Our Family Tree

 A Series on Living by Faith
Genesis 5:21-24; Hebrews 11:5-6
(Use the link below to read the verses.)

 [Hebrews 11 is a recounting of the Heroes of the Faith. Even though they never saw what they had been promised, each person is commended for living “by faith”. At the end of these commendations, Hebrews 12 tells us, “Therefore, because you are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses… throw off sin; run with perseverance; fix your eyes on Jesus”. In other words, live “by faith”.]

 

In the early 80’s, I spent many hours researching my family genealogy. This was before the Internet and Ancenstory.com, so it took some leg work. It wasn’t just a matter of point and click. I interviewed my parents, brother and sisters, aunts and uncles and cousins. I wrote letters; visited the state library; and made phone calls.

 

By the time I was done, I had collected information about several generations. All the names and dates of my ancestors were recorded in a book called “Our Family Tree”. Unfortunately, there was very little in the way of family stories passed down from generation to generation. That would seem to be the case for Enoch also.

 

Enoch first appears in the genealogy of Adam. It’s not the most exciting passage since they all go something like this: “Adam begat a son named Seth… and Adam lived another 800 years”. For nine generations it repeats the same exact message, except for Enoch. His eulogy reads like this.

 

 ²² After he (Enoch) became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked faithfully with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters.      Genesis 5 NIV

 

Only Enoch was different. He didn’t just live, but he “walked faithfully with God” for the rest of his life. And what does it mean to walk faithfully with the Lord? James gives us some insight into that question.

 

²² But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves… ²⁵ But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.            James 1 NLT

 

Enoch did just that! He listened and obeyed; and for that, he was rewarded unlike any other.

 

 ⁵ By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.     Hebrews 11 NIV

 

What will my eulogy be? That I had a daughter named Tara and lived another 50 years? Or that I walked faithfully with the Lord? What will your eulogy be?

 

 

 

Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things

(4^th in a series on Lent)

Matthew 1:1-16 & 1 Corinthians 1:26-31

 (Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+1%3A1-16+&version=NIV

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1Cor.1.26-1Cor.1.31

 

 

Have you ever wondered who your ancestors are? Whether any of them are famous, or infamous? A long time ago, I bought a book called Our Family Tree and did a fair amount of research on my family genealogy. There were farmers, ministers, teachers, contractors, builders; basically just regular ordinary people.

 

Matthew starts his gospel with the genealogy of Jesus. It’s a pretty impressive list of ancestors which includes Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Eventually he adds David who received the Messianic promise fulfilled through the birth of Jesus.

 

But if you look closely, you can read some of their stories which includes lies, manipulation, stealing, power struggles, dysfunctional families, adultery and murder. In addition, written to a male dominated society, Matthew’s list includes five women, of which three were Gentiles; not your typical Jewish audience.

 

Matthew’s genealogy is not exactly the pristine genealogy that you might expect for the

Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham, the son of God. And yet, it is exactly as it should be. It tells us a lot about who God is and how He works.

 

For one thing, Matthew’s genealogy would seem to imply that the Gospel is not just for Jews; not just for men or for those who have power; not just for those who are religious. But it is for all that would believe; for all that have faith; for all that love the Lord your God.

 

You could also infer from his genealogy that God works through the common, ordinary, even sinful people of this world to accomplish His will. Paul wrote this to the Corinthians:

 

²⁶ Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. ²⁷ But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. ²⁸ God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, ²⁹ so that no one may boast before him. NIV

 

You may have seen the TV commercial about a little boy who tries to hit a baseball by throwing it up in the air. Each time he declares, “I’m the greatest hitter in the world”! Following his third strike he ponders what just happened and suddenly declares, “I’m the greatest pitcher in the world”!

http://www.values.com/inspirational-stories-tv-spots/99-the-greatest

 

Whether that is true or not, is not the point. The point is that he is a normal, ordinary little boy who expects to accomplish extraordinary things. In the same way, God uses ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things.

 

 

 

(If God has spoken to you through this devotional, please feel free to share it with others.)

http://lifelinebasketball.blogspot.com/