Today’s Reading: Genesis 28-29

Genesis 28 tells of an encounter that Jacob had with God – a turning point in his life when God let him know that He was not only the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac, He was ALSO the God of Jacob. How wonderful it must have felt for Jacob in that moment when He heard God’s promise:

“I am the LORD, the God of your grandfather Abraham, and the God of your father, Isaac. The ground you are lying on belongs to you. I am giving it to you and your descendants. Your descendants will be a numerous as the dust of the earth! They will spread out in all directions – to the west and the east, to the north and the south. And all the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your descendants. What’s more, I am with you, and I will protect you wherever you go. One day I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have finished giving you everything I have promised.” – Genesis 28:13b-15

Jacob set up a pillar, poured oil on it and named it Bethel, making a vow to God just as God had made a vow to Him – if you are with me then I am with you:

“If God will indeed be with me and protect me on this journey, and if he will provide me with food and clothing, and if I return safely to my father’s home, then the Lord will certainly be my God. And this memorial pillar I have set up will become a place for worshiping God, and I will present to God a tenth of everything he gives me.” – Genesis 28:20b-22

That day Jacob began a covenant relationship with God – a covenant he would years later return to and renew. The next twenty plus years had good times and bad. Jacob now had two wives, two concubines, eleven sons and one daughter. He had acquired much wealth but his household had also acquired pagan idols. Jacob had to seek peace among his wives, peace with his uncle and peace with his brother, Esau. His daughter, Dinah, had been raped and his sons had retaliated by killing every male in that town and by plundering the town.

God called out to Jacob and he RETURNED TO BETHEL, recognizing that God had faithfully kept His covenant but that Jacob was in need of renewing the promise He had made to God. The influence of the world around him had made an impact on Jacob and his family and he needed to once again cleanse himself, returning to the place where God had revealed himself to Jacob. And the God of Jacob’s past faithfully appeared to him again and blessed him, showing Jacob that God was not only the God of yesterday, but the God of today and the God of tomorrow.

Now that Jacob had returned from Paddan-aram, God appeared to him again at Bethel. God blessed him, saying “Your name is Jacob, but you will not be called Jacob any longer. From now on your name will be Israel.” So God renamed him Israel.

Jacob set up a stone pillar to mark the place where God had spoken to him. Then he poured wine over it as an offering to God an anointed the pillar with olive oil. And Jacob named the place Bethel (which means “house of God”), because God had spoken to him there. – Genesis 35:9-15

Perhaps God is calling us back to the place where we entered into a covenant relationship with Him. The world around us, the stress and the busyness of this life have had an impact on us and we need to renew our promise, recognizing that the God of our yesterday is still who we desire to be the Lord of our today and the Keeper of our tomorrows. God is faithful and He still desires to bless us and for us to bless Him by being fruitful and increasing in number. I choose to renew that covenant and desire to keep it fresh and growing stronger each day.

Even in the womb, Jacob struggled with his brother;
when he became a man, he even fought with God.
Yes, he wrestled with the angel and won.
He wept and pleaded for a blessing from him.
There at Bethel he met God face to face, and God spoke to him –
the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies, the Lord is His name!
So now, COME BACK TO YOUR GOD.
Act with love and justice and always depend on Him. – Hosea 12:3-6

Today’s Reading: Genesis 25-27

Isaac pleaded with the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was unable to have children. The Lord answered Isaac’s prayer, and Rebekah became pregnant with twins. – Genesis 25:21

Twins – there is something exciting about having twins. Twins seem to tweak our curiosity. For Rebekah, twins meant two siblings struggling with each other before they were even born. After struggling with infertility, the Lord heard Isaac’s prayer and blessed Rebekah, saying to her:

“The sons in your womb will become two nations. From the very beginning, the two nations will be rivals. One nation will be stronger than the other; and your older son will serve your younger son.” – Genesis 25:23

Sure enough, Jacob was born pursuing his brother’s position as firstborn – with his hand grasping Esau’s heel. As they grew up, their differences increased with Esau becoming a skilled hunter of wild animals and Jacob staying closer to home to tend his father’s tamed flocks.

Showing he had little regard for his birthright anyhow and that he was driven more by his carnal desires, Esau traded his birthright when Jacob offered his hungry brother a bowl of stew for the precious inheritance. Esau ate the meal, then got up and left (25:27-34) – only to be hungry again in just a few hours. HE GAVE UP HIS BLESSED POSITION FOR TEMPORARY PLEASURE. Fear of not getting what he wanted caused Esau to jeopardize all that was rightfully his as firstborn son.

Isaac also allowed fear to jeopardize God’s blessing. There was a time of famine and Isaac moved his family to Gerar. The Lord told him to stay there – that He would be with Isaac and bless him. God’s promise to Abraham continued through Isaac as He promised to make his descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky (26:4).

