Daily Reading
Daily Thought
The books of the Chronicles begin with the genealogy of humanity, which, of course, begins with Adam (1Chronicles 1:1), when “God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good” (Genesis 1:31). After Adam came “ Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech (1Chronicles 1:1-3), and Noah, and “the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart” (Genesis 6:6).
Ten generations, that’s all. From very good to very bad, one bite from a delightful piece of fruit turned loose a terrible flood and nothing has changed since. The Chronicles genealogy continues from Noah through Abraham and Jacob to David and the kings, establishing the bloodline of the nation of Judah. It is, regrettably, a genealogy filled with sin and sinners, and still is. “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man. They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came…” (Luke 17:26-27). The generations continue, but the devil has done his damage.
Thankfully, there is another genealogy, and it picks up where Chronicles leaves off, following David to Solomon, to others, to finally “Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ” (Matthew 1:16). Just in time–at just the right time! “When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons (Galatians 4:4-5). Very good again.
Daily Prayer
Oh God, the record of my life matches the record of all lives, I seek my own way. I look at the fruit as Eve did, that it is pleasing to the eye and delicious, and I bite into it, as well. I’m so glad You had a plan to deal with that, to save me without me even asking for a Savior. You are my Creator, the author of life, and the Source of all that is good. I say that is what I want from life, goodness and love, but I found the opposite on my own.
God, You are good and You are love. I want to know You more. I want to know the depths of Your wisdom, and the breadth of Your love. May I always seek You and follow You. Lead me in the way of righteousness and life. Lead me always to Jesus.
Amen
