Unshackled Moments ~ August 4 ~ Notations

It's a pretty safe bet that if you can get a Christian to admit to having a book of the Bible they don't like or even hate, I Chronicles is near, if not on, the top of that list. So and So beget someone whose name we can't pronounce, who in turn did the same thing, only chose a harder name. And on and on it goes for chapters. Why is it even included? Well, there are reasons that I think it's important to include that genealogy in the Bible, the least of which not being the Holy Spirit wanted it in there.

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

- 2 Timothy 3:16-17

When you read or hear the above verse does it make you want to ask, even Chronicles? I used to, and the answer is yes, even Chronicles. Although admittedly, I don't get as much out of it as I do the other books of the Bible, I do from time to time get something that shows the truth of the that 2 Timothy verse.This is not a defense of Chronicles, so I won't go further into frequency of that happening, the other reasons it should be in there (otherwise known as the answer to but why did the Holy Spirit want it included?) and why I don't skip it when I come to it during my readings of the Bible. I will however say that I almost never seek out the genealogy to study, so it gets read once a read through of scripture, and it makes it more meaningful and memorable to me when I get something from Chronicles than say Romans.

That makes sense, doesn't it? After all, which is more amazing. digging in the back yard and finding a huge uncut diamond or finding that diamond in a diamond mine? The mine is expected. You may still rejoice and share the story, but not nearly as much when the find is much less probable or expected. This morning I found a diamond, something interesting in I Chronicles that made me think and made the morning's reading profitable for me. In I Chronicles 7, amidst the genealogies, we come across the family of a man named Ephraim.

Ephraim had sons and grandsons listed with a note. Now notes in the midst of genealogy lists interest me. We have so and so beget so and so, who beget so and so and so and so, oh by the way, he was a great hunter, and beget so and so.....Since very few of the people listed get any notation, it catches my attention when someone does. And in chapter 7 there is such a note about two of Ephraim's descendants, Ezer and Elead. These two men were killed by the men of Gath because they were caught trying to steal cattle. They were rustlers, and that notation has gone beside their names and stayed for thousands of years.

Sometimes it feels like that with me. Maybe you can relate. I know people in recovery who have spoken to me of similar feelings. Sometimes it seems like everyone around me can have their name brought up and the conversation simply continues, but with me there's that note. I can't seem to escape it. Sometimes I bring it up myself, because I have seen how my note, my experience, can benefit others. Sometimes I wish I could erase it, like when I am job hunting. But often it seems that the notes by my name are as permanently attached to me as my tattoos are.

I don't mind my past being used to help others. I'm actually grateful that there's something good that can be made from the history of messes and destruction I wrought in my life. But don't we want to be known for more? Enoch walked with God. Now, that's a notation. How cool would that be? When your name comes up in a list and someone recognizes it or when it comes up in conversation, there is a quick aside, oh yeah, and so and so walks with God.

Some of us have notes next to our names we can't escape and that will never be erased. Addict. Alcoholic. Felon. The person who killed somebody in that wreck in that place. That person who struggled with this or that. The so and so who messed up. But our story can be amended, we can have a note added to the note. Dalyn, yeah, he messed up big time, but God. So and so comes up in conversation and someone asks, do you mean the person who.....and the answer is yes, but now they are free and walking with God.

We are more than our negative notations. We are more than our losses and mistakes. And no matter what  notes come to mind in the conversations of others or from within ourselves, God has the last say on the matter and not only can but will make those notations positive if we will let Him. You don't have to be remembered only for the worst mistake you ever made. God can bring beauty from the ashes of destruction.

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