Today’s Reading: Psalm 57 & 115

JESUS, THE WORD, GIVES LOVE.

So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing LOVE and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son. – John 1:14

When He entered the world of darkness, he gave us blessing after blessing from the abundance of His love. Before this time, God’s people had experienced the love of their Creator who had faithfully cared for them, but it was through the gift of His Son that God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came down so close they could see it!

From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us. – John 1:16-18

What a gift we were given when the Word took on flesh! As we study the life of Jesus, we come to a better understanding of who God is. The sacrifice of Jesus gives us perspective of just how much God loves us. His love for us is revealed in the gift of His Son.

No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:39

JESUS, THE WORD, REVEALS LOVE.

Life, light and love — we will experience all three of these today but it is our choice whether or not we acknowledge the presence of these gifts in our life. Today I can choose to recognize God’s blessings in my life that overflow from the abundance of His unfailing love and faithfulness, or I can focus on the loud cries of the darkness that try hard to extinguish these gifts of life, light and love.

Jesus came into the world he created and they rejected him, but all who believed him and accepted him were given the right to become children of God (v.10-12). I am a child of God! I have been given life, which brought light into the darkness I was living in, and today I will see God in every blessing He has abundantly allowed to overflow into my life out of His great love!

Thank you, God, for the impact you have made and continue to make on my life. Your praise, Oh God, will ever be on my lips!

My heart is confident in you, O God;
my heart is confident.
No wonder I can sing your praises!
Wake up, my heart!
Wake up, O lyre and harp!
I will wake the dawn with my song.
I will thank you, Lord, among all the people.
I will sing your praises among the nations.
For your unfailing love is as high as the heavens.
Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens.
May your glory shine over all the earth. – Psalm 57:7-11

Today’s Reading: John 1:14-18

LIFE, LIGHT and LOVE – three powerful words that describe our Lord and Savior. We are able to experience these three gifts because of the presence of Christ in our life, the presence of the Word.

In the beginning the Word already existed.
The Word was with God, and the Word was God.
He existed in the beginning with God.
God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.
The Word gave LIFE to everything that was created, and his life brought LIGHT to everyone.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. – John 1:1-5

JESUS, THE WORD, GIVES US LIGHT.

Just as God spoke light into existence at creation, Jesus brought light when he came into the very world he created. Jesus – the true light – came into a world that had been darkened by sin in order to cast his light into the world he created.

The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. – John 1:9

So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son. – John 1:14

Through Jesus Christ we experience the unfailing love and faithfulness of God. We come to know the God who created us through the Son who died for us, and then have the blessing of His Spirit that lives in us.

No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us. – John 1:18

Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” – John 8:12

JESUS, THE WORD, IS LIGHT.

I am so thankful that the light of Jesus led me to an understanding of God’s plan for my life. His light shines in the darkness so that we can see beyond the sinful options of this world and see the difference He can make in our lives. The same God who created light in the beginning, when all was dark, is the God who sent the Word to become the light of the world. His light shines brightly in the lives of those around us, giving us hope for our own salvation.

For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. – 2 Corinthians 4:6

JESUS, THE WORD, SHINES IN THE DARKNESS.

Jesus replied, “My light will shine for you just a little longer. Walk in the light while you can, so the darkness will not overtake you. Those who walk in the darkness cannot see where they are going. Put your trust in the light while there is still time; then you will become children of the light.” After saying these things, Jesus went away and was hidden from them. – John 12:35-36

In what ways can we choose to walk in the light today? There is so much darkness around us — darkness on the daily news, darkness in politics, darkness in social media, darkness in the hearts of our friends and neighbors. With this darkness comes loneliness, grief, hopelessness, and pain. The One who created light has a plan to be the light in our lives for those who are hurting. This changes the way we see our day. Is this just another day, or is this the opportunity to let His holiness shine in our lives, bringing hope to everyone we come in contact with.

Lord, we give you our day and ask that your light will shine brightly for us to see your plan. Give us clarity when we have decisions to make and give us eyes to see the pain of those around us. Help us to show joy and cast hope into the lives of others. May the words of our mouths and the brightness of our hearts help someone else see YOU today. Jesus, we choose to walk in your light and shine for others, just as you are shining for us. Amen.

