“The Moments Matter"

"The Moments Matter"  

    The book of Ezra contains four genealogies, including the children of those who taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar, and who returned to Jerusalem and Judah during the reign of Cyrus, king of Persia.  The bloodline of Ezra is also provided, along with several other populations that constitute the book as containing roughly 25% genealogy.  This makes for challenging reading, and raises the question of significance regarding those mentioned, particularly when we remember the Bible's primary purpose of revealing and exalting the Lord Jesus Christ.  As we frequently reference in these messages, our Savior declared of God's Word, "Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life.  And they are they which testify of Me" (John 5:39).

   We know little or nothing about most of the individuals referenced in the bloodlines mentioned by Ezra.  This, however, we do know: each genealogy and individual bears significance.  We may not figure out how or why, but if the Holy Spirit saw fit to include mention of a person in the pages of the Book He inspired, the individual occupies a role in affirming the glory of Christ.  It may be little more than his place in a family referenced, but the person nevertheless fits into the Spirit's purpose.  Thus, we read the bloodlines in the knowledge that the Lord Jesus shines through their pages, as He does in all Scripture.

   The same principle applies to the moments of our lives, many of which seem mundane and insignificant.  Others seem impossible to fit into the Lord's promised coordination of "all things together for good" (Romans 8:28).  Nevertheless, every moment matters despite our inability to clearly see the significance.  We often do not know what He is doing, but we can always be sure that He is actively involved.  Our Heavenly Father relentlessly works to honor His Son in all things, particularly in the lives of those who trust Him.  He also acts to conform us to the image of the Lord Jesus, which the Apostle Paul defined as God's  "good" purpose for working all things together in our lives (Romans 8:29).  Thus, the moments matter, all of them, just as Ezra's genealogies and the individual members mentioned all play their role in our Lord's "eternal purpose in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Ephesians 3:11).

  The Holy Spirit does not merely sit on a throne in the hearts of those who believe.  He rather "dwells" and "walks" in us (II Corinthians 6:16).  This constitutes all things and every moment in terms of eternal consequence.  Again, we will not be aware of most of the specifics of God's doings.  We must nevertheless be sure of the fact of them.  Thereby we rest our hearts in the heart of Christ when we cannot understand the doings of His hand.  His way is perfect, He does all things well, and we can know that both members of genealogies and moments of a lifetime all unite to fulfill God's purpose to exalt the Lord Jesus, edify His children, and prepare us to exemplify and express our Savior and His truth to our particular sphere of influence.

"God… worketh all things after the counsel of His own will."

(Ephesians 1:3; 11)

"My times are in Thy hand."

(Psalm 31:15)

Weekly Memory Verse

   He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch.

(Proverbs 11:28)