The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham ... the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, ... and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ. (Matthew 1:1, 13b, 15-16)

Have you ever noticed the way Jesus' ancestors take a deep dive underground, so to speak, right after they return from exile in Babylon? Before that, you can track them through history, down the line of Judean rulers. But after that, nothing. A string of names, but no clue about where they lived, or what they did for a living. Silence—until Mary and Joseph.

Why? I wonder. God seems to have been intent on making Jesus' earthly life as ordinary as possible. Joseph worked as a carpenter. Mary came from a small town. They had no special status to make things easier for them when Jesus was born away from home; they were obeying a government census called by a far-away emperor who never knew Jesus existed.

I'm glad Jesus was born to such an ordinary family. It makes it that much easier to believe that He can love—and save—people like us, ordinary sinners, who have nothing special about us that could make us worthy of God's attention. When Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead to save us, He did it for us—ordinary people who needed Him so much.

WE PRAY: Thank You, Lord Jesus, for caring about us and coming to us. Amen.

Reflection Questions:

* Would you consider your family ordinary or not? Why?

* Would it be easier or harder for Jesus to carry on His ministry if He were upper class?

* What about His death on the cross?

Advent Devotions were written by Dr. Kari Vo.

Today's Bible Readings: Ezekiel 42-44    1 John 1

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