Now the sons of Jacob were twelve. 23 The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. 24 The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin. 25 The sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s servant: Dan and Naphtali. 26 The sons of Zilpah, Leah’s servant: Gad and Asher. These were the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Paddan-aram.
My wife Vicki is the fifth child of eight. I am the fifth of five boys. Each person is now one of 8 billion people in the world. We are on a planet that is one of nine in a solar system in one of billions of galaxies. It is extremely easy to feel insignificant. Judah could have felt the same way, being the fourth of twelve sons. The difference was that these 12 were the result of a promise God made to Abraham that he would become a great nation. Not only that, Judah would be the ancestor of King David and the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ. That is pretty significant!
You may feel like just one of 8 billion in a vast universe today. You are not insignificant to God. Everything about you was planned, even the parts you do not like. Where you are and what you do is also a part of the perfect plan of God, even if it is not your plan. The people in your sphere are also part of the plan and you are playing your part. You may be the person God uses to reach someone for Christ. When your work here on earth is done and you stand before Jesus, he will not say, “Which one are you?” He will say…
I know you.
Pastor Brad Boyer
Cape Community Church