The next few days our readings are lists of names. If you need more inspiration, I suggest that you also read the following passage for your personal devotions today.
Psalm 90
SCRIPTURE: 1 Chronicles 1-2
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
The descendants of Adam were Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah. [1 Chronicles 1:1-4]
Jesus was the son of… Kenan was the son of Enosh. Enosh was the son of Seth. Seth was the son of Adam. Adam was the son of God. [Luke 3:23,38]
OK, I admit it, the opening chapters of 1 Chronicles are not exciting or interesting… to me.
I suppose if this was my family genealogy, I might be more interested.
But wait a minute, it is my genealogy – this line goes all the way back to Adam, and Adam’s line goes all the way up to Jesus.
Notice how Jesus (the Son of God) is directly related to Adam, also the son of God – and I am related to both of them!
That makes me a child of God too!
And you too… and everyone else!
Every person that has ever existed, and ever will, is connected to God’s family, to Adam, to Jesus, and is therefore a child of God by birth.
This means that my family tree does not just include dutch names, but the names of people like Joaquín, Darja, Aleksej, Anahit, Gor, Hiroto, Zeynep, Mustafa, Afeef, Fayiz, Mwamba, Badriyah and Olufunmilayo.
And they’re all sons and daughters of God… and related to Jesus.
I don’t expect you to find this list of names as interesting, but do stop and think of each one of these people as real people, as family.
Granted we’re an estranged, dysfunctional family, but we’re all blood.
If we could get this thought rooted into our hearts and minds, maybe we would start seeing and treating one another better.
Yes, I know that ultimately what identifies a person as a child of God is their new relationship through Jesus Christ.
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 1:12-13]
But this restored identity builds on our original creation identity.
The world is filled with prodigal sons and daughters that the Father is eager to reconcile, to renew their identity us His children.
It was the father’s decision and love that restored the prodigal son.
And the father does not want anyone to perish [2 Peter 3:9]…
For they are all related to Adam, to Jesus, to Him!
PRAYER:
Lord, help me to see all people as prodigal sons and daughters, like me, in need of Your gracious love and welcome!