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One of my 2014 goals is to read through the Bible chronologically.  I'm on day 4 in Genesis, and I'm pretty much blown away.

Truth be told, the genealogies and "Mahalalel lived after he fathered Jared 830 years and had other sons and daughters" kinds of descriptions didn't seem very applicable or poignant to me before.  I'd gloss over them and inwardly be thinking, "Yeah, yeah, yeah.  Let's move on."

But now.  Now it's coming to life.

For tucked in the middle of these lengthy genealogies and family trees are these little nuggets.  If I skim through the passage, I miss them completely.  For example, look at Genesis 5.  In the midst of a straight-up rundown of Adam's descendants to Noah, we get to verses 18-24:

"When Jared had lived 162 years he fathered Enoch.  Jared lived after he fathered Enoch 800 years and had other sons and daughters.  Thus all the years of Jared were 962 years, and he died.  When Enoch had lived 65 years, he fathered Methuselah.  Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters.  Thus all the days of Enoch were 365 years.  Enoch walked with God and he was not, for God took him."

In the midst of this lengthy list of who fathered who, Moses---through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit---made sure we knew that---this Enoch?  He was a man who walked with God.

Similarly, we get to Genesis 10.  We read the listing of all the descendants of Noah.  Verse 6 continues:

"The sons of Ham:  Cush, Egypt, Put, and Canaan.  The sons of Cush:  Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteca.  The sons of Raamah:  Sheba and Dedan.  Cush fathered Nimrod; he was the first on earth to be a mighty man.  He was a mighty hunter before the Lord.  Therefore it is said, 'Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the Lord.'"  

Each of the others descendants is simply a listing.  But for each of these men, there is a pause...a detour of sorts.  God specifically wants to tell us about these men.  He wants us to know that they walked with Him.

Of course, this led to a soul-stirring question in my heart:  If God were recounting my family history, making note of each branch upon my family tree, what would He say when He got to me?  Would He pause with joy?  "Now this Nikki...she walked with Me."  Or would my name be simply that?  A blip before proceeding to my sons?

As 2014 stretches out before us, filled with so much hope and promise, my heart's longing is to be known as faithful to my God and to my family.  May the words I speak be so much more than words:  a true, authentic reflection of the work God is doing deep down inside me. I desire to live with genuine joy and satisfaction, not simply by trying harder, but by resting in the One who holds, carries, and sustains me.   I look ahead with eagerness as He continues to teach, woo, convict, and walk beside me this year.