Read:
Matthew 1:1-17
And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.
The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram, and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father or David the king.
And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph, and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.
So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.
Ponder:
The wait is over. The time has arrived. Hope has become visible, and it’s in the form of a baby. The promised child of Eve, Abram, and David has come. The One who will crush the head of the serpent is here. Here is the One who will bless all the peoples of the earth. Here is the One who will be just and righteous. Here is the One who is King. Jesus the Messiah has come.
Pray:
Lord, grant me the patience and trust to wait upon Your perfect timing. There are things I hope for, yearn for, and yet, day after day they seem no closer than the day before. I may not understand Your plan and I may not understand your timing, but I know each day is filled with hope. Fill my heart with hope, Lord, and help me trust in Your plan, even when I cannot see the way. Renew my faith and grant me the strength to persevere through the challenges I face. May Your hope shine brightly in my heart and guide my steps. Help me to rest in the assurance that Your ways are higher than my ways. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