Despite this promise of blessing, Isaac let fear control him. Out of fear the Philistines would kill him in order to obtain his beautiful wife, Isaac told everyone that Rebekah was his sister. Sound familiar? Apparently Isaac had not learned from his own father’s mistakes (12:10-20). Isaac’s fear of death put his wife in danger and God’s blessing in jeopardy. King Abimelech saw Rebekah in Isaac’s arms one day and confronted his lie, declaring protection over this family. And once more, God blessed His people in spite of their great fear and small faith.

Years later, Rebekah let her fear get in the way of her faith. Isaac was old and losing his sight. He called Esau and told him to hunt for some wild game and prepare Isaac’s favorite dish. He would then pronounce the blessing of the firstborn onto Esau. Rebekah remembered God’s promise but her fear that Esau would get the blessing she wanted for Jacob caused her to intervene and choose deception instead of faith.

Jacob willfully followed Rebekah’s plan of deception. He pretended to be Esau and tricked Isaac into giving him the blessing Isaac intended for Esau. When Esau learned of his brother’s trickery, a hate began to grow in him and he schemed how he might kill Jacob someday. When Rebekah heard of Esau’s plan, she sent Jacob away with the excuse that he needed to travel back to Rebekah’s brother to find a wife so he would not have to marry a Canaanite woman.

Rebekah probably never again saw this son she loved so much. If she had trusted God’s provision of His promise, she might have grown old watching Jacob receive God’s blessings. Instead of faith she chose fear, using manipulation and deception to pull God’s plan into place. But GOD’S PLAN NOT GOD’S WAY IS NEVER GOD’S WILL.

What areas of my life am I letting fear control? Lord, teach me to trust in you for every provision. May your promises and blessings on my life pour out directly from your hand. Teach me to let go of my attempts to control and manipulate the circumstances around me. Help me to simply open up my hands to receive what you want in my life. Forgive me for the many times I let fear get in the way of my faith. God, I trust you. You are my Provider and my Protector. In you I place my trust, giving you my family and my future. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Genesis 23-24

Sarah died at age 127. Abraham bought a plot of land surrounding a cave so that he could have a permanent burial place for his family. He, too, was getting up in age and it was time for him to find a wife for Isaac. He did not want her to marry a local Canaanite woman, so he asked his oldest servant, the man in charge of his household, to travel back to his homeland to find Isaac a wife.

So the servant took an oath by putting his hand under the thigh of his master, Abraham. He swore to follow Abraham’s instructions. Then he loaded ten of Abraham’s camels with all kinds of expensive gifts from his master, and he traveled to distant Aram-naharaim. Then he went to the town where Abraham’s brother Nahor had settled. He made the camels kneel beside a well just outside the town. It was evening and the women were coming out to draw water. – Genesis 24:9-11

When asked to perform this very important task for his master, Abraham’s servant was WILLING, he was PREPARED and he left EQUIPPED to do what he had been asked to do. He STRATEGICALLY POSITIONED himself. He was there to find a young woman, so he went to the place where the young women were known to go each day and draw water for their families. Then he PRAYED to God for success.

“O Lord, God of my master, Abraham,” he prayed. “Please give me success today, and show unfailing love to my master, Abraham. See, I am standing here beside the spring, and the young women of the town are coming out to draw water. This is my request. I will ask one of them, ‘Please give me a drink from your jug.’ If she says, ‘Yes, have a drink, and I will water your camels, too!’ – let her be the one you have selected as Isaac’s wife. This is how I will know that you have shown unfailing love to my master.” – Genesis 24:12-14

Abraham’s servant had been entrusted with a great responsibility. When it came time for him to carry out Abraham’s request, he FIRST took time to pray – asking God to be the one to give him success that day. His heart was genuine. He did not want success for his own merit but out of love for His master. And the Spirit compelled him to pray specifically.

Before he had finished praying…
BEFORE HE HAD EVEN FINISHED PRAYING…
Don’t miss this!
Before the words were completely out of his mouth, God specifically answered his prayer!

Before he had finished praying, he saw a young woman named Rebekah coming out with her water jug on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel, who was the son of Abraham’s brother, Nahor and his wife, Milcah. Rebekah was very beautiful and old enough to be married, but she was still a virgin. She went down to the spring, filled her jug, and came up again. Running over to her, the servant said, “Please give me a little drink of water from your jug.”

“Yes, my lord,” she answered, “have a drink.” And she quickly lowered her jug from her shoulder and gave him a drink. When she had given him a drink, she said, “I’ll draw water for your camels, too, until they have had enough to drink.” – Genesis 24:15-19

Now my study Bible says that ten thirsty camels could drink as much as 250 gallons of water. This generous offer of Rebekah’s showed she was hard-working and hospitable. By remaining a virgin, Rebekah was also AVAILABLE for God’s plan for her life.

The servant waited patiently, watching God be God – taking in the moment when God was answering his prayer and making his journey successful. He then took time to praise God and to give honor to the God who had LED HIM ON HIS JOURNEY. God had not simply called him, He had led Him.

