Chapter 9 ~ A second look...

The amazing genealogy?

If you're like me you've yawned during the reading of this"boring" passage when it was read in church. Or you've skipped it when your Bible reading comes to this tedious part of the "exciting" story of Jesus' birth.

But...... It this really a "laborious" passage? Matthew may disagree with us.

Why? "Genealogies were important to the famous in antiquity - especially to those who used their genealogy to establish their legitimacy to rule. So if there were to be any tampering with the bloodline, it would be for the purpose cleaning it up, not cluttering it up." (pg. 134-135)

Yet... In these few sentences are contained the most amazing details of how AMAZING grace is and what God thinks about those of us who have less than a stellar past.

So, are these your "...kind of people..."? I have to admit they are mine.

My father explained that someone along the way in my families past is a slave woman who was my great, great (or great, great, great) grandmother. If you know much about that era, having a child with a slave usually meant you were slipping away to have time with the slave help with or without your WIFE"S knowledge.

My uncle was put into a mental institution and when released used to lose his temper and violently push around my grandparents. He threw my grandfather off of an 8 foot porch one day.

My father left home in his teens because he didn't like his Christian step-mother (she was a Christian and her maiden name was Christian). She was no replacement for his mom who had died when he was around 7 or 8. His departure from home would lead to many bad choices including leaning on alcohol for 42 years. He was AWOL numerous times during his military career, during which his wife left him, he was shot in Europe and laid bleeding for nearly 24 hours and he was discharged from duty to his country as undesirable after he was arrested and acquitted of attempted murder.

My mother spent a year struggling with postpartum depression (before we called it this) and to this day still has a horrible memory of giving birth to my brother because of the ether that was administered to her during the birthing process. I spent weeks with my aunt due to the aftermath of this period of fear and a sense she was going to die. I came home only after she called my aunts house crying asking me to come home. I agreed if her and dad would buy me a talking "Mr. Ed" puppet doll thing I had wanted and was not allowed to have (I was 4, think kids are self centered today?) She would quit drinking during this experience.

I was privy to and participated in alcohol from my first drunk at 1 1/2 years old (will explain

sometime) and stopped drinking at the age of 12 or 13. Was saved and baptized around that age. Began teaching SS at 16. Deacon at the age of 20. Decided to become involved in ministry and started my ordination process at 23. Youth pastor at 25, Senior Pastor at 30. Left church work and began to do non-profit ministry with the sheriff's department and later a ministry known as Gilead. The rest of the story you pretty much know.

All this to say, God's grace is amazing, you don't have to have a checkered past only a sinful heart to understand the impact of grace. That is if you are willing to see your need. And see that no matter how moral, how good or how much you do that is applauded, God;s grace is the only, let me repeat, THE ONLY way to find peace and life.

So that leaves me with this question to ponder..

Why am I still judgmental? It is because I have a list of "what abouts". You know, what about the guy or gal who molests children. What should God do with them if they come to him for grace. Or what about the "Muslim extremists", after all they have done to create a world of fear, leaving carnage in almost every known civilized culture on the earth, should they be allowed to have grace?

Or...What is your "What About?"

Comment away, share away, tell your story if it helps you get through this day.

What ever your situation, thanks for spending this time with me on the journey of grace...