Think You've Got a Rocky Past?

1A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham: 2Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jaob the father of Judah and his brothers, 3Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father of of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, 4Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, 5Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, 6and Jesse the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah's wife, 7Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa, 8Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram, Jehoram the father of Uzziah, 9Uzziah the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, 10Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah, 11and Josiah the father of Jeconiah[a] and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon. 12After the exile to Babylon: Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, 13Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, Abiud the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, 14Azor the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Akim, Akim the father of Eliud, 15Eliud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, 16and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
17Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Christ.

Let's see the hall of fame for Jesus's lineage: Jacob, the liar, the deceiver, stealer of the birthright. Rahab, a prostitute that helped Isaraelite spies. Ruth, a foreigner, an outcast to the Jewish faith. David, an adulterer, a murderer. Solomon, a bigamist.

I can see it now, Jesus, although He is the son of God states: I can't do ...... because they know my past. They know from whence I come. My family is so out of touch, that I can't ever be good enough to serve God.

I'm glad He didn't succumb to the pressures we often claim as excuses not to serve. Do you have a dark past? Do you have things you've done wrong that can't be explained in church? Do you do things that if they came to light, you'd be embarrassed? Well, welcome to the club. We all are imperfect, dark creatures that only can show God's light by forgetting our past mistakes and relying on Him. Step out, get over yourself and your past and give it all to a God who knows nothing other than your forgiven state in His son, Jesus. You see, we look heavenward and can't see how God could love us. God looks down through Jesus' grace and can't see how we don't know He's there for us all the time. Step out, forget your past and serve the ever loving, ever forgiving God. You'll be surprised at how much you can do with Him at your side.