Today's Scripture Reading (July 13, 2023): Jeremiah 31
Family
comes in many variations. It is not just single-parent, dual-parent, same-sex
parent households. It is so much more than just that. It varies in immediate,
extended, and near and separated families. The family grows bigger and bigger
depending on how far we want to go back. Through its various branches, I can
trace my line to Sir William Atte Wode, who lived in England from the late
1200s until 1346. Atte Wode was the Captain of the King's guard at the Palace
of Westminster during the reign of King Edward III and may have been related to
the King. Of course, when you go back that far, the family gets very big. When
I go back that far, I find some interesting people in my significantly extended
family, a family that stretches to includes Diana, Princess of Wales. William
Atte Wode is our most recent common ancestor, who lived seven hundred years
ago.
In
Israel and Judah, people could trace their ancestors for over 700 years. Each
person belonged not just to a family but to a tribe. And they took much pride
in the tribe from whence they had come. Each tribe could trace its roots to a
son of Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel and lent his name to the nation.
Each had its heroes within the tribe and land that had been given to the tribe,
as well as a heritage that had been passed down to that tribe.
In
later years, the Kingdom of Israel, home to ten of the tribes born from the sons
of Jacob, had been sent into exile by the Assyrians, never to return. But that
didn't mean there weren't still proud men and women who could trace their
lineage back to those proud tribes. And, of course, there were still the two
tribes of the Kingdom of Judah, Judah and Benjamin, and the priestly tribe of
Levi, who knew precisely from whom they were descended. I must admit that
sometimes I envy their knowledge of their ancestral line.
Jeremiah
has just commented, "In days to come you will understand this"
(Jeremiah 30:24b). It is a comment that indicates the latter or the last days. And in that
day, it seems that God will remain interested not just in the tribes but also in
the smaller family units of the tribe. Tribes will still be important, but he
will be known as a God who is also interested in the family and the person. In
the latter days, Jesus would remind us of this God who cares for the family
when he tells his followers, "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet
not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father's care. And even the very
hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be
afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows" (Matthew 10:29-31).
In the last days, he will be the God
of the World as much as he is the God of the Tribe, but he will also be the God
of the family, the person, and even the sparrow. God cares about you, and every
little detail of your life can be brought to this God who is with us "in
the days to come."
Tomorrow's
Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 32
No comments:
Post a Comment