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 1:5
It’s tempting to rush past the first few verses in Matthew’s Gospel. This person is the father of that person, and that person is the father of this person, and so on… can’t we just get to the part where Jesus was born?!
And to be clear, the birth of Jesus, the Savior of the world is a great part of the story! But like all good stories, it’s hard to fully appreciate the central character if you don’t actually know how we got here in the first place!
So, as you begin this new year, take a moment to reflect, look back, ponder and appreciate how we got here in the first place.
As you might already know, it’s an absolute miracle you’re even here on this earth. Your two parents had to meet, and before them four grandparents, and before them eight great-grandparents, and so on…
Think about it, if even one of those meetings didn’t happen, a whole different story would have been written; and you wouldn’t be part of it! But you are, and that’s amazing!
I love hearing the stories about my family history. For instance, my mom’s mom was originally engaged to a guy named Buster, that is, until she met my grandpa. If my grandma and Buster would have married, who knows if I’d even be here writing these words? My great-grandma on my dad’s side passed away just a few days after she gave birth to my grandpa. If tragedy would have struck just a few days sooner, I wouldn’t be here.
But I am, and you are too!
So I wonder; how well do you know your family story? How much do you appreciate this gift (and it truly is a gift) of life you have been given?
Why spend time reflecting to start the new year anyway? Well, because that’s exactly how the Gospel of Matthew begins, with a history lesson! So let’s take a moment to zoom in on one verse (Matthew 1:5) just to see how rich the stories of history are!
As the walls of Jericho were falling (Joshua 6) most residents experienced fear. But one particular resident, a prostitute named Rahab, experienced freedom and new life! You see, just a few days earlier she had helped hide two Israelite spies and found favor with God, so she was sparred when the day of destruction came. Soon after, she married and had a son!
Years later, a different woman, a foreigner named Ruth, tragically lost her husband and was faced with a life-changing decision. Should she return home and start over? Or stay with her mother-in-law in this foreign land? She chose to stay with her mother-in-law and soon discovered a new life in this new land. She traveled to a town called Bethlehem and there she met a man named Boaz (who just so happened to be the son of Rahab from Jericho) and together they had a son!
Their little boy was named Obed and he became the father of Jesse who became the father of a little shepherd boy named David! The one who killed Goliath, and later became King of Israel!
All of that just in one little verse of the Bible! From Rahab to Ruth to the Royal family of King David!
Have you ever wondered, what if Rahab would have turned away those spies? Or, what if Ruth would have left her mother-in-law and returned home to Moab? These seemingly “little” decisions changed the course of history! Without them, there might not have been a King David!
But there was!
And there’s also a YOU. Here on this earth. Chosen by God long ago.
You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. – Psalm 139:16
So as this new year begins, remember God is with you! Trust him to guide you in your decision-making, for in those decisions many generations of lives will be impacted!