Today’s Reading: John 1:1-13

Jesus was a descendant of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He came from the family lineage of Solomon, son of King David. Matthew made known where Jesus came from but John made known that Jesus existed long before Abraham. Let’s consider the significance of who Jesus is and the impact His life has on ours today.

Jesus.
My Savior, my Redeemer, my LIFE.
Jesus.
My Counselor, my Comforter, my LIGHT.
Jesus.
My King, my Best Friend, my LOVE.
Jesus.

LIFE, LIGHT and LOVE – three powerful words that describe the difference Jesus Christ makes in our life. These three gifts from God are made possible by the presence of Christ in our life, the presence of the Word.

In the beginning the Word already existed.
The Word was with God, and the Word was God.
He existed in the beginning with God.
God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.
The Word gave LIFE to everything that was created, and his life brought LIGHT to everyone.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. – John 1:1-5

JESUS, THE WORD, GIVES US LIFE.

He was there in the beginning when life was created. In fact, all life was created through Him because he is the One who gave life to everything that was created. We would not be here, we would not experience physical life, if it were not for Jesus – the Word. But we would also not experience a rebirth or a second gift of life if it were not for him.

He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn – not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God. – John 1:10-13

We experience new life in God when we accept what Jesus did for us on the cross. When we see the part we played in his death and believe that he rose from the dead, we accept that Jesus is the pathway to life. We experience a new life because of the One who gave life to everything.

JESUS, THE WORD, IS THE WAY TO LIFE.

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” – John 14:6

Jesus, we recognize you this morning as the Giver of Life. We thank you for each day you give us to experience life with our family and friends, and we praise you for the opportunity to experience new life through our relationship with you. You are the way to life, you are the truth that guides our life, and you are the source of life itself. We give you all the praise this morning as we recognize your gift of life and commit to keeping our eyes focused on you.

Today’s Reading: Luke 1:26-56

There are five women in the genealogy of Jesus – five women with stained reputations but also five women whom God chose to bless by placing them in this royal lineage. What would Jesus have said regarding his precious mother, Mary, the fifth woman in this genealogy recorded by Matthew? Let’s look at her story – a story of a young woman who was the object of gossip, speculation, condemnation and, best of all, the love of Jesus.

Mary – a simple young woman seen by God to be worthy of the task of raising God’s Son.
Mary – a virgin waiting for her upcoming marriage to the carpenter Joseph.
Mary – found to be with child before her wedding day.

Who would believe her when she said an angel appeared to her?
Who would be convinced she was still a virgin?
Who would be the first to call out for her stoning?

Luke tells the story of how Mary came to be in the lineage of Jesus. An angel appeared to Mary saying, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!”

Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end! – Luke 1:28-31

Mary could have panicked; she could have argued, “Why me?!!” She could have worried about her reputation or feared how her community might react. But Mary, precious Mary, responded in submission to God’s holy plan with a humility that is still highly respected today.

Mary humbly sang a song of praise, “…Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed…” (1:47-48).

Mary humbly traveled to Bethlehem in Judea, while far along in her pregnancy, only to arrive in labor with no place but a simple manger to give birth to the Christ child (2:4-7).

Mary humbly listened to the shepherds’ story of what the angels had said to them and kept all these things in her heart, thinking about them often (2:16-19).

Mary humbly presented her baby to the Lord in Jerusalem and was amazed by what Simeon had to say about the baby she held in her arms. Can you imagine what she was thinking when she heard his words: “This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, but he will be a joy to many others. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul” (2:34-35).

Mary humbly responded when the prophet Anna began praising God and telling everyone that this child was the one God would use to rescue Jerusalem (2:36-38).

At what point do you think Mary began to feel a little overwhelmed? She was human and would have felt the same things we would feel if we thought we had lost our twelve year old in Jerusalem during the crowded Passover festival (2:48). She was his mother, no wonder she pushed him toward greatness at the wedding in Cana (John 2:3-5). She was his mother, no wonder she interrupted his ministry with the desire to talk with him and spend time with him (Matthew 12:46). He was her son, no wonder she wept as he hung on the cross dying (Matthew 27:56).

What would Jesus have to say about this fifth woman listed in his genealogy? She was his mother and he loved her.

