I am fascinated by family trees. It is partly the detective skills needed to try and work out who is who from the many millions of records available so you can build a picture of where you come from. It is also something about connecting with the past and those that have gone before us which can also lead us to discovering some current family we may never knew existed. Matthews gospel opens with a long family tree which link Jesus with some of the great ancestors of the Israelites.Fourteen generations are listed and contained within are many of the names of the great stories of how God journeyed with his people throughout the years. All this leads me to dust! The amount of dust that settles on something gives us an indication of how long it has been in situ. Those things left for generations, hidden and undiscovered are usually coated in a think layer of dust. It is a sign of its age. As the names of Jesus family tree are read out layers of dust are removed to reveal the importance of the people contained in the story. The names of the woman that appear are particularly important. Woman were not usually listed in family trees in Jesus day, but here Matthew includes them because they reveal truth about who Jesus is. As we blow off the dust of the past we discover the truth that it wants to show us today.
Photo Challenge: Take a picture of something inspired by the word dust. Use the hashtag #woryem
Dust
Dust that covers the past
Dust that covers the truth
Dust
What does the dust hide in this season of advent
Stop for a moment
What history and tradition are you rediscovering today?
We are a community of faith.
Strandlopers on a journey.
We have removed the dust of the past and revealed truth in this season of advent
By God’s grace we go.
Amen
Photo by Cojanu Alexandru on Pexels
Has been a part of BeachcomberFX since his arrival in the North East in 2014. He is well travelled (at least in the UK) having lived in Manchester, Nottingham, Derbyshire, Southport, Doncaster, Berwick and Edinburgh. Supporter of Newcastle United, will watch any sport.