Jesus’ DNA

Have you ever considered Jesus’ DNA—his lineage?  Read Matthew 1 and choose any of the many colorful (sinful) people in his ancestry and check them out.  In fact, just look at the women mentioned…

•Tamar—presented herself as a prostitute to her father-in-law to retaliate because he hadn’t given his youngest son to her as promised.  She had twins by him—one in the lineage of Christ.  

•Rahab—a prostitute who chose to follow God. Her son was in the lineage of Jesus. 

•Ruth—an immigrant who positioned herself to become the wife of one of the wealthiest Israelites.  Her son was the grandfather of King David.    

•Bathsheba—she slept with King David while her husband was away at war.  Their son was King Solomon—who was in the lineage of Christ.  

You will find EVERY SINGLE PERSON in the lineage of Christ to be a sinner.  In fact, Jesus was tempted in every way that we are—and yet, he didn’t sin.  Because he was sinless, he became the only way for our redemption—or way back into a relationship with God.  We HAVE to accept that gift to become His child.  

But here’s the good news…God used sinners then and He uses them now to fulfill His perfect will.  All of us have sinned.  But when we receive God’s gift—the death, burial, and resurrection of his sinless Son as the sacrifice for our sins—we are redeemed, saved, and put in right relationship with God.  When you do that, you’re reborn!  Your spiritual DNA changes—you’re now part of God’s family.  

How does God want to use YOU in His story?   He does, you know.  

Birds of the Air

God is such a God of detail!   That thought brought me comfort yesterday as I was thinking on the chaos in our world. 

When you think on the birds of the air (just the ordinary birds) and how God has used them, it brings hope.  I began thinking on the stories in the Bible where God used birds…

•It was a bird that let Noah know the earth had dried after the flood.  

•God had birds fly in low and slow over the children of Israel in the wilderness so they could catch them and eat them.  

•The birds fed Elijah as he lived by the brook—until the brook dried up.  

•God sent birds to eat the remains of the Philistines after David killed Goliath.  

•God feeds the birds of the air and says we’re more valuable than them.  

I could give many more illustrations, but you get the point.  If God can direct birds to feed a man for months, He’s committed to taking care of the smallest details of our lives.  

He’s got it covered…every last detail.  

A Bright Light

    (Melissa at Fall Festival as Cruella de Vil! 🤣)

I want you to know my friend, Melissa Lambert.  She went to heaven yesterday without notice.    

The amazing thing about Melissa is she lived an all-out life of love.  She told us constantly with actions and words what was on her heart—she held nothing back.  So she was always affirming those around her.   She was a bright light.  When she walked into a room, she became the focus of attention—even without seeking it.  She was just too bright to shine lightly.  I always laughed to myself if she walked in late to Sunday School because she wasn’t quiet.  She had to make us laugh because she was late.  She was a mess—her laugh was big and contagious!   Melissa could have been a performer with her big personality, beautiful singing voice, and dramatic flair—and that girl could project her voice!!  She drew people in.  

Melissa was an open book—what you saw was what you got.  She hid nothing.  Her struggles, her loves, her questions, her habits, her admiration—all of it was wide open. I loved sitting in her chair while she cut my hair.  We talked about everything.  She had lots of spiritual questions.  She was curious and inquisitive.  She wanted to learn and grow. She wanted to serve God with everything she had.   

She was a friend to everyone who knew her.  She loved them BIG!!!   It would be hard for me to guess who her best friend was.  I’m guessing there are many who considered her their best friend.  She was just that way—she loved big and made everyone feel important. 

But the real loves of her life were her family.  She loved her husband, Tom, protectively.  She might laugh over something he did—but you knew she loved and respected him.  She loved her kids, Cayden, Liam, and Maggie.  She wanted and expected the best from them and for them.  Her dreams were big!!  She knew they could achieve anything.  And she was willing to push them to greatness even when their feet might be dragging a little.  I looked back through her Facebook page last night and saw how proud she was of her family!!   It wasn’t just obvious there—it was in all of her conversations. 

Melissa will be missed by all of us.  But we’ll see her in the way her friends surround Tom and the kids in the days ahead.  We’ll see her in Cayden’s achievements, Liam’s leadership, and Maggie’s bright personality and big laugh.  We’ll see her family and friends carry on her legacy and encourage and invest in her kids. We’ll see her best when we choose to love and serve God—and by being spiritually inquisitive and growing ourselves. 

I don’t know about you, but I want to love big and make others feel important like Melissa did.  I want to chase after God.  THAT…is Melissa Mealer Lambert’s legacy.   

Melissa singing:

https://youtu.be/zd7u9lzsbI4