A “through the bible” devotion from 1 Chronicles 1-9. (1 Chronicles? Yep.)
One of the more time consuming administrative tasks in a church office is keeping records of congregational membership and official acts. Weekly updates reflected the transient nature of the community. Families joined, members died, couples got married, moms gave birth, youth were confirmed, young and old were baptized, families moved away or joined other churches, and individuals moved, changed phone numbers and email addresses. We constantly updated the membership database, a spreadsheet to record the changes, mailing lists, and a directory for the congregation.
From time to time I would look through the list of names. Some brought back wonderful memories. I didn’t remember some. A few joined and left within months. Some disappeared without a trace. A small collection of names were charter members.
This information came in handy. A mother came in one day to get a copy of a misplaced baptism certificate so her son could enroll in a parochial school. Another was surprised that they were not an official member of the congregation. The lists highlighted those who hadn’t been to worship for a while, who had stuff going on in their lives.
The first nine chapters of 1 Chronicles are not action-packed. They are endless lists of names, from Adam to the flood to the exile and back again. Yes, my eyes glazed over as I skimmed the pages til I got to the words, “So all Israel was recorded in genealogies” (1 Chronicles 9:1). This was their version of membership records.
Those who returned from exile needed to connect with God’s people of the past. They needed to know they belonged. They were blessed to be a part of a chosen people, a holy nation, a royal priesthood, and a people belonging to God. We’re blessed to be a part of those people, too, saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Imagine page after page of names, including yours.
And maybe someone you will tell about the Savior.
Waite for it... 