I once heard about an old minister who was dying. A young man who was also a minister came to visit him and offered to read to him from the Scriptures.

“Do you have any favorite scripture you would like to have me read?” He asked.

“Yes,” said the old man. “Please read the first chapter of First Chronicles.”

The young man read the chapter of genealogies with a labored tongue. It was hard work pronouncing the some two hundred fifty unfamiliar names in the fifty-four verses. The old minister listened with eager attention to every name. When it was finished, he uttered a fervent Amen.

“Thank you, my son; that was so comforting.”

The young man was frankly puzzled. “Please tell me,” he said, “what is so comforting about the chapter?”

“Ah,” said the old minister, “just to think that God knew them all by name!”

By Leonard C. Lee, Signs of the Times, June 26, 1956. With permission from Dale E. Galusha Pacific Press Ministries dalgal@pacificpress.com