DAY 1: LORD, HELP ME MAKE IT COUNT – PASTOR HEIDEN RATNER
PASTOR HEIDEN RATNER
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SCRIPTURE
“The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.” – Matthew 1:1 ESV
DEVOTION
As a freshman in college I was given a Bible and encouraged to start in the book of Matthew. This was new for me as I had just begun a relationship with Jesus the month prior. I remember opening to Matthew 1 and being overwhelmed with the all of the names and individuals that led to the birth of Jesus. At first, I rushed through the genealogy of Jesus to get to what I thought was the “good stuff”, not realizing all the hidden treasures found in those first 17 verses.
For example, did you know that Abraham, better known as the father of our faith (Rom. 6:14) is found in the lineage of Jesus? Or, David the one who by faith slayed the giant, Goliath? How about Rahab the prostitute? Surely, she wouldn’t be connected to Jesus’ story – but there she is in verse 5. In fact, Rahab would marry a guy named Salmon (not the fish :D) and she would give birth to a man named Boaz who would be the one God would use to redeem a young Moabite woman named, Ruth, and provide a picture for how Jesus would one day redeem us. The men and women that make up the Genealogy of Jesus were by no means perfect, but with the life God gave them, they made it count and they ended up contributing to Jesus’ eternal-redemptive story.
Today, I want to encourage you to make it count. To take a step of faith. Even if it’s a risky one. Ask the Lord for His help. Pray a prayer. And allow the Lord to use you to make a difference for His glory and your joy.
“Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become.”
– James Clear, Atomic Habits