The man bowed low and worshiped the Lord. “Praise the Lord, the God of my master, Abraham,” he said. The Lord has shown unfailing love and faithfulness to my master, for he has led me straight to my master’s relatives.” – Genesis 24:26-27

The servant gave Rebekah a gold nose ring and two large gold bracelets for her wrists – very expensive gifts. Rebekah brought the servant back to her family and her brother immediately noticed the value of the gifts. The servant testified to Laban and his family how God had given him success in what he had been sent to do.

Delayed obedience is disobedience. Rebekah’s family wanted her to wait 10 days before leaving but the servant did not want to delay the completion of his mission. Rebekah recognized the hand of God on her life and willingly went with the servant right away, rather than taking the time to say goodbye to her family as was traditionally allowed.

I love this next part because I have experienced it firsthand: It was while spending time alone in God’s presence that Isaac looked up and saw Rebekah (24:63). I love how our Faithful God speaks to us and moves in our lives during our quiet times with Him. I believe there was no doubt in Isaac’s mind and no wavering of Rebekah’s heart that God had chosen them to join together for God’s purposes and His plan.

Lord, we pause and wait patiently for you. We take time this morning to pray and to praise. We are willing to be used by you today. Lord, prepare and equip us to accomplish your will. Give us wisdom to know where to strategically position ourselves and how to pray specifically. Speak to us and give us an unwavering obedient heart for you. We love you and we praise you for unfailing love and faithfulness towards us each day. We look forward to watching God simply be God today. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Genesis 20-22

WE DO NOT NEED TO PROTECT WHAT GOD GAVE US FROM THE GOD WHO GAVE IT TO US.

This is a statement I heard my husband make in one of his sermons several years ago. It comes back to my mind as I read today’s passage of scripture in Genesis. This week we took our youngest daughter, Brooke, to a meeting at the high school for next year’s incoming freshmen. How is that possible? In two weeks, Madeira will turn sixteen and the plan is to go straight to the DMV after school to get her driver’s license. How can that be? This week we filled out the FAFSA in preparation for our oldest daughter, Libby, to start her freshman year of college in the fall. What?!!

No matter how excited you are about what God has for your children, no matter how long you have planned for this day, no matter how much you have prepared yourself for this moment – there is nothing easy about letting go of your children and trusting God with what comes next. Only this is not the first time we have trusted God with their kids. We have spent the last 18 years placing our most precious gifts from God back into the hands of the God who provides. It is something we, as parents, have to do daily.

Abraham would understand just how hard a task this is. But Abraham would also understand how it is the same God who blesses us with children in the first place who asks us to trust Him with what comes next – to do anything God would ask us to do with the blessings He has provided for us.

Some time later, God tested Abraham’s faith. “Abraham!” God called.

The next morning Abraham got up early. He saddled his donkey and took two of his servants with him, along with his son, Isaac. Then he chopped wood for a fire for a burnt offering and set out for the place God had told him about. On the third day of their journey, Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. “Stay here with the donkey,” Abraham told his servants. “The boy and I will travel a little farther. We will worship there, and then we will come right back.” – Genesis 22:1-5

God promised Abraham that he would have countless descendants. Isaac was the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham, yet God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. What?!! How is that possible? How can that be? That is how I would have reacted, but it is not how Abraham displayed his faith. Abraham trusted God to provide and faithfully, without hesitation, walked up the mountain with his greatest possession – his son.

So Abraham placed the wood for the burnt offering on Isaac’s shoulders, while he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them walked on together, Isaac turned to Abraham and said, “Father?”

Then Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in a thicket. So he took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering in place of his son. Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means “the Lord will provide”). To this day, people still use that name as a proverb: “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.” – Genesis 22:6-14

The Lord provided. The words hold such power over our current situations. To know with confidence that God keeps His promises, and to know that He provides for the fulfillment of those promises – this is the knowledge that keeps us going when it seems like life is moving too fast.

WE DO NOT NEED TO PROTECT WHAT GOD GAVE US FROM THE GOD WHO GAVE IT TO US.
– My marriage
– My family
– My job
– My money
– My health
– My friends
– My future

It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God’s promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, even though God had told him, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted.” Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead. – Hebrews 11:17-19

“Here I am, Lord.” Show me this morning what I am clinging to that has never been mine to begin with. Remind me of your provisions and give me the strength to trust you with what comes next. I thank you for the abundant blessings you so generously extend to me every day. I place EVERYTHING on the altar and I choose to listen to your voice. Yahweh-Yireh – the Lord will provide.

Today’s Reading: Genesis 18:16-19:38

This morning the Lord gave me a closer look at Abraham’s nephew, Lot. As we learned a couple days ago, Lot’s father had died while still in Ur of the Chaldeans, which is why Lot went with Abraham after his grandfather also died. Just as He blessed Abraham, God also blessed Lot with great wealth, giving him a large possession of flocks of sheep and goats, herds of cattle, and many tents.

When their flocks became too big, Abraham gave Lot a choice: “The whole countryside is open to you. Take your choice of any section of the land you want, and we will separate. If you want the land to the left, then I’ll take the land on the right. If you prefer the land on the right, then I’ll go to the left.” – Gen. 13:9

When given a choice, Lot chose the whole Jordan Valley, an area that was very fertile and therefore would make him even wealthier. He moved his tents to a place near Sodom and settled among the cities of the plain. Now here is the significance of this decision. This area was known for the extreme wickedness of the people living there. They had a reputation of constantly sinning against the Lord, yet Lot was drawn to what this area had to offer him (riches) and HE MADE A CHOICE to live among this sinful society (13:12-13).

