Matthew 1 and Luke 2:1-38
Posted: October 10, 2014

Reading through genealogies often seem a bit tedious, even trying to pronounce all those name, I have to admit that many times I start to skip over them, but this time reading the beginning of Matthew, as I read many of the names of the Kings in his line, I remembered some of the stories surrounding them. It was like... I know that guy he was terrible, or he did a lot of good.
But one name jumped out at me and that was Rahab. Rahab was the prostitute who saved the spies sent out by Joshua when the Israelites were ready to capture Jericho. (When they were about to enter the Promised Land.) Rahab apparently after being rescued marries Salmon an Israelite and becomes the mother of Boaz, who was the wealthy guy who rescued Ruth.
So Ruth’s grandmother-in-law, was Rahab. I would have liked to have heard some of their conversations about how God rescued them. (I don’t know if she was still living at the time, but I would just like to think that the stories might have been shared among two women who knew what it was like to be at the bottom of life and to be rescued through God’s loving and generous hand.)
Now fast forward to our reading today and the way God is proving a way for all of us to be rescued, through his son, Jesus the Christ. This is the culmination of the greatest love story ever known to mankind. How God has worked in our lives from the beginning of time to set us back into a right relationship with Him. To provide the means of the greatest rescue.
This reading today, may seem very familiar (we hear it every year at Christmas time) but I challenge you to read the story of the birth of Christ with your heart and not just your head. Listen to what God is telling you – see how he is providing a way to rescue you from whatever challenges you have, whatever problems you may be facing and remember how throughout history he has never abandon those who were faithful to him. He didn’t abandon Rahab, he didn’t abandon Ruth, he didn’t abandon Joseph and Mary as he provided an escape for them into Egypt. And here is the good news…. He will not abandon you if you remain faithful and obedient. That is a promise I am holding on to today.
Blessings
Pastor Kathy