I always find these genealogies pretty fascinating.
I know. I know. That probably makes me a bit sad. It's a list, a long list. But often there are incredible stories involved in family lines. There's often skeletons in the closet. Family is never straightforward.
Many of the forebears of Jesus lived through and in difficult circumstances. You can find plenty of liars. Some thieves. You can find people who messed up sexually. You can even find murderers. Surely God could have done a background check ?
But here's the thing .... Jesus isn't made or unmade by the mistakes of the past. He is a new life, a fresh start. But here's the other side .... these past lives, his family tree, they're part of him. I have no idea how DNA works in a virgin birth situation .... but I know Jesus is fully human as well as fully God. So there must be something of Mary there ... something of her family. Something of Jesus' background makes him up.
He is also the One who reveals the Father. His family likeness comes from the Trinity too. He is a human life, He is wholly God.
He is wholly himself, yet also part of the family line.
Our redeemer had no problem with crooked paths or broken lines - He embraced humanity and all its flaws and fullness and loves us greatly.
Lord God
I give you my own self, my heart, my body, my emotions, my mind ....
I let go of all my flaws and failures and place them with you
Safe in the knowledge of your mercy and acceptance
I embrace all you made me to be and will try to be me today
Amen
Do check out 24-7's Advent Prayer Spaces:
http://www.24-7prayer.com/podcasts/category/spaces
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