Chosen But Not Known
I was just finishing my afternoon coffee and opening my “love letters” from medical providers that have been hanging out there for several months. Fortunately all 20 of the medical bills were under $200 each.
Gina Brummett our Executive Director at Teen Challenge of the Rocky Mountains joined me today for a meeting with Mark Orphan, Missions Pastor at Timberline Church. We had the opportunity to update him on some exciting things happening at New Hope House in Utah that serves at-risk teen girls. This program is expanding through the acquisition of a new property that will enable us to serve more girls and almost double our capacity. I recall several years ago  a director at one of the juvenile detention centers in my House District told me that the greatest growth in the inmate population was among girls. This program intervenes and provides troubled girls and their families the needed help. You can find out more at www.tcrm.us
Of course your sponsorship of my efforts on May 17th in the Colfax Charity 5K will help out this program as well. www.coloradogives.org/ksummers
BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY…
After he left Hebron, David took more concubines and wives in Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to him. These are the names of the children born to him there: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Eliada and Eliphelet.             (2 Samuel 5:13-16)
Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph,…. the son of Nathan, the son of David, the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz…” (Luke 3:23,31)
The two accounts of Jesus genealogy in Matthew and Luke present some interesting debate and discourse. One begins with Abraham and ends with Mary, the other begins with Jesus and moves backward to Adam. I always believed as some commentators that one belongs to Mary and the other Joseph. However, it is interesting how the accounts match the audience of the gospel.
Matthew was writing to Jews and presenting Jesus as King. As a result, the connection to Abraham and the names of Judah’s Kings in the genealogy would be of importance for Jesus rightful claim to the throne of David.
Luke was writing to Gentiles and presenting Jesus as the “Son of Man.” Luke was an historian and given to detail as well, so it is not surprising the he would begin with a focus on Jesus and move backwards though time all the way to Adam to show that Jesus was the Savior for all mankind.
It is interesting that the son of David referenced in Luke’s genealogy is “Nathan.” We don’t know for sure who his mother was, we just know that he is listed among the children born to David in Jerusalem.
Yet this historic link to David is what makes Christ’s claim to David’s throne valid and verifies that claim through Joseph’s lineage. We are familiar with the name Nathan as the prophet during David’s reign but know nothing about his son. Yet this son played a critical link to the Messiah.
Of course the same can be said of the “faceless” names as we move through the list. As one reads the names some will look familiar and then you ask the question, “Is that the same person that I’m thinking about or just someone with the same name?
The point is this…We never know the part we are playing in God’s plan. I don’t believe any of those individuals through the generations as they prayed for the coming of Messiah, said to themselves and their children, “the Messiah is coming through our family!” They didn’t know.
So, just because we can’t see the role we are playing in God’s plan, doesn’t mean we are not a significant part of God’s plan. Actually every follower of Christ is. Some are known and celebrated, but all are chosen to be used by God.
“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;”  (1 Peter 2:9)