Day 59: A Strange Family

Matthew 1:2-6

Abraham was the father of Isaac,

     Isaac the father of Jacob,
     Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,
     Judah the father of Perez and Zerah,
          whose mother was Tamar,
     Perez the father of Hezron,
     Hezron the father of Ram,
     Ram the father of Amminadab,
     Amminadab the father of Nahshon,
     Nahshon the father of Salmon,
     Salmon the father of Boaz,
          whose mother was Rahab,
     Boaz the father of Obed,
          whose mother was Ruth,
     Obed the father of Jesse,
     and Jesse the father of King David.
David was the father of Solomon,
          whose mother had been Uriah’s wife

Comments

The genealogy of Jesus contains several people who were far from perfect. Among them were the women highlighted above:

· Tamar, who pretended to be a prostitute in order to become pregnant by her father-in-law

· Rahab, a prostitute who saved her life by committing treason against her government

· Ruth, a Moabite woman, from a people whom God had forbidden to ever step on holy ground

· Bathsheba, whose adultery with King David led to the murder of her husband

Reflections

Are there people whose flaws and flagrant sins keep them from being welcomed into your church family?

Prayer

Help us, Lord, extend grace as widely as you have.