels, Matthew and Luke, saw the importance of their readers knowing where Jesus came from. Both genealogies showed that Jesus was a descendant of David, one more indicator that he truly was the Messiah.

Matthew shows us the genealogy of Jesus from his paternal lineage. He starts with Abraham and lists all of the descendants until he lands at Joseph (Matthew 1:1-16). Luke takes it from the perspective of the maternal lineage of Jesus. Mary, too, was a descendant of David and therefore a descendant of Abraham. Mary descended from David’s son Nathan while Joseph could trace his ancestors back to Solomon, the son of David and Bathsheba.

Matthew traces Jesus’ family back to Abraham, showing that Jesus was the promised Messiah of the Jewish people. Luke traces Jesus’ family even farther back to Adam, showing that Jesus came to be the Savior for ALL people everywhere (Luke 3:23-38). “And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). Who will He save? HIS people. Who are His people? We ALL are His people because we have all descended from Adam. Salvation is for each and every one of us.

When you look at the genealogy of Jesus, you will see a list of people who made mistakes. Almost each one has a story of how God in grace reached out to them and used them even after they had messed things up. Consider your family on both sides. Take a moment to think of the influence the family on your mother’s side has had on your life. Now consider the impact of your father’s family on who you are and where you are at today. You can probably look up at your family tree and see a lot of imperfections in those who have come before you. Yet the God of grace still chose them to give the world YOU!

EACH STORY THAT PRECEDES US SETS THE BACKDROP FOR OUR STORY.

I have always found genealogies fascinating. I find it interesting to look beyond this generation to consider the life experiences of those who came before us and how their decisions continue to impact our lives today. My great grandparents made the decision to follow Christ, which led to getting on a fishing boat in the middle of the night in order to start their journey to Ellis Island, New York. My parents gave their lives to the Lord when I was a little girl, giving God their “yes” to full-time ministry, a decision that greatly influenced the decisions I continue to make today.

Let us not take lightly the role God has played in our lives since before we were born. God has known us, loved us and developed a plan for our lives in spite of our family tree — whether that tree is one of a strong spiritual heritage or a weak faith of our fathers. God had a purpose for the life of Jesus — to save the world. In the same way, the genealogy of your fathers and mothers leads to a moment in history when you carry out God’s plan for your life.

You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
You saw me before I was born.
Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.
How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!
I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand!
And when I wake up, you are still with me! – Psalm 139:15-18

He knows the plans for your future — plans for you and for those who will follow you in your family tree. What story will be told of you? Will you submit to God’s plan – the plan for which He created you? Those coming after you will be influenced by the choices you make.

Lord, we thank you this morning for the heritage passed down to us from our parents and grandparents. Your workmanship in our lives is marvelous — how well we know it! We thank you for the love and investment of time that has made us who we are today. We pray that you will take our own imperfect attempts to love and allow us to positively influence the next generations. Help us to shine your light onto the path you have set before them — a path marked with hope for their future. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Joel & Malachi

Surely the Lord has done great things! Don’t be afraid, my people. Be glad now and rejoice, for the Lord has done great things. Don’t be afraid, you animals of the field, for the wilderness pastures will soon be green. The trees will again be filled with fruit; fig trees and grapevines will be loaded down once more. Rejoice, you people of Jerusalem! Rejoice in the Lord your God! For the rain he sends demonstrates his faithfulness. Once more the autumn rains will come, as well as the rains of spring. The threshing floor will again be piled high with grain, and the presses will overflow with new wine and olive oil. – Joel 2:24-26a

At times, everything that has sustained you and all that has given you pleasure will be taken from you. It will dry up and with it your joy. You will begin to wonder, “Is God really a merciful and loving God? Am I being punished for something?” God responds to your need for answers and confirms His identity to you. He instructs you to trust in Him through this difficult time — this time of uncertainty.

God is in the middle of all of this. None of this has caught Him by surprise. Trust that He has great plans for your future; believe that your joy will not be dry forever but that you will rejoice again in how your God has provided during a difficult time. You will have a story of God’s provision and His redemption to tell your children and your children’s children.

