Genealogy and Prophecy Fulfilled, December 1
Inside the Cancer Journey: Daily Reflections for Those Coping with Cancer
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By Tom Corbell
A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD (Isaiah 11:1-2 NIV).
Ancestry.com has made the practice of discovering who is a part of your family tree a huge endeavor for millions of people. Discovering who is a part of your ancestry can be really important. The prophet Isaiah certainly thought it was.
Picture in your mind a genealogy tree. The father is named Jesse. In 1 Samuel 16 we find that Jesse had eight sons. (One probably died at childbirth because he is not listed in the genealogy list.) The youngest is David, but he wasn’t present when the prophet Samuel visited Jesse. After sending for David to come in from the fields where he had been tending the sheep, Samuel knew this was the son he was to anoint to succeed King Saul.
Isaiah made a prophecy about David’s ancestors: “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit” (v. 1). The “branch” would be born almost 800 years later in Bethlehem—the same “little town” of Bethlehem where David had been born.
Isaiah had no idea who the Messiah would be, but he did know his lineage. In Luke 2:4-5 (NIV) we read, “So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.”
It was just as Scripture promised. King David’s family gave birth to the Son of God! Can you imagine how thrilled David must have been to know he could count on his family to be amazing? Unfortunately, not all of us can count on our families, especially through hard struggles like cancer.
Too often cancer patients and caregivers cope with the disappointment of family members not stepping up to help when cancer gets hard. So much emotional energy can be spent wondering, “Why?” “Why don’t they call? Visit? Help?”
Thankfully, you have another family, another Father, Who is carrying you through each step of your cancer struggle. The book of John holds your invitation: “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12 NIV).
Through your faith you are made a child of God, a part of the family of God, a died-for child of God. Not cancer, nor anything else, can take you from the family of God. You are claimed and loved by the very Son of God, Jesus Christ your Lord. To God be the glory!
Pray: Lord, thank You for making me a part of Your family now and forever! Amen.
Your Turn: If a family member has disappointed you, consider seeking some connection. Think of one thing you would like them to do to help you. Call every weekend? Pick up your prescriptions? Come over and help set up some Christmas decorations? Then ask the Lord for courage and reach out to your family member for this connection. The clarity of what they can do may help them to reach back and connect in a way that would make you smile.
Tom Corbell, Hospice Pastor
Tom is a Lutheran pastor who has served Jesus in both North and South Carolina for forty-nine years. Six of those years he worked as a Hospice Chaplain, and he encountered cancer daily. The privilege of praying, working with and supporting cancer patients and their families is an honor.
Cancer Companion’s vision for the future is for every person impacted by cancer to know the hope, love, and grace of Jesus and that every oncology team has included faith in their treatment toolbox. By 2033, Cancer Companions will provide 5 million engagements through cancer prayers, scriptures and interactions to those impacted by cancer. Engagements include; social media outreach, e-newsletters, prayer team requests, 30 days of Cancer Prayer event, and volunteer connections.
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