Standing near the cross were Jesus’ mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary (the wife of Clopas), and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, “Dear woman, here is your son.” And he said to the disciple, “Here is your mother,” and from then on this disciple took her into his home. – John 19:25-27

Jesus said very little while on the cross, but he took the time to respond to his mother’s breaking heart. His love for her must have been so great! Wouldn’t it be great to be loved by Jesus in that way? But wait, we are! Remember this conversation:

Jesus asked, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” Then he pointed to his disciples and said, “Look, these are my mother and brothers. Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother!” – Matthew 12:48-50

This fifth woman in the genealogy of Jesus was no doubt loved and cared for by her son, but that same love and care was poured out for us when Jesus gave His life on the cross so that we might spend eternity with Him. Let’s consider how much Jesus loves us as we finish our morning coffee…

Today’s Reading: 2 Samuel 11-12, Luke 7:37-50, Psalm 90

There are five women in the genealogy of Jesus – five women with stained reputations but also five women whom God chose to bless by placing them in this royal lineage. As Jesus was growing up, I am sure his parents taught him the stories of his ancestors.

What would Jesus have said regarding Bathsheba, the fourth woman in his paternal genealogy? Let’s look at her story – a story that includes foolishness, adultery, intense grief and finally redemption – a second chance.

David was the father of Solomon (whose mother was Bathsheba, the widow of Uriah). – Matthew 1:6b

The fact that Bathsheba is described in the genealogy of Jesus as the widow of Uriah is a reminder of the sin that brought her into this family tree. Bathsheba made a foolish decision that led to a weak moment which led to a tragic death of an innocent man, her husband.

Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath. He sent someone to find out who she was, and he was told, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” Then David sent messengers to get her; and when she came to the palace, he slept with her. She had just completed the purification rites after having her menstrual period. Then she returned home. Later, when Bathsheba discovered that she was pregnant, she sent David a message, saying, “I’m pregnant.” – 2 Samuel 11:2-5

David’s first mistake is that he was not where he should have been. He should have been on the battlefield with the Israelite army but chose to send them out alone. Bathsheba’s first mistake was similar. She was not where she should have been. Even if the weather was warm and a bath on the roof was permissible, she should have set up a covering to prevent anyone from being able to see her. Bathsheba would have been fully aware that she could be seen from the roof of the palace.

“Stay ever so close to me, and you will not deviate from the path I have prepared for you.” This is great advice from Sarah Young’s book Jesus Calling, and would have been good advice for David and Bathsheba. If they had stayed close to God, they would have been where they were supposed to be and would not have given into sexual immorality. Their union led to shame and an unintended pregnancy, which led to a murder in order to cover up the transgression, which led to their grief when their son died seven days after birth.

David confessed his sin to the Lord and, although there were still some harsh consequences, God forgave David his sin (12:11-14). God blessed David and Bathsheba with another son and David named him Solomon.

This is the story of how Bathsheba came to be in the lineage of Jesus. What would the young man, Jesus, have to say of this woman in his family story – the one with the “scarlet letter”?

When a certain immoral woman from that city heard he was eating there, she brought a beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume. Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them.

When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner!”…

Then Jesus told him this story: “A man loaned money to two people—500 pieces of silver to one and 50 pieces to the other. But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?”

Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt.”

“That’s right,” Jesus said. Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn’t offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You didn’t greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume.

“I tell you, her sins — and they are many — have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.” Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven…Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” – Luke 7:37-50

If you can relate to Bathsheba’s foolish decisions and sinful behavior, if you understand the grief and regret she suffered, then perhaps these words are what you need to hear from the Prince of Peace himself, “Your sins are forgiven…Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” If you relate more to the Pharisees who stood in condemnation of the sinful woman who was kneeling at Jesus’ feet, if you have focused on the sins of another person or refused to forgive them, then perhaps these words are also for you – “Your sins are forgiven…Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Today’s Reading: Ruth 2-3, Romans 3

There are five women in the genealogy of Jesus – five women with stained reputations but also five women whom God chose to bless by placing them in this royal lineage. As Jesus was growing up, I am sure his parents taught him the stories of his ancestors.

What would Jesus have said regarding Ruth, the third of the women in his paternal genealogy? Let’s look at her story – a story that includes the loss of a husband and leaving everything she knows to go to a strange land, only to be treated as an outsider or foreigner. Ruth’s stained reputation had nothing to do with her actions and everything to do with the color of her skin and her ethnic heritage.