Soon after that, a war broke out between nine kings. The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were plundered and Lot was taken hostage along with all of his household and many others from that area. Abraham gathered together his men and rescued Lot from the mess he had gotten himself into. Rather than starting a new life in a new area, Lot CHOSE to return to life as he knew it – back in Sodom where the people went right back to their sinful ways.

Now when the three visitors came to Abraham with the promise that Sarah would have a baby in about a year, the Lord also had a message for Abraham regarding the judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah. Both cities had become very flagrant in their sin.

Abraham had concern for the residents of these cities and asked God if He would spare the cities if He found 50 people who were righteous. God agreed. Abraham asked if He would spare the cities if He found 45 righteous people. God agreed. What about 40? Yes, 40. What about 30? Yes, 30. Abraham boldly asked God if He would spare the cities if he found 20 righteous people. For the sake of 20, God agreed He would spare the cities. Abraham, probably thinking of the fate of his nephew, asked God for one more number – would he spare the cities for 10? God stated He would hold back his judgment if He found even as small of a number as 10 righteous people.

Lot was drawn to the sinfulness of society while Abraham was concerned for the fate of the lost. Lot blended in with the sinful people while Abraham separated himself and prayed to the Lord for those condemned to judgment.

Two angels came to Lot in Sodom. They warned him of the coming destruction of the city and told Lot to get out of the city. The next morning, Lot was still there. The angels had to insist that Lot take his family and leave Sodom immediately. Lot still hesitated and the angels had to drag Lot and his family to safety.

When they were safely out of the city, one of the angels ordered, “Run for your lives! And don’t look back or stop anywhere in the valley! Escape to the mountains, or you will be swept away!” – Gen. 19:17

Lot begged the angels to let him stay close by. He was being warned to run from sinfulness and wickedness but Lot CHOSE to stay close to the sinful life he had come to know. Lot’s wife looked back on the city as it was being destroyed and she turned into a pillar of salt. The verb used here indicates she cast more than a curious glance. She gazed intensely for a prolonged period. She was too attached to sin to respond to God’s gracious mercy. She CHOSE to focus on what this sinful world had to offer her instead of the gift of life God was extending to her.

These people are as useless as dried-up springs or as mist blown away by the wind. They are doomed to blackest darkness. They brag about themselves with empty, foolish boasting. With an appeal to twisted sexual desires, they lure back into sin those who have barely escaped from a lifestyle of deception. They promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves of sin and corruption. For you are a slave to whatever controls you. And when people escape from the wickedness of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and then get tangled up and enslaved by sin again, they are worse off than before. It would be better if they had never known the way to righteousness than to know it and then reject the command they were given to live a holy life. They prove the truth of this proverb: “A dog returns to its vomit.” And another says, “A washed pig returns to the mud.” – 2 Peter 2:17-22

God, reveal in us any love we might have for the sinful ways of the world we live in. Reveal the choices we daily make and do a work in our hearts. Lord, help us to see this world and be concerned for their sin, rather than drawn into its corruption. Heavenly Father, we choose freedom in knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ rather than being a slave to the sin that seeks to control us. We answer your call to live a holy life and choose to walk in the way of righteousness – fill us with your righteousness we pray. Amen.

All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own. If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back. But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. – Hebrews 11:13-16

Today’s Reading: Genesis 15-18:15

It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith – for he was a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise. Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God. – Hebrews 11:8-10

Abram’s life is a great example to us of what it means to daily obey and submit to God’s plan, following Him wherever He leads. This requires a great amount of faith, which is exactly what Abram had. But Abram also had to deal with some fear, especially when it came to Sarai. He had to learn how to trust God to protect him and to fulfill His promises. He had to overcome his fear in order to grow in his faith.

Some time later, the Lord spoke to Abram in a vision and said to him, “Do not be afraid, Abram, for I will protect you, and your reward will be great.”

But Abram replied, “O Sovereign Lord, what good are all your blessings when I don’t even have a son? Since you’ve given me no children, Eliezer of Damascus, a servant in my household, will inherit all my wealth. You have given me no descendants of my own, so one of my servants will be my heir.” – Genesis 15:1-3

God has promised Abram that his descendants will be as numerous as the dust of the earth (13:16), but Abram is confused by the fact that he is still without a son of his own. He calls God “Sovereign Lord” showing that he recognizes God is in charge. God reminds him – My will, my way, in my time. God confirms his promise again to Abram, telling him his descendants will be as numerous as the stars in the sky (15:5).

And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith. – Gen. 15:6

God reminded Abram that the promise for his descendants included the promise for a territory or inheritance. Abram’s response – “O Sovereign Lord, how can I be sure that I will actually possess it?” Abram again recognizes that God is in charge and God again confirms his promise (15:8,18-19).

