Daily Devotional

When the search for ancestry became popular, my husband and I decided to take the plunge and send in our DNA for ancestry tracing. Of course, my husband’s results came back 100% Italian. My results were not quite so pure—51% Scotch/Irish and a host of other bloodlines. Frankly, this was a bit of a surprise to me. My seventh-generation grandfather, James Greenlee, came from Waterford, Ireland to the American Colonies in the mid 1700’s. His daughter was born in Virginia. My imagination went wild thinking about his journey across the Atlantic and the adventures in the new land, America.

More importantly, there is a whole new level of ancestry to discover in my Bible. I can trace my ancestry all the way back to Adam and Eve. The rest of my family includes familiar people like Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Ruth, Hannah, Samuel, David, Daniel, and Mary, to name a few. I read about their trials, their achievements and even their failures. I learn through their mistakes and I am inspired by their devotion to God. Reading my Bible is not just an academic exercise. It is not just an expression of obedience. It is about connecting with my God by studying my spiritual ancestors:

• I cultivate my imagination by thinking about how God empowered David to stand up to Goliath and sling the stone that killed him.
• I think about the time Jonah had to think about his rebellion against God in the belly of the whale.
• I meditate on Mary’s obedient response to the angel’s news that she would carry the Son of God in her womb.

I take to heart the first-century words of the writer to the Hebrews:

Hebrews 12:1 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses…”

The Bible’s riches are there for us to explore. Over and over again it describes God’s great love, His patience and His power. His works in the lives of our ancestors are there for us to investigate. Dive into the Bible’s treasures daily. Learn about your spiritual ancestry.

Perhaps you may decide to go ahead and do a search for your more recent human ancestry. Who knows, you may find out what my husband always says: “There are only two kinds of people. Italians and those that wish they were!” I say he’s so wrong. I am happy to be 51% Scotch/Irish and whatever else that runs through my blood. I am even more blessed to be related to Jesus:

Matthew 12:50 “For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother.”

For Parents, Grandparents, and Teachers:

1. For Parents, Grandparents and Teachers: Every year when my children were at home, we made our annual trek to our local Civil War Reenactment. The kids would pick a character to act out during the event and dress up to assume the role. My goal was to infuse them with a love of history, especially introducing them to wonderful historical novels. We enjoyed lively discussions about what it would be like to actually be there in that moment of time. Imaginations were cultivated and lessons in history were debated. This love of history also carried over into our Bible Story reading time.
   
   
2. Read Bible stories to your kids. Help them assume a Bible Character and act out a scene from their lives, as recorded in Scripture.
   
   
3. Teach your children about their spiritual ancestors in the Bible. Cultivate their imaginations by asking questions like: “When Mary saw the angel, how do you think she felt?” Guide their thinking through questions.
   
   
4. Reinforce how special it is to read the Bible and learn from their ancestors. God wants them to think about their mistakes and be inspired by their successes. Draw their attention to God’s love through it all.

New American Standard Bible (NASB)
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