Just like Rahab, Ruth was a foreigner who took refuge under the wings of the God of Israel (Ruth 2:12). When given the opportunity to return to her family and their false gods, Ruth said to her mother-in-law, Naomi, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!” – Ruth 1:16-17

Naomi returned to soil that had been inactive in her husband’s absence. With no one there to plant the seed, there would be no harvest. Naomi sent Ruth out to gather what was left after the workers had harvested their fields. But God’s plan for Ruth was not for her to survive on leftovers, but that she would thrive in abundance. She had been faithfully devoted to both Naomi and to the Lord, and He was about to do something for her that was beyond her understanding.

In those days, the nearest relative to the patriarch in the family was referred to as the “Family Redeemer.” Boaz was a wealthy and influential man; a close relative to Naomi’s deceased husband, Elimelech. However, Boaz was not the closest relative, so he went on Ruth’s behalf and arranged to buy the land and take Ruth as his wife.

Like Tamar, Ruth was a widow who was left without children to carry on the family name. But God had a plan of redemption for Ruth, just as He had for Tamar. Not only would Ruth’s family be famous in Bethlehem, Bethlehem would become famous because of Ruth’s family.

The women in the town saw this union of Boaz and Ruth as Naomi’s redemption. She had lost her husband and both of her sons and was left alone with only her daughter-in-law to support her. Knowing that the Christ child was to be born in this family lineage, consider the powerful words of these unsuspecting women as they speak a blessing on Naomi and her descendants.

“Praise the Lord, who has now provided a redeemer for your family! May this child be famous in Israel. May he restore your youth and care for you in your old age. For he is the son of your daughter-in-law who loves you and has been better to you than seven sons!” Naomi took the baby and cuddled him to her breast. And she cared for him as if he were her own. The neighbor women said, “Now at last Naomi has a son again!” And they named him Obed. He became the father of Jesse and the grandfather of David. – Ruth 4:14-17

So Ruth was the great-grandmother to David, the first King of Israel and the one whose lineage would produce the Messiah. From the union of Boaz and Ruth, the ultimate Family Redeemer would be born. Because of our own sinful choices, we were slaves to our sin, but Jesus paid the debt and rescued us from slavery with the shedding of his scarlet blood.

“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” – Matthew 20:28

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. – Romans 3:23-25a

He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. – Ephesians 1:7

This is the story of how Ruth came to be in the lineage of Jesus. Though others saw her as less because of where she came from, God saw her as more because He knew where she was going. God’s plan of redemption was not only for Tamar, Rahab and Ruth; God’s plan of redemption is for us. No matter who we are or what we have done, Jesus is our Family Redeemer. Though we are poor and have nothing of earthly value to offer, He has paid our debt and delivered us from slavery to sin.

Let us worship our Family Redeemer – the One who was born and then died to offer us eternal life. Let us humbly bow down and offer to Him all that we are, along with all of our past regrets, so that we can walk into His future and thankfully accept His gift of salvation.

Today’s Reading: Joshua 2, John 8:1-11

There are five women in the genealogy of Jesus – five women with stained reputations but also five women whom God chose to bless by placing them in this royal lineage. As Jesus was growing up, I am sure his parents taught him the stories of his ancestors. He would have known Rahab’s story – a story that includes prostitution, deceit, dishonesty and finally REDEMPTION and a new life.

Tamar had disguised herself and acted as a prostitute one time in an act of deceit, but Rahab made a living from prostitution. Rahab opened her home to strangers as an inn or hotel in the walled city of Jericho. It was common for women who owned this kind of business to also offer more than just a place to sleep for the night, but to also offer their body to the strangers passing through town.

But this night was different. Her guests served the God she had heard so much about, the God who drew her to Himself in a way that perhaps made her feel loved and worthy for the first time. So when she received orders from the king of Jericho to bring out the spies, Rahab lied and said the spies were no longer there. To protect these godly men, she hid them beneath bundles of flax she had laid out on the roof and lied about their whereabouts. She lowered them to the ground out her window using a scarlet rope in order to help them escape safely.

