This week covers Genesis 18:1 to 22:24.
My rough summary of the chapters:
Chapter 18: The visitation of Yahweh: Abraham entertains; Sarah denies her laughing, Yahweh calls her bluff, and remains gracious about Abraham's third degree.
Chapter 19: The angels visit Sodom. Lot has no influence on Sodomites. When the angels hasten to leave, Lot lingers and pleads for Zoar. Lot's wife perishes. Lot and daughters end up isolated in a mountain with illegitimate kids Moab and Benammi (The Ammonites).
Chapter 20: Abraham goes south, to live in Gerar. Abimelech gets in trouble with God because of Sarah. Abraham makes excuses. Abimelech blesses Abraham with goods. Abraham prays for Abimelech and his people.
Chapter 21: Sarah births Isaac. Hagar and child is cast out, they cry out, and God reaches out to them. Hagar gets an Egyptian for her son. Abimelech and Phicol visit Abraham to make a covenant. Abraham plants a tamarisk and calls on Yahweh, also sojourns in Philistia.
Chapter 22: God directs Abraham to offer Isaac on mount Moriah. Abraham, Isaac and 2 servants travel for 3 days. Abraham is stopped in offering Isaac by Yahweh's angel. Abraham names the place Jehovahjireh. Rebekah mentioned among others in a short genealogy.
The key portion of this reading is clearly Chapter 22, where Abraham obeys God. As easy as it is to say it, it is an entirely different matter when it comes to living it.
In relation to obeying or [(gasp) the "s"-word] submitting to God's leading, there is yet another song that is one of my favorites, which is
"Blessed Be Your Name" by Matt Redman.
There is a line that goes,
"...He gives and takes away... Blessed be the Name of the LORD..."
As my pastor in California mentioned, that in itself is a sermon.
Relinquishing control of one's direction, even if it is completely Scriptural or good, according to where God leads, is many times heart-breaking.
Although it is another rehashing of last week's idea, it is essential to trust in God especially in these times. Again, the passage reference of Romans 8:28.
Although it may be very difficult to feel it at that time, but because we know God does not spare even His most precious treasure, we can have faith and believe that...
God is good.
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1 comment:
Love the idea of this blog. I will pass it on to Jim. Pastor did a series on Genesis....when he did Gen1:20-26 he pointed out the phrase, "According to their kinds" which is repeated 4 times in the passage.
This way, in case you missed Gen. 1:1, the Bible clearly states that evolution is not a biblical concept!!
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