The Scriptures say that Abraham had two sons, one from his slave wife and one from his freeborn wife. The son of the slave wife was born in a human attempt to bring about the fulfillment of God’s promise. But the son of the freeborn wife was born out of God’s own fulfillment of his promise (Galatians 4:22-23).

Sarai tried to force God’s will her own way in her own time by having Abram lay with her servant girl, Hagar. Then in jealousy, Sarai treated Hagar so harshly that Hagar ran away. God SAW Hagar’s pain (16:13) and met with her, but sent her back to Sarai. It wasn’t time for her to leave. Later, after the birth of Sarah’s son Isaac, Hagar was sent away. This second time, God HEARD Hagar’s pain and met with her, providing for her needs and blessing her son. Again God makes it clear – My will, my way, my time.

There have been too many times in my life when I have made a human attempt to force God’s hand. What a great reminder for me this morning that God has a plan, God has a way and God has His own timing. I can rest and relax in His Sovereignty!

“I am El-Shaddai – ‘God Almighty.’ Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life. I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants.” – Genesis 17:1-2

God again confirmed His promise to Abram. He changed his name to Abraham, which means ‘father of many’ and changed Sarai’s name to Sarah, stating He would bless her richly and make her the mother of many nations. At ages 100 and 90, what God was promising seemed humanly impossible. But God is Sovereign and for Him nothing is impossible.

Abram loved Ishmael and asked God to fulfill His promise through his son.

God’s will: “No – Sarah, your wife will give birth to a son for you. You will name him Isaac, and I will confirm my covenant with him and his descendants as an everlasting covenant…” (17:19).

God’s way: “But my covenant will be confirmed with Isaac, who will be born to you and Sarah…” (17:21)

God’s time: “…about this time next year” (17:21)

Three men appeared to Abraham one day to once again confirm God’s promise (probably the Lord and two angels): “I will return to you about this time next year, and your wife, Sarah, will have a son!” (18:10). Sarah was listening to this conversation from the tent and laughed silently to herself saying, “HOW could a worn-out woman like me enjoy such pleasure, especially when my master – my husband – is also so old?” (18:12)

Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh? Why did she say, ‘Can an old woman like me have a baby?’ Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.” (18:13-14).

Sarah struggled in her faith but she did not stay in that struggle. She would probably always look back with regret at her initial response to God’s promise and to the mess she made when she tried to force God’s promise through her servant, Hagar. But she didn’t stay in the struggle to believe or the shame of her mess. Listen to what the writer of Hebrews says about this woman loved by God.

It was by faith that even Sarah was able to have a child, though she was barren and was too old. She believed that God would keep his promise. And so a whole nation came from this one man who was as good as dead – a nation with so many people that, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore, there is no way to count them. – Hebrews 11:11-12

What a great reminder to start off my day! With a hot cup of morning coffee on this very cold morning and a word from the Lord, I’m eager to face what is ahead. All of the “How?” questions rattling around in my brain have the same answer – God’s will, God’s way, and in God’s time.

El-Shaddai, I place my day in your hands.
God Almighty, I place my life in your hands.
Sovereign Lord, I let go and let you decide what happens from here.
I long to experience your will, your way, in your time. Amen.

Today’s reading: Genesis 12-14

Now from the descendants of Noah’s son Shem came a man named Terah, who was the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran. After Terah died, the Lord spoke to Abram giving him instructions and a promise.

“Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” – Genesis 12:1-3

Leave and go where I show you to go – this is the first element of God’s promise. It requires more than just initial obedience of leaving all he knows. It also requires continual obedience and submission, following wherever God leads each and every day. It is not enough that I followed obediently yesterday; I must continue to follow in obedience today. Abram does this and receives confirmation of the PROMISE as the Lord appeared to him again in Canaan, “I will give this land to your descendants” (12:7).

I will make you into a great nation and bless you – God promises Abram that he will be blessed and grow into a great nation. This PROMISE has great significance to Abram because his wife, Sarai, has been unable to become pregnant and they have no children (11:30). Yet God promises Abram descendants. When God makes a PROMISE, we can trust Him for PROVISION. So if God was promising descendants, Abram simply needed to trust that God would provide children to Abram and Sarai. So accepting God’s promise requires daily obedience and willingness to follow God wherever He leads, and it requires a huge amount of faith.

You will be a blessing to others…all the families on earth will be blessed through you – this promise was not just about Abram and for the benefit of Abram. It was much larger than that. There were so many other people who would be blessed through this promise, so many others relying on Abram’s faith in God and his decision to obey. Who is relying on our faithful obedience today? Are we living with the realization that our decisions today could affect someone else tomorrow?

For Abraham is the father of all who believe. This is what the Scriptures mean when God told him, “I have made you the father of many nations.” This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing.

Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever He promises. And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous. And when God counted him as righteous, it wasn’t just for Abraham’s benefit. It was recorded for our benefit, too, assuring us that God will also count us as righteous if we believe in him, the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God. – Romans 4:16b-25

I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt – God promises PROTECTION of Abram and guardianship of His promise. Unfortunately, Abram did not remember this part of the promise when he arrived with Sarai and his nephew Lot (Haran’s son) in Egypt.

