Legacy...

How often do you think about your heritage?

Probably not a whole lot, right?

Neither do I.

Most of the time I just go about my day, really not thinking about a whole lot of anything (I think thats called being a "man"), but this morning I was struck by something as I started reading the Gospel of Matthew...

The first words

The VERY FIRST WORDS

of the New Testament

after over 400 years of silence

are about

LEGACY

Do you find it odd that after all that time of silence the way the Spirit would begin talking to people again would be to have them look back?

I know I do

Or, rather, I did

But, if you slow down and think about it - we all should start by looking back at where we came from.  Our history plays a HUGE role in who we are and where we are going.

You are someone's son

You are someone's daughter

What does this thought stir in you?

Anger
Love
Bitterness
Joy
Sadness
Peace
Frustration
Excitement

Here is the reality that struck me this morning -

I am a part of a legacy that goes far beyond what I could ever imagine.  My heritage leads all the way back to the beginning, and while I may not be able to (or really want to do all the work) to trace it back that far

God knows

He has always known

When He begins the New Testament with a story of lineage and legacy - He is speaking to us

He is reminding us that this story is about one family

One legacy

His family

His legacy


And we get to play a part of it, because Jesus is making the leap into that legacy

No longer is He simply the Creator of humanity

He is adding to His story the legacy of humanity

He is jumping into the line of David, and Abraham

And inviting us to jump in as well

Does that stir something in you?

It should...