Rahab’s desire was to live. But beyond the idea of escaping death, Rahab desired to REALLY live – to experience the kind of life the God of Israel could give her. She had heard the stories and her heart longed to be a part of what God was doing. This foreign prostitute had developed a faith in God in the midst of a pagan world.

So Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute and her relatives who were with her in the house, because she had hidden the spies Joshua sent to Jericho. And she lives among the Israelites to this day. – Joshua 6:25

This is the story of how Rahab came to be in the lineage of Jesus. In this story, Rahab risked her life in order to spare the life of two men of God. She walked away from everything she had ever known – the sin, the shame, the regret, the scarlet rope – and began worshipping the God who had always loved her.

A man named Salmon (a descendant of Tamar’s son Perez) looked beyond Rahab’s past and gave her a future as his wife. Perhaps Salmon remembered the redemption of Tamar when he looked at Rahab and was willing to offer her the same grace that had been extended to his ancestor. Together they had a son and they named him Boaz. All three of these names can be found in the genealogy of Jesus Christ.

What would the young man, Jesus, have to say of this woman in his family story? What would Jesus have to say of this woman with a history of sexual immorality? Perhaps Jesus’ thoughts went to Rahab when he knelt down and wrote in the sand:

“Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?”

They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” Then he stooped down and wrote in the dust.

When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”

“No, Lord,” she said.
And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.” – John 8:4-11

Perhaps there is a “scarlet rope” in your past that has kept you in bondage when God wants to use it for your escape. Just like Tamar and Rahab, God’s perfect plan for you includes redemption and forgiveness – new life in Christ. Or perhaps there is someone in your life for whom God intends redemption and forgiveness but you are using the “scarlet rope” to keep them in bondage, unwilling to forgive or forget the sinful decisions they have made.

Jesus is stooping down and writing something in the sand. Listen closely. He is saying something. “But let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” Let’s put down the stone in our hand, unwrap the scarlet rope from around her reputation and offer her the same thing that God offers her – redemption and forgiveness; new life in Christ.

Today’s Reading: Genesis 38; John 4:1-42

There are five women in the genealogy of Jesus – five women with stained reputations, but also five women whom God chose to bless by placing them in this royal lineage. As Jesus was growing up, I am sure his parents taught him the stories of his ancestors. We know that Jesus was well studied in the law and history of the Israelites. He would have known the stories of all the names in his genealogy – both the family lineage of the man who was known as his father, Joseph, and the family lineage of his mother, Mary.

What would Jesus have said regarding Tamar, the first of the women in his paternal genealogy? Let’s look at her story – a story that includes grief, abuse, rejection, abandonment, prostitution, deceit and finally redemption.

God had a plan – the Messiah would be a descendant of Abraham and a descendant of Judah and a descendant of Perez. But Judah married a Canaanite woman, whose influence on his sons caused them to be evil in the eyes of the Lord. In spite of all of this, God continued to work out his plan. In spite of Judah’s sins of selfishness, God took the unholy union of Judah and Tamar and made a beautiful thing. Tamar was pregnant with twin boys. Zerah began to come out first, but God’s plan was for Perez so he caused Zerah to pull back and Perez to be born first.

This is the story of how Tamar came to be in the lineage of Jesus. In this story, Tamar is first a victim of the sinful choices of three men in the lineage of Jacob, but Tamar did not remain innocent in this story. Desperate for love, she devised a plan of deception that included sexual immorality. Instead of trusting God to take care of her, Tamar stepped out of His plan and created her own. What would the young man, Jesus, have to say of this woman in his family story? What would Jesus have to say of the man, Perez, whose birth was the result of a crisis pregnancy?

Perhaps Jesus’ thoughts went to Tamar when he met the Samaritan woman at the well – a well that was near the field that Jacob gave his son Joseph. Perhaps he was thinking of Jacob’s daughter-in-law who would have perhaps drawn water from this same well at one time.

The story of the Samaritan woman had some resemblance to the story of Tamar – multiple husbands and then union with a man who was not her husband. Her story might have included the same elements as Tamar’s – grief, abuse, rejection, abandonment, prostitution, and deceit. What we know is that her story included redemption.

If you have some of these same elements in your story, perhaps these words of Jesus are for you today: “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water…Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” – John 4:10, 13-14

God’s perfect plan for your life probably did not include a lot of the pain that makes up your story but His plan for you has always ended in redemption. He sent His son to be born of a woman pledged to be married to Joseph – whose family story was far from perfect. That same son died on a cross in order to complete your story – to be sure that it can include a story of redemption from sins and eternal life that can be found by accepting the living water that He offers you today.