There was a severe famine, forcing Abram to go to Egypt to find food. Now Sarai was very beautiful and Abram feared the Egyptians would kill him in order to have her. Instead of relying on God to fulfill His promise, Abram took matters into his own hands and deceived the Egyptians by telling them Sarai was his sister – which she very well may have been but he failed to mention she was also his wife. God had promised to protect Abram from harm but Abram still felt the need to protect himself through deception.

Everyone did notice Sarai’s beauty and she was taken to Pharoah to be his wife. Terrible plagues came upon Pharoah and his household because of Sarai. Pharoah gave her back to Abram and commanded him to leave Egypt – the place they had fled to in order to survive the famine.

Abram left Egypt and traveled to the region between Bethel and Ai. Their group was quite large so Abram offered to split the land with Lot, giving Lot his first choice of which land he wanted.

“If you want the land to the left, then I’ll take the land on the right. If you prefer the land on the right, then I’ll go to the left.” (Genesis 13:9)

Now all the land to the east of them in the Jordan Valley was very fertile and well watered, obviously the best choice of land. Perhaps Abram has learned something from his journey through Egypt. He knows that it is not the land itself that will bless him but that God will bless him, regardless of which piece of land he gets. After Lot chose the better half, the Lord confirmed his promise to Abram a third time:

“Look as far as you can see in EVERY direction – north and south, east and west. I am giving all this land, as far as you can see, to you and your descendants as a permanent possession. And I will give you so many descendants that, like the dust of the earth, they cannot be counted! Go and walk through the land in every direction, for I am giving it to you.” – Genesis 13:14-17

There was a battle between the kings in the nations around Abram and Lot was captured in the battle (14:1-24). Abram rescued Lot, as well as many others who had been caught in the conflict. The king of Sodom was so grateful that he wanted to give all the goods captured to Abram as a gift. Just as Abram now knew that God was the source of his protection, he also knew God was the source of his blessings. He refused the gifts and kept his eyes on God – his Protector and his Provider.

Dear God, thank you for your promises. May we respond in obedience to your call on our lives, just as Abram did. May we trust you for our protection and for every blessing in life. Show us the areas of our lives in which we are taking things into our own hands, trusting in our own abilities instead of relying on you. Remind us today, oh Lord, of your many promises. Remind me that everything good in my life is not a result of my own effort, but evidence of your PROMISE, your PROTECTION and your PROVISION. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Genesis 9-11

After the flood, Noah began to cultivate the ground, and he planted a vineyard. One day he drank some wine he had made, and he became drunk and lay naked inside his tent. Ham, the father of Canaan, saw that his father was naked and went outside and told his brothers. – Genesis 9:20-22

This was the mistake that would change the course of Ham’s life. It was an issue of disloyalty and thinking of himself before thinking of someone else. Ham had the opportunity to take responsibility and cover his father. Instead of taking action out of respect for his father, Ham went outside and told his brothers, who took care of covering their father. Ham shirked his responsibility and brought shame to his father. Noah cursed Ham’s descendants to a life of servanthood (9:26-27) – if you don’t want to help take care of family, you will spend the rest of your life with no choice but to take care of others.

Ham was not the only of Noah’s descendants to think too much of himself. Ham had four sons but it was his son Canaan on whom the curse landed. But with the curse of servanthood did not come a humble spirit. The desire to be famous and rise above the curse remained. The tendency to think too much of themselves remained.

The descendants of Ham were Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan…Cush was also the ancestor of Nimrod, who was the first heroic warrior on earth. Since he was the greatest hunter in the world, his name became proverbial. People would say, “This man is like Nimrod, the greatest hunter in the world.” He built his kingdom in the land of Babylonia, with the cities of Babylon, Erech, Akkad, and Calneh… – Genesis 10:6-10

Recognize Babylon? Babylon becomes the epicenter of arrogance and idolatry. This is where it begins. The descendants of Nimrod thought too much of themselves. Their desire was to build a name for themselves, for their own glory instead of for the glory and purposes of God. I find it ironic that today’s slang definition of “nimrod” means idiot or jerk. Nimrod found too much pride in being a heroic warrior and hunter, but pride comes before a fall (Proverbs 16:18). Nimrod’s descendants are about to experience a fall like no other.

At one time all the people of the world spoke the same language and used the same words. As the people migrated to the east, they found a plain in the land of Babylonia and settled there.

They began saying to each other, “Let’s make bricks and harden them with fire.” (In this region bricks were used instead of stone, and tar was used for mortar.) Then they said, “Come, let’s build a great city for ourselves with a tower that reaches into the sky. This will make us famous and keep us from being scattered all over the world.” – Genesis 11:1-4

With a shortage of stone in that area, the people used innovation and created bricks. Rather than recognizing this as a gift from God, they found excitement in the idea that they might become famous for their creation. If they could build a great tower made of bricks, the world would hear and see how wonderful they were. People would come from all around to see this tower that represented how great they were. They would become famous and there would be no need to ever leave their earthly kingdom.

