Matthew 1-3

today's reading was Matthew 1-3. kinda appropriate for the Christmas season. here are my random thoughts:

1) most people skip over the genealogy, but God put it there for a reason. i heard of one tribe that accepted Jesus as Lord because their chief was whoever could trace their lineage back the farthest. for the rest of us, i think this serves as a reminder that we all have a part to play. i mean, most of us have no idea who most of these people are, and many of them aren't mentioned anywhere else in the Bible. but without them, we don't get Jesus, so i'd say they're pretty important people.

all that to say, you never know what God might use you for; just be willing.


2) when mary and joseph take Jesus into hiding, matthew says this was to fulfill a prophesy: "out of egypt I called My Son."  now, in the original context in Hosea, i would never have gotten that this is really about Jesus and not just referring back to the exodus.  but the authors of Scripture were taught and knew that the whole Bible, indeed, all of history is actually about Jesus.  even little bits like this.

when you read the old testament, be on the lookout for Jesus showing up.


3) i was freshly affected by the slaughter of the children of bethlehem. it's so easy to just read over it and pass it by, but these were beloved sons, snatched away by a tyrant before they had really had a chance to live.  today's school shooting brings that even closer to home.

o Lord, hasten the day when you make all evil to cease.


4) john the baptist is a pretty crazy fellow, and deserves a great deal of attention.  i mean, Jesus says no other human is greater than him.  that's pretty crazy!  and he has some pretty pointed words, kinda like what isaiah was talking about yesterday.  this repentance stuff is no joke.  i'm glad my church family is taking this seriously, and i pray that God helps us to continue in seeking Him above all.

let's follow after Jesus with all we've got.


amen?
s.D.g.