Today’s Reading: Matthew 1:1-3; Genesis 15, 24, 32, 38; Romans 5:1-5
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. And, in doing so, He gave Abraham hope.
“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 him that all the land seen 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. And with this gift came the hope for a family. And when babies did not come as expected, Isaac turned to God.
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 eventually 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.
We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. – Romans 5:3-5
Because Abraham responded in obedience to the calling God placed on his life, I am willing to trust God with my yes. 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 goodness of God. I am who I am today because the hard times produced perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And as we become the hope that has been produced in us, shame goes away because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit.
DO YOU KNOW GOD TO BE FAITHFUL? TELL YOUR STORY.
Do you know God to be trustworthy and kind? Then 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 hope.
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 this Christmas. Amen.