Consider the sin of Adam and Eve. The serpent tempted them with the possibility of becoming like God. Eve was easily convinced by the serpent and her desire for wisdom like God’s caused her to sin. Adam witnessed the whole thing and joined in this self-ambitious sin. They were banished from the garden, made to leave the area they had come to love.

Compare the sin of Adam & Eve to the sin of those building the tower of Babel. The people of Babylon desired to be as powerful and famous as God. Their longing for fame and fortune was stronger than their love for God. Their desire to stay there and not be scattered all over the world resulted in just that – banishment and the scattering of people across the region.

But the Lord came down to look at the city and the tower the people were building. “Look!” he said. “The people are united and they all speak the same language. After this, nothing they set out to do will be impossible for them! Come, let’s go down and confuse the people with different languages. Then they won’t be able to understand each other.”

In that way, the Lord scattered them all over the world, and they stopped building the city. That is why the city was called Babel, because that is where the Lord confused the people with different languages. In this way he scattered them all over the world. – Genesis 11:5-9

Our salvation depends on having a humble and repentant heart. If we think too much of ourselves, or think too much of what we have accomplished, we begin to depend less on God and more on what we think we can do on our own. When we start seeing ourselves as a HERO, we soon become known as a prideful IDIOT. When confronted with temptation and sin, we arrogantly choose to build our own tower of Babel. This reminds me of some verses we looked at when we were recently studying the letter written by James, the half-brother of Jesus:

And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor. – James 4:6-10

God, humble us today. May we see every good and wonderful thing in our lives as a gift from you. May every blessing be evidence of your generosity. Forgive us for our moments of pride. We long to be your servants for your Kingdom rather than building our own fame and fortune. Help us to see the needs of others and respond with help rather than gossip. Help us to see every obstacle as an opportunity to see YOU glorified, not us. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Genesis 5-8

But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you (Genesis 4:7b). Unfortunately, like Cain, most of Adam’s descendants refused to do what was right.

The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil. So the Lord was sorry he had ever made them and put them on the earth. It broke his heart. And the Lord said, “I will wipe this human race I have created from the face of the earth. Yes, and I will destroy every living thing – all the people, the large animals, the small animals that scurry along the ground, and even the birds of the sky. I am sorry I ever made them.” But Noah found favor with the Lord. – Genesis 6:5-8

There are 2 men in the account of Adam’s descendants in chapter 5 of Genesis who were described as “walking in close fellowship with God” – Enoch and Noah. But what God did with each of their faithfulness was very different.

Enoch lived in close fellowship with God for another 300 years, and he had many other sons and daughters. Enoch lived 365 years, walking in close fellowship with God. Then one day he disappeared, because God took him. – Genesis 5:22b-24

In comparison to the life span of the other descendants of Adam in this account, Enoch lived a very short life. If we put it in our terms today, it would be like someone dying around age 40. Enoch was faithful to God and lived in close relationship with Him, but God chose to take Enoch from earth early in his life to go and be with God.

Noah was also a righteous man, the only blameless person living on earth at the time, and he also walked in close fellowship with God (6:9). God had a 950-year plan for Noah (9:29) – a plan to keep him on earth for God’s purposes.

This difference stands out to me this morning as I consider the many times I have wondered why God took one of His faithful followers to be with Him instead of healing them or sparing them physical harm. God has different plans for different people and it is not always easy to understand His reasons, but we can always trust His heart. Both Enoch and Noah found favor with God, but His loving response differed from one situation to another – yet God remains the same faithful and loving God. God was ready to bring Enoch home but He simply wasn’t done with Noah.

Is there a loss in your life that you are still grieving? Perhaps this would be a good time to stop and give your pain and grief to God, trusting HIS plan and HIS love regardless of your inability to understand HIS reasons. Trust God’s heart, even when you don’t understand His plan. Know that God remains the same faithful and loving God no matter how difficult life becomes.

God chose to wipe all living creatures from the earth because of the violence that was everywhere. But, because of the faithfulness of one man, God created a plan to spare Noah and his family.

God told Noah that he was going to cover the earth with a flood.
Noah had never experienced a flood but he trusted God.
God told Noah to build a boat.
Noah had never seen a boat but he trusted God.

Everything God told Noah to do, he did exactly as God commanded him (6:22; 7:5). And everything God said He was going to do, He did – in His time.

It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before. By his faith, Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith. – Hebrews 11:7

It rained for 40 days and the floodwaters covered the earth for 150 days. After 5 months, Noah released a bird to see if the floodwaters on the earth had dried up. But the bird came back because there was no place for it to land. It was not God’s time. Noah sent out a dove, but again the bird came back. It was not God’s time. Seven days later, Noah released another dove and it came back with a fresh olive leaf in its beak. It was still not God’s time but a sign from God that the time was drawing near. Seven days later, Noah released a third dove and it did not come back. Still Noah waited patiently for God’s instructions (Genesis 8).

