Wednesday 16 December, 2020

1 This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham: 2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 3 Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, 4 Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, 5 Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, 6 and Jesse the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife, 7 Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa, 8 Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram, Jehoram the father of Uzziah, 9 Uzziah the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, 10 Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah, 11 and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon. 12 After the exile to Babylon: Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, 13 Zerubbabel the father of Abihud, Abihud the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, 14 Azor the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Akim, Akim the father of Elihud, 15 Elihud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, 16 and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah. 17 Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Messiah.

I’ve often wondered why God has placed me where he has. Why in Qantas? Why as an engineer? Why in Sydney and not Perth (where I grew up) or Holland even (where I was born)?

I wonder if Matthew ever felt that way. Tax collector for the Romans, a “lists and numbers” man for the enemy, he would have been used to researching and recording data. It’s little wonder that Matthew begins his gospel with a list and a record to prove the “Messiahship” of Jesus. He’s the perfect man for the job!

God has a calling on your life and my life. It’s unique. No one else can do it because no one else has your God-given skill set at this exact God-given time. You were appointed for “such a time as this”(see Esther 4:14). He loves you! He is with you! With Him you can’t loose! So let the adventure begin!

Thanks Lord that you have placed me here – at this time and in this place – for purposes I can’t even begin to imagine. Bring it on! Because this journey with you is the only place I want to be.   Amen

Written by Boudy Van Noppen