“These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but they were not found…” (Ezra 2:62a).
My personal Bible reading for today came from 1 Chronicles 1-4. Nothing like page after page of begats at five in the morning to refresh, rejuvenate and restore you for the day, is there?
Oh, don’t get me wrong, family heritage is very important to me. I know Harry Jr. and Mary begat Bob and that Ernie and Mary Edna begat Nora. Bob and Nora then begat Malinda, and therefore I’m here typing.
The importance of all this genealogy? The reason for giving it room in the Big Book? I found it in the footnotes of my study Bible…
“As the exiles looked forward to the day when they would return to their homeland, one of their biggest fears was that the records of their heritage would be lost. The Jews placed great importance upon their heritage because each person wanted to be able to prove they were a descendant of Abraham.” -Life Application Study Bible
And for us? The value for us?
If the church books were lost and there was no written record of your church membership—would others know you belonged to the King of Kings? If your bank statements were stolen and all copies of cancelled checks—would there be a record of your giving to the Way left for your children‘s children to discover? If the publishers of the yearly church directory inadvertently left your picture out of the booklet? If you didn’t get one of the new church T-shirts? If your recipes in the fundraiser cookbook were put under someone else’s name? Would the world still know you were a child of God? Would what you leave your descendents still reveal a faith rooted in the belief that God reigns supreme? Would there be evidence of a relationship with Christ, hard evidence—enough evidence for them to speak of it at your funeral?
What’s proving your heritage, your Christian heritage?
Malinda Edgell
Illinois
PRAY TOGETHER: Pray that visitors coming for special church programs today would respond to the drawing and convicting power of the Holy Spirit.
Pray also for these special programs today around the world:
Châteaubriant, France—Christmas carols in French and English, guest violinist (Cristina Price), and a buffet
St. Sebastien, France—Christmas program presented by the children
La Boissière, France—Christmas program
Wassakara Church, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire—Evangelistic film
Villalba, Spain—Christmas program
