Back in 1986, when my kids were in their late teens, a new American rock band appeared on the scene.  Their name – “Hootie and the Blowfish”.   These four young men from South Carolina were a quick success with their mainstream debut album. OK, you say, what IS she getting at today? Well, it turns out that one of the four was related to me — a distant cousin. He didn’t know us, we didn’t know him; but we fondly referred to him as Cousin Hootie.    He was making a name in the world of music, and my kids were proud to claim a connection!

There’s something about being a part of “The Family”.   All of our families come complete with successes and failures.  We find all kinds of folks, each with their own strengths and weaknesses.   We can cast the net widely to the most distant cousins or we can delve deeply into generations past.  Either way, we feel a bond with these relations – somewhere along the line we share a genetic connection.

In Luke 3:23-38 we read the ancestry of Jesus, generation by generation, all the way back to Adam!   It seems that genealogy was very significant in biblical times.   Think of the many Old Testament references to “who begat whom”.  Families were often large.  We learn who was the father, and then we often learn to what tribe this family belonged.   Being “in the family” mattered.

Now I can’t provide your lineage back to Jesus, but I can tell you that you are part of His family.  In His life, suffering and death, and resurrection, Jesus adopted us all.  He opened his arms wide to accept us into His family with love.   Feel that bond.  Enjoy that connection.  It’s real.   Unlike our connections with distant cousins and past generations, Jesus is an active part of our daily lives.  He really does listen, protect and give comfort because He loves YOU.  He loves YOU unconditionally!

Read Psalm 103:17-18 and see God’s promise of love extended throughout the generations.

Judy

Today’s reading: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+103%3A17-18+&version=NRSV