Today’s Scripture Reading (November
19, 2019): 1 Kings 15
I think
I come from a phenomenal family. There are so many special people that I am
related to, who fill me with pride. My paternal Great-Grandfather was Hallett
Mullen, a preacher in eastern Canada. He died before I was born, but I still
have a collection of his handwritten sermons in my personal library. Apparently
he was known as “the Singing Mullen” to differentiate himself from other
prominent Mullen pastors in the area. My paternal Grandfather, Deverne Mullen,
was a song evangelist in Canada and the United States. I have a number of his
records in my office, featuring both him and his brother Paul.
On the
other side of the family were more ‘Salt of the Earth” type people. I remember
my maternal Grandfather, Murray Baker, insisted that he “didn’t sing or preach,”
but he would do whatever he could do to “support those who do.” It was a
commitment that he lived up to the length of his life. Former University of
British Columbia President, Leonard S. Klinck, is hiding in my family tree
through my maternal grandmother, Aura Baker (nee Klinck). My aunts and uncles
are phenomenal people, and I love each one of them deeply.
I am
the son of Duane and Shirley Mullen. My grandson carries the name James Duane
Mullen, and when I posted the name on Facebook, the response that I received
back was that that was big name for the child to have to live up to. I
continually meet people who were impacted by the lives of my parents.
And
then there is me. The names of my family might not mean anything to you, but
they do to me. And one of my deepest fears is that I will not be able to live
up to the name that they have given to me. I desperately want each one of them
to be proud of me. And, maybe I just listen to my critics too much, often I
feel like I fail. And that is something that I do not want to do.
Abijah’s
reign in Judah was short. It lasted only three years, but the years were not
good ones. Abijah failed at his main task, which was to lead Judah towards God.
His ancestors were not honored by his life. But God decided to bless Abijah anyway,
not because of the good that the king had done, but just because he was a
descendant of David. God’s love for David had flowed down through the years
even to an evil King name Abijah.
And
God’s blessing was two-fold. First, God gave to Abijah a son who would bring
honor to the family of Abijah. Asa would follow after Abijah as king sitting on
the throne of David, and Asa would be a good king. Asa’s actions honored both
God and David, and in the process, Asa honored his dad, Abijah. Second, God
made Jerusalem strong. And Abijah benefited by both of these gifts because God
wanted to honor the lineage of David. And Abijah was able to hand a strong
Jerusalem over into the possession of his son, the good king Asa.
Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 2
Chronicles 13
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