The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. . . . Judah [was] the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, . . . and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the king. And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah (Matt. 1:1-6).

Devotion for December 23

Jesus’s family line is not what we would expect. There’s Tamar, who was abused and abandoned. There’s Rahab, a prostitute and outcast; and, Ruth, a foreigner to God’s covenant with Israel. And, let’s not forget about Bathsheba, the adulteress wife of King David, who murdered her husband to have her. 

Jesus’ family tree is rotten.

Why does God use such an imperfect lineage for Christ? God is making plain that he isn’t surprised by human frailty or put off by it. Imperfect people are the best candidates for receiving and displaying his grace. 

This may not be a message that we desire to hear on the days that we are confident of our goodness, but it is the message that we are desperate to claim on the days that our imperfections – even our rottenness – is plain to us.

God’s light shines brightest in the darkness, and his grace will gleam through the dirt on us. He can work past the sin we thought was greater than he, and he delights to do so. God displays his grace so brilliantly to make his mercy plain and to encourage us to claim it readily – right now!   

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for the fact that you pardon and give purpose to messed up people like me. Today, help me so to believe in your grace that I rejoice to receive it and live to reflect it!