Let us worship the One who was born and died to offer us eternal life. Let’s humbly bow down and offer to Him our past so that we can walk into His future.

Today’s Reading: Joshua 6, Ruth 4, 1 Samuel 16

Ram was the father of Amminadab.
Amminadab was the father of Nahshon.
Nahshon was the father of Salmon.
Salmon was the father of Boaz (whose mother was Rahab).
Boaz was the father of Obed (whose mother was Ruth).
Obed was the father of Jesse. – Matthew 1:4-5

We have very little information about Hezron, Ram, Amminadab, or Nahshon except to know that they were leaders of the tribe of Judah and faithfully gave their offerings to the Lord. There is not much said about Salmon and yet he is one of my favorites.

Meanwhile, Joshua said to the two spies, “Keep your promise. Go to the prostitute’s house and bring her out, along with all her family.” The men who had been spies went in and brought out Rahab, her father, mother, brothers, and all the other relatives who were with her. They moved her whole family to a safe place near the camp of Israel. Then the Israelites burned the town and everything in it. Only the things made from silver, gold, bronze, or iron were kept for the treasury of the Lord’s house. So Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute and her relatives who were with her in the house, because she had hidden the spies Joshua sent to Jericho. And she lives among the Israelites to this day. – Joshua 6:22-25

SALMON WAS THE KIND OF MAN WHO WAS WILLING TO LOVE A WOMAN WITH A PAST.

Rahab, the hero in the story of Israel’s defeat of Jericho, was brought into the family of God. She had been a prostitute and yet God used her in a mighty way to fulfill His promise to Abraham. Her courage and her willingness to serve the God of the Israelites not only gave her a place in the tribe of Judah, it gave her a place in the lineage of Jesus. This woman was rescued through the love of her husband, forgiven by the grace of her God and redeemed by the blood of her descendant — Jesus.

The Lord blessed the union of Salmon and Rahab, and they gave birth to a son whom they named Boaz. Just as Salmon had been the Family Redeemer for a woman named Rahab, Boaz was the Family Redeemer for a woman named Ruth.

BOAZ WAS THE KIND OF MAN WHO WAS WILLING TO LOVE AND CARE FOR A WIDOW AND HER MOTHER-IN-LAW.

This Moabite woman, who was raised by her family to worship false idols, made the choice to walk away from everything she knew and serve the God of her mother-in-law. Her dedication to care for Naomi and to worship the God of the Israelites led to her own journey of redemption. Ruth was embraced through the love of her husband, cared for through the compassion of her God and redeemed through the blood of her descendant — Jesus.

The Lord blessed the union of Boaz and Ruth, and they gave birth to a son whom they named Obed. Obed’s claim to fame is that he was the father of Jesse, whose story is told in 1 Samuel 16. As an obedient response to God’s direction, Samuel went to Jesse with a flask of olive oil and the intent to anoint one of Jesse’s sons as the new king of Israel. So in the small town of Bethlehem, the future birthplace of the Messiah, Jesse lined up his seven sons for Samuel to choose from. One by one, Samuel recognized that the Lord had not chosen any of these brothers to be king.

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” – 1 Samuel 16:7

He asked Jesse if he had any other sons and Jesse sent for his youngest who was out in the fields watching the sheep and goats. David was dark and handsome, with beautiful eyes. The Lord said, “This is the one; anoint him” (16:12).

JESSE WAS THE KIND OF FATHER WHO WAS WILLING TO LET GO OF HIS SON AND ALLOW HIM TO PURSUE GOD’S CALL ON HIS LIFE.

These men and women in the genealogy of Jesus were not perfect, but they were chosen by God. They were unaware that the Messiah would come through their descendants, but their influence was passed down from generation to generation. Have you considered what God has ahead for those in your family line? The decisions we make today have the potential to influence their story. What will they say about us? What story will be told about our faith?

Today’s Reading: 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

FROM JACOB WE LEARN WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO STRUGGLE WHILE PERSISTENTLY SEEKING GOD’S BLESSING.

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.

Do you know God to be faithful? 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.

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.