Then God said to Noah, “Leave the boat…” So Noah, his wife, and his sons and their wives left the boat (Genesis 8:15,18).

God told Noah before the flood that He would confirm His covenant with Noah (6:18). The first thing Noah did after emptying the animals from the boat was to build an altar to the Lord and sacrifice burnt offerings to Him. God then spoke His covenant or promise to Noah:

“I will never again curse the ground because of the human race, even though everything they think or imagine is bent toward evil from childhood. I will never again destroy all living things. As long as the earth remains, there will be planting and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night.” – Genesis 8:21-22

Just as He promised, God confirmed His covenant with Noah. He also gave him a sign of his covenant, a promise for all future generations to see and be reminded that God keeps His promises. God sent a rainbow – an image of peace after the storm and a reminder of God’s eternal covenant with us.

For God’s purposes…

in His time…

because I choose to believe He is a God who keeps His promises.

Today’s Reading: Genesis 2:5-4:26

“Why are you so angry?” the Lord asked Cain. “Why do you look so dejected? You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.” – Genesis 4:6-7

When God placed Adam in the garden with the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good & evil, the opportunity to sin was created. God blessed Adam generously but asked for obedience in this one area – do not eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good & evil. Disobedience would mean death.

God surrounded Adam with beautiful trees that produced delicious fruit (2:9). He gave him a job to do. Now that he was done naming all of the animals, God gave him the responsibility of tending the garden and watching over it (2:15). So God made it clear – this is what I want you to do and this is what I do not want you to do. Tend and watch over the garden but do not eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good & evil. The opportunity to sin existed BUT God had fully equipped Adam with everything that he needed to resist sin and choose life.

God saw that Adam had one more unmet need, the need for intimate companionship. God took one of Adam’s ribs and created from the rib a woman – Eve (2:22). There was now something missing from Adam that could be completed when united with his wife. This union was a beautiful thing, a gift from God, yet another opportunity to sin if not used the way God intended.

So Adam & Eve had a choice – to do what is right or to refuse to do what is right. Sin was crouching nearby, just waiting for the opportunity to control Adam & Eve. The serpent convinced Eve that there was something missing from her life, something God was withholding from her through His rules of right and wrong. Eve had a choice and chose to be deceived by the beauty of the tree’s fruit and the desire for wisdom independent from God. She ate of the fruit. Adam watched all of this occur (3:6) and willfully made his own choice. He chose to join her in doing what they had specifically been commanded not to do.

At that moment their eyes were opened and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness (3:7a).

And WITH SHAME CAME BLAME. When confronted with their sin, Adam blamed Eve and Eve blamed the serpent. Their response was essentially – it’s not my fault! No one was willing to take responsibility for their actions.

“Who told you that you were naked?” the Lord God asked, “Have you eaten from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat?”
The man replied, “It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it.”
Then the Lord God asked the woman, “What have you done?”
“The serpent deceived me,” she replied. “That’s why I ate it.” – Genesis 3:11-13

Their son, Cain, played the same blame game after killing his brother in a jealous response to Abel’s choice to do what was right. God warned Cain that his anger was inviting sin to come and control him. He commanded Cain to subdue the sinful anger and stay in control, but Cain chose to wrap himself in self-pity and anger. When asked where his brother was, Cain basically responded – it’s not my responsibility!

Afterward the Lord asked Cain, “Where is your brother?”
“I don’t know,” Cain responded. “Am I my brother’s guardian?” – Genesis 4:9

Cain was given the choice to do what was right or to refuse to do what was right. He chose the latter and God punished him for his sins. When confronted with his sin, Cain could have chosen repentance and confession. His response was instead (4:13-14) – it’s not fair!

Cain replied to the Lord, “My punishment is too great for me to bear! You have banished me from the land and from your presence; you have made me a homeless wanderer. Anyone who finds me will kill me!” – Genesis 4:13-14

Do these responses sound familiar? We continue to hear them today, sometimes from other people and sometimes coming from our own mouth.

It’s not my fault!
It’s not my responsibility!
It’s not fair!

God’s response remains the same.
He warns us – Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you.
He advises us – Subdue sin and be its master rather than letting it master you.
God makes it clear, just as He did for Adam.
This is what I want you to do and this is what I do not want you to do.
We have the same choice Cain did.
We can do what is right or we can refuse to do what is right.

“Why are you so angry?” the Lord asked Cain. “Why do you look so dejected? You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.” – Genesis 4:7

This is the message you have heard FROM THE BEGINNING: We should love one another. We must not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because Cain had been doing what was evil, and his brother had been doing what was righteous. – 1 John 3:11-12

Lord, we ask for wisdom today – Your wisdom. Give us eyes to see sin crouching near us. Give us discernment to see truth from lies. May your Spirit remind us of the dangers of temptation and may your Spirit be the source of strength to choose what is right in every situation. Place in us the desire to stay within the boundaries you have laid out before us. Reveal in us any sinful responses such as – It’s not my fault! It’s not my responsibility! It’s not fair! Father, we look to you and we place this day in your capable hands. Amen.