1 Chronicles 2:41-49: a reflection

41and Shallum became the father of Jekamiah, and Jekamiah became the father of Elishama. 42The sons of Caleb the brother of Jerahmeel were Mesha his firstborn, who was the father of Ziph, and the sons of Mareshah the father of Hebron. 43The sons of Hebron: Korah, Tappuah, Rekem, and Shema. 44Shema became the father of Raham, the father of Jorkeam; and Rekem became the father of Shammai. 45The son of Shammai was Maon; and Maon was the father of Beth Zur. 46Ephah, Caleb’s concubine, bore Haran, Moza, and Gazez; and Haran became the father of Gazez. 47The sons of Jahdai: Regem, Jothan, Geshan, Pelet, Ephah, and Shaaph. 48Maacah, Caleb’s concubine, bore Sheber and Tirhanah. 49She bore also Shaaph the father of Madmannah, Sheva the father of Machbena and the father of Gibea; and the daughter of Caleb was Achsah.

In a long list of names, many of them obscure and unfamiliar, the chronicler records the descendants of Caleb, generation after generation, including even the sons of concubines and daughters most would never remember. These are names the world has long forgotten, ordinary people who did nothing the histories mark, who lived and died and left no trace but their names in this list. Yet here they are, recorded and remembered. God took care that these obscure and ordinary names should be written down and preserved, not lost to memory. The unremembered of the world are not unremembered by God; the obscure and ordinary, whom no history celebrates, are known to him and kept in his record. God's care reaches even to those the world forgets, preserving the names of the obscure.

Notice whom God remembers: not only the famous, but the obscure and ordinary, whose names the world forgets. This list is full of names that mean nothing to us, people who did nothing the world records, who left no mark on history but their names here. Yet God saw to it that they were recorded and remembered. The obscure are not beneath his notice; the ordinary are not forgotten by him. Where the world remembers only the great, God remembers even the least, the unremarkable, the ones no history would mention. Every one of these forgotten names was known to God, kept in his record. God does not measure worth as the world does, remembering only the celebrated; he knows and remembers the obscure and ordinary, whose names the world lets fall. To God, no one is too obscure to be known and remembered.

That is worth resting in, for God knows and remembers even the obscure and ordinary, whose names the world forgets. We can feel obscure, unremarkable, unremembered, doing nothing the world will mark, certain to be forgotten; but God recorded and remembered even these obscure names in Caleb's line, people the world has long forgotten. The obscure are not beneath God's notice; the ordinary are not forgotten by him. However unremembered we may be by the world, we are known and remembered by God. When you feel obscure and unremembered, take heart that God knows and remembers even the ordinary, as he preserved these forgotten names. Rest in the truth that God knows and remembers even the obscure and ordinary, whose names the world forgets, as he recorded the forgotten names in Caleb's line; for God does not measure worth as the world does, remembering only the celebrated, but knows and keeps even the least and most unremarkable, so that however obscure and unremembered we feel, we are known and remembered by him.

Lord, in a long list of names, many of them obscure and unfamiliar, the chronicler records the descendants of Caleb, generation after generation, including even the sons of concubines and daughters most would never remember. These are names the world has long forgotten, ordinary people who did nothing the histories mark, who lived and died and left no trace but their names in this list. Yet here they are, recorded and remembered. You took care that these obscure and ordinary names should be written down and preserved. The unremembered of the world are not unremembered by you. Show me whom you remember: not only the famous, but the obscure and ordinary, whose names the world forgets. This list is full of names that mean nothing to us, people who did nothing the world records, who left no mark on history but their names here. Yet you saw to it that they were recorded and remembered. The obscure are not beneath your notice; the ordinary are not forgotten by you. Where the world remembers only the great, you remember even the least. Every one of these forgotten names was known to you. Let me rest in that, for you know and remember even the obscure and ordinary, whose names the world forgets. I can feel obscure, unremarkable, unremembered, doing nothing the world will mark, certain to be forgotten; but you recorded and remembered even these obscure names in Caleb's line. However unremembered I may be by the world, I am known and remembered by you. When I feel obscure and unremembered, help me take heart that you know and remember even the ordinary, Lord, as you preserved these forgotten names.