Our Family Tree

The descendants of Adam were Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah. The sons of Noah were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 1 Chronicles 1:1-4

THE FIRST CHAPTERS of 1 Chronicles are not just a catalog of the names of dead ancestors. They are a rich history of the people of God. This is the family through whom God was working out his plan to bless all the families of the earth. As we read through the names, we get our spiritual bearings. This first chapter reminds us of who we are by telling us about our roots. These are the saints and sinners we come from —a long line of moms and dads, sons and daughters who are connected to Christ by faith.

If we are in Christ, what we’re reading is our own family tree. As Gentile believers, we have been grafted into the gnarled old olive tree of Israel. We’ve become a part of this family, not through birth, but by rebirth, not because of the blood that flows through our veins, but by the belief that has taken hold of our hearts.

We are not orphans. We are not on our own. We have a place, an identity that flows from being part of this family.

As much as we want our children to have a sense of identity that comes from being a part of our own immediate and extended family, what we want in a far deeper way is for our children to have a sense of identity that comes from being a part of God’s family. We want them to look through this family tree and see that it has had its share of notorious sinners. This means that there is no sin our kids can commit that will disqualify them from belonging to the family of God. What distinguishes those who belong to this family is that they know how to take hold of the grace made possible by our one special brother, Jesus.

Lord, we could just as easily have been included in the line of those who are eternally separated from you. But you have drawn us to yourself by grace. You have made us your own through adoption. You are at work in us, giving us the family resemblance as you transform us into your own glorious image. So, Lord, give ________ a deep sense of belonging and a deep sense of gratitude for being brought into your family.