REMEMBER HIS FAITHFULNESS AND PASS THE STORIES DOWN FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION.

That is why the Lord says,
“Turn to me now, while there is time.
Give me your hearts.
Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning.
Don’t tear your clothing in your grief,
but tear your hearts instead.”
Return to the Lord your God,
for he is merciful and compassionate,
slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
He is eager to relent and not punish. – Joel 2:12-13

We serve a God of grace. When we come to him in sincere repentance, genuinely living for Him and submitting to His lordship, we experience His unmerited favor.

We serve a God of compassion. He not not only forgives us, but He also gives us His Spirit to dwell within us. This presence transforms us into the people He created us to be.

We serve a God of mercy. And where there is mercy, hope can be found. Our God is gracious and compassionate, full of mercy and love.

We serve a holy God. He sees the devastation that sin is wreaking in this world, and He will come one day to bring judgment. He will right all wrongs and renew His covenant with all of creation. Praise God, restoration will come after the judgment. He will reign in this world and in our hearts.

“Now return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
“But you ask, ‘How can we return when we have never gone away?’
Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me!
But you ask, ‘What do you mean? When did we ever cheat you?’”

“You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me. You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in!Try it! Put me to the test! Your crops will be abundant, for I will guard them from insects and disease. Your grapes will not fall from the vine before they are ripe,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “Then all nations will call you blessed, for your land will be such a delight,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. – Malachi 3:7b-12

SINCERITY — Are we going through the motions of our Christian walk or are we sincerely following Him? He wants us to give from our heart, genuinely showing our love and faithfulness. He wants us to give in order to please Him, not to make ourselves feel good or to satisfy the minimum requirement of being a member of a congregation.

QUALITY — Are we giving our best or doing our best with what God has entrusted to us? Are we hanging on tight to this life or do we live as if everything we have comes from Him and belongs to Him?

LOYALTY — Are we committed to God? Are we faithfully following through on all we have promised before God and to God? Do our priorities reflect our loyal commitment to God?

Lord, open our eyes to the areas of our lives where we are cheating you, and therefore cheating ourselves of your blessings. Lord, open the windows of heaven for us. Pour out a blessing so great we will not have enough room to take it in! Lord, bless us with your presence today and reveal where we have lost our spiritual fervor. Place in us the desires of your heart, and cause us to stir at what moves you. We love you, Lord. We want to live sincerely — everyday giving our best to you, and remaining forever committed to who you have called us to be. Everything we do, we long to do for you and not just to please ourselves. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Nehemiah & Esther

In November, we began reviewing our 2024 journey through the Old Testament. As we finish up these last few book summaries, I look forward to working our way through the genealogy of Jesus as we prepare for our celebration of the birth and life of our Redeemer. Let’s review what we learned about God through the availability of both Nehemiah and Esther.

While Ezra had returned to Jerusalem to teach the people and unify them in repentance, Nehemiah was still back in Persia serving as the cupbearer to the king. When news arrived that the Jews in Jerusalem were experiencing opposition, he mourned on their behalf. The Temple had been rebuilt in the midst of the opposition, but the wall of Jerusalem had been torn down and the gates had been burned.

IT WAS THE DESIRE OF NEHEMIAH’S HEART TO GO TO JERUSALEM TO HELP THE PEOPLE REBUILD THE WALL, SO HE PRAYED FOR GOD TO GIVE HIM THE DESIRE OF HIS HEART.

An invitation was required in order to approach the king of Persia, so Nehemiah would be in the presence of the king as his cupbearer, but he could not ask for permission to travel to Jerusalem without the king first speaking to him. God saw the desire of Nehemiah’s heart to serve his people and faithfully answered his prayer. The king noticed that Nehemiah had a heavy heart and asked him if he was troubled, giving Nehemiah the opportunity to return to Jerusalem. Again, just like Ezra, the king granted Nehemiah’s request in a generous way because the gracious hand of God was on him (Nehemiah 2:8).

When Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem, he inspected the condition of what was left of the wall. He went back to the Jewish leaders to inspire them to end the disgrace and rebuild the wall. Nehemiah saw God’s movement, recognized that the gracious hand of God was on him and testified to the rest of his people of God’s faithfulness. His bold requests, his intercessory heart, and his testimony of God’s grace are what gave the people courage and inspiration to rebuild the city of Jerusalem, starting with its wall.

Things did not go easily as they rebuilt the wall. They faced criticism and opposition. Nehemiah had to do the same thing that we have to do daily — he had to DROWN OUT the voice of defeat! He had to push away the negativity and criticism in order to keep his eyes focused on the God who had called him to do hard things. His determination inspired those around him.

NEHEMIAH CHOSE TO DROWN OUT THE VOICE OF DEFEAT AND FOCUS ON THE TASK GOD HAD CALLED HIM TO.

After this, they changed their plan. While half of the men worked, the other half would stand armed with swords against the attacks. Some of the laborers used one hand to support the load while the other hand held a weapon. They carried their weapons with them at all times!

So on October 2 the wall was finished — just fifty-two days after we had begun. When our enemies and the surrounding nations heard about it, they were frightened and humiliated. They realized this work had been done with the help of our God. – Nehemiah 6:15-16

Like Nehemiah, Esther found herself living in the palace during her time of exile in Babylon. After Queen Vashti refused to attend a banquet, she was banished from his presence forever. In order to find a new queen, a search was made across the empire to find beautiful young women to be brought into the king’s harem in order to find a replacement for the queen. These young women would go through a year of beauty treatments, spend one night with the king and then be taken to live among the harem of wives in the palace. If King Xerxes remembered his night with her, she was invited back into his presence.

Esther was one of the young women chosen to come to the palace. God was watching over Esther and she found favor with the eunuch in charge of her care. He treated her kindly, ordered a special menu for her, and assigned seven maids to her care, giving her the best place in the harem. She was not where she wanted to be but she was not alone as God watched over her. She was unaware of God’s plans to use her for the preservation of His people.

ESTHER TRUSTED IN GOD IN THE UNKNOWN WHEN SHE HAD NO WAY TO GET BACK TO THE KNOWN.

God intervened on Nehemiah’s behalf and the king noticed that he was distraught. God intervened on Esther’s behalf and the king noticed her standing in the inner court. He welcomed her and held out the gold scepter to her so that she could approach his throne.

Nehemiah saw a need, prayed for the need, and then allowed himself to be part of the answer to that prayer. He allowed himself to be used by God. Esther saw a need, feared for her life and yet boldly stepped into the equation, allowing herself to become part of the solution.

Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: “Don’t think for a moment that because you’re in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed. If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made the queen for just such a time as this?” – Esther 4:13-14

When faced with opposition while rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, Nehemiah appointed half of the men to work on the wall while half stood armed with swords against the attack. In the same way, God’s people lifted prayers on behalf of Esther while she worked on protecting or rescuing them. She put herself in harm’s way but not until she knew that her family was covering her in prayer, calling on God to bless her efforts and use this royal position as an opportunity to reverse the decree.

There are days and opportunities when God strategically positions us to be used by Him. There are also times in which God gives us the responsibility to pray for someone else. There may be times in which we feel sorry for ourselves, wishing that we were not in a situation or place. Then what once seemed like an unfortunate coincidence becomes a God-placed miracle, and we find ourselves strategically positioned to be used by Him.

WILL WE ACCEPT OUR CALLING FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS?

Will we see our situation today as Esther did? Will we boldly step into the equation and allow ourselves to be part of the solution? Perhaps our role today is to enter into the presence of our King, as Esther did. Perhaps it is our role today to stand “with sword in hand” and pray for God’s protection. Maybe God is calling us to take an unfortunate situation and make it an opportunity for His power to be displayed. Let’s be ready to respond today in obedience the moment God calls us into action — for such a time as this.