Today’s Scripture: 1 Chronicles 1-9

Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel. – Ezra 7:10

A friend of mine was sorting through a box of old financial records several months after his father died and came across copies of his parents’ income tax returns for the past thirty years. One year his father had earned less than $200. His mother’s salary from teaching school had been their only income. If my friend had read that income tax return as a child, it would have meant nothing to him. But as an adult, those records were a revelation, filled with deep meaning.

A lot of people would put the genealogies of 1 Chronicles 1-9 in the same category as old income tax returns. Some would question the value of lists of names and a discussion of who were the parents of whom. But a lot of what we see in the Bible depends on our maturity and perspective. After reading the Scriptures several times, we should begin to recognize names and recall incidents from their lives. But if we confine our Bible reading to favorite portions of Scripture, we will miss much of the blessing of the entire Word of God.

Here in 1 Chronicles, we have little spiritual nuggets tucked away, awaiting our discovery and application. As you read the Bible, don’t skip the portions that seem obscure. Read them carefully, prayerfully, and expectantly. And God will be faithful to teach you the lessons He has tucked away for those who wait on Him.

Prayer

Lord, I long to dig deeper in Your Word and find the rich spiritual nuggets I’ve overlooked in the past. Help me to learn to mine all the lessons in Your Word. Amen.

To Ponder

We cannot neglect any portion of God’s Word without loss to our spiritual growth and hindrance to our usefulness.

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