Christian Counseling Service -- Devotions

Skeletons

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Matthew 1:1-17
The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham became the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers. Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar ... Boaz became the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth. Obed became the father of Jesse, Jesse the father of David the king. David became the father of Solomon, whose mother had been the wife of Uriah ... Eleazar became the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ.

Thus the total number of generations from Abraham to David is fourteen generations; from David to the Babylonian exile, fourteen generations; from the Babylonian exile to the Christ, fourteen generations.

Oh, the stories they could tell. I am only thinking of two, and they are doozies. Jesus' genealogy wasn't anything to write home about.

Judah, brother of Joseph, argued his other jealous bloodthirsty brothers out of killing Joseph and talked them into leaving him in a well. Before he could return to rescue him, Joseph was captured and taken to Egypt, where he became a slave, a prisoner, and eventually a hero.

Judah married and had children. Er, one of his children, married Tamar. When Er died early, Judah reneged on his promise to allow Tamar to marry another son, so she disguised herself as a prostitute, then got herself engaged for the evening by her father-in-law and had sex with him. She got pregnant, had a baby boy, and named him Perez. Judah is one of Jesus' ancestors. In fact the Jewish people are named after him.

Several generations later David, considered one of the greatest men in the history of Israel, became obsessed with a girl named Bathsheba, after he saw her bathing. Just doing a little managing-by-walking-around (on his roof), looked down, and there she was in all her glory. Being the king, no one dared to stop him, so he sent for her and made love to her. After she became pregnant, David arranged for her soldier husband to be killed in battle. Their son Solomon built the long-dreamed-of temple to house the Ark of the Covenant, which held two tablets on which God inscribed his commandments for Moses. Solomon had hundreds (understatement) of wives and concubines.

Jesus turned this sordid history on itself and did not marry. He did not have sex with prostitutes or young girls. However, he did not curse his ancestors. He called himself the Son of David. He understood the always and eternal nature of God's grace and forgiveness, and passed it on with his words and his deeds.

When Adam avoided God in the garden, he explained, "I was naked and ashamed, so I hid." Since that moment we have had trouble with our nakedness. But God doesn't. In our nakedness we might think of desire and selfishness and taking, but to God our nakedness makes us open and giving. He sees right through our shame and blesses us, loves us and holds us close.

Lord, it is you who anoints the king with goodness and pours peace out on the mountains. We cannot. You defend the afflicted and save the children of the poor. We cannot. May your name be blessed forever, as you rule from the river to the ends of the earth. (Psalm 72)

Devotions Archive

Skeletons

Thursday, December 17, 2009