A LINEAGE OF GRACE BY FRANCINE RIVERS; BOOK REVIEW

"Charm can be misleading, and beauty is vain and so quickly fades, but this virtuous woman lives in the wonder, awe, and fear of the Lord.

She will be praised throughout eternity" Proverbs 31:30

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A LINEAGE OF GRACE; BOOK REVIEW

A Lineage of Grace is a book that contains five novellas primarily on the women in the Lineage of Jesus Christ. 

These women were far from perfect but their lives were so relatable and teach great lessons. As the author, Francine Rivers remarked

“The lessons we can learn from them as applicable today as when they lived thousands of years ago”

The novellas include:

• UNVEILED

The story of a woman named Tamar, a foreign woman who always had a quest to know the God of her husband’s people. Abused by two of her husbands who happen to be brothers and later pretending to be a prostitute to sleep with her father in-law in order to give him, Judah, a child that would continue his Lineage. The Savior of the World would later come from the tribe of Judah.

• UNASHAMED

The story of a woman named Rahab. A woman whose identity was tied to her job and whose job happened to be prostitution. The Lord would later give her a new identity. She would be (and is) known, not just for her past but for her strong and unwavering faith in Jesus which saved her and her family from the disaster that befell the people of Jericho. The Lord chose this “prostitute” as a vessel to bring his kingdom on earth

• UNSHAKEN

Ruth, a woman of faith who left everything behind to serve the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. She made this decision while being completely oblivious to what lied ahead but willing to trust the God to give her and Naomi an expected end. Willing also, to go to an unfamiliar land with unfamiliar people who would even reject her, but the Lord accepted her and she begat Obed who begat Jesse who begat David and the Lord Jesus came from the line of David.

• UNSPOKEN

The woman called Bathsheba would live forever with the stigma of being an adulteress who let the king sleep with her while she was married to another man. She would disappoint all the people who loved her by her actions and feel that nothing good would ever come out of her; judging herself with even more intensity than the people judged her. 

But God on the other hand whispers “accepted”. So accepted that she would be part of the Lineage that would bring forth the giver of Life.

• UNAFRAID

There was the girl called Mary of which no one would ever believe would be chosen by God to give birth to the Savior of the World.

One would think someone more refined and well to do, maybe even seeming more holy would be chosen. But God chose common, but not so common Mary, about to be married to a humble carpenter. This woman availed herself to be used by God despite what the consequence would be.

What if Joseph decided not to marry her anymore?

What if she was stoned to death for being a fornicator?

What if she would forever be looked at as the woman who conceived before getting married and why would anyone ever believe that God would choose her to bring forth the Messiah?

Despite these daunting questions, she made herself available to be used by God.

MEDITATIONS

”so we are convinced that every detail of our lives is continually woven to fit into God’s perfect plan of bringing good into our lives, for we are his lovers who have been called to fulfill his designed purpose” Romans 8:28(TPT)

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In this book, I see women, some of which were abused, taken advantage of, some others rejected and looked down upon and others, making costly mistakes and even doing things that were outrageous, maybe even ungodly.

All having one thing in common; their quest to know God, their unwavering love and faith in God even if they were yet to completely understand who the Lord was.

* BACKGROUND

Tamar, Rahab and Ruth didn’t even have Israelite background. It didn’t seem like they were part of God’s chosen people so why would they think God would accept them?

Mary even though a well brought up believer, came from a humble home.

* PAST MISTAKES

No, these women were not what you consider “spotless” considering Rahab’s profession and the decisions that Tamar and Bathsheba made.

They made mistakes but realized that those mistakes don’t get to make up who they were and who God was calling them to be.

*  “MY WAYS ARE NOT YOUR WAYS”……………….GOD

These were seemingly insignificant women without any particular alluring attribute but God saw them and chose them to be his own.

Out of the ashes came beauty, from the Lineage of these women came the Saviour of the world.

I don’t know what you think about yourself, but God wants to birth something out of you, something you ordinarily do not think you qualify for

All he needs is a contrite heart and a soul that just like Mary, says Yes

And watch God do wonders.

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 “Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it unto me according to thy word” Luke 1:38

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* “BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO HUNGER AND THIRST... THEY SHALL BE FILLED”

Most of these women of faith left everything; family, friends and even abandoned reason to chase after God.

They might have had faults but the only consistent thing and the one similarity all five of them have in common is their deep yearning to know God.

* "WHAT THE ENEMY MEANT FOR EVIL..."

These women went through tough times.

Tamar got married to men that abused her physically and emotionally.

Ruth loosing her husband 

Bathsheba loosing her son. 

While you would think their lives were falling apart, God had plans for them that they could not have ever imagined, plans to give them an expected end.

May we trust God even when it doesn't make sense.

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CONFESSION

“Father, I thank you that you can use the most unlikely people to do great exploit for you. You qualify the unqualified, exalt the lowly and turn underdogs into champions. Even small beginnings can have great endings when your unmerited favor is released”        ------------EXCERPT FROM 100 DAYS OF FAVOR BY JOSEPH PRINCE

FINALLY, I find this book one of the most beautiful Christian literatures I have read and I definitely recommend it.

Through this book, I see the God that turns Graves into Garden and gives Beauty for Ashes and I’m excited to be serving the only God who can do that.

Let me know if you want a soft copy of this book by connection with your name.

Until my next Blog Post, Stay Happy!!!

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Song Inspiration- Graves into Gardens by Elevation worship