Month: December 2024

Genesis 13:9 Is not the whole land before you? Let’s part company. If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right; if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.”

Abram’s actions in today’s verses show that he has learned from his lies and mistakes in Egypt. He has learned that God is faithful, that God keeps His promises, that he, Abram, doesn’t have to stress and fret and scheme in order to be ok. God promised to provide and He will provide.

Genesis 13:10 Lot looked around and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan toward Zoar was well watered, like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) 

I know I can learn a lot about faith and trust and not caving to fear from Abram’s actions here. I have some big decisions ahead of me, decisions that feel fraught with uncertainty. Like Abram, I *know* God will provide for my needs and will use me if I allow Him to.

Genesis 13:11 So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east. The two men parted company: 

Precious Savior, I am so tired of being afraid—afraid that I will make the wrong choice, afraid that my life, my loved ones will suffer for my poor choices. Thank You that the fate of the world does not fall to me. Thank You for Your provision. Always. Guide my decisions, so that I can act in faith and not fear. Amen.

Genesis 13:12-13 Abram lived in the land of Canaan, while Lot lived among the cities of the plain and pitched his tents near Sodom. Now the people of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the Lord. 

Have a blessed day. 

Genesis 13:5 Now Lot, who was moving about with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. 

Commentary reminded me that back in Genesis 12, God commanded Abram to leave his family behind when he went to Canaan. Lot is Abram’s nephew. So this is the second time in as many chapters where Abram has disobeyed God–He went to Egypt instead of staying in Canaan, and he took his nephew (and his herds and herders) with him when he went instead of leaving his family behind. Oh, yeah, and he lied about his wife being his sister.

Genesis 13:6 But the land could not support them while they stayed together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay together. 

So why do I bring this to your attention? Because all of this brought to my mind the quote I shared several days ago: “If you think you have blown God’s plans for your life, rest in this. You, my beautiful friend, are not that powerful.” The only perfect person in the Bible is Jesus–fully human, fully divine. The rest of us mess up all the time–see Adam & Eve, Noah, and Abram just in these first 13 chapters,–yet God can use us all.

Genesis 13:7 And quarreling arose between Abram’s herders and Lot’s. The Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land at that time.

Precious Savior, Thank You that You can and will and do use fleshly, human, fallible people in Your kingdom work. Thank You that my human failings cannot derail your plans for me or Your use for me. Help me to give others the same grace You lavish upon me. Amen.

Genesis 13:8 So Abram said to Lot, “Let’s not have any quarreling between you and me, or between your herders and mine, for we are close relatives. 

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 13:1 So Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev, with his wife and everything he had, and Lot went with him. 

Today’s scripture finds Abram right back where he started–wealthier, but having disobeyed God and been rebuked by an ungodly king. I wonder what he was thinking, feeling. Did he learn anything about trust and obedience to God from the experience?

Genesis 13:2 Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold.

One thing that sticks out to me is that God doesn’t revoke His blessings for Abram. He doesn’t change His mind about using Abram’s line to bring forth His holy Son. He doesn’t say, “You know what? Never mind. You don’t listen, and you make terrible choices, and you royally screwed this up, so I’m not using you.” I could learn a lesson there.

Genesis 13:3 From the Negev he went from place to place until he came to Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had been earlier 

Precious Savior, Thank You that You aren’t rash and fickle and petty like humans can be. Thank You that, just because we mess up–even when we mess up big time–You don’t write us off, cut us off, deny us Your love, grace, and blessings. Help us to extend grace to each other as You extend grace to us. Amen.

Genesis 13:4 and where he had first built an altar. There Abram called on the name of the Lord.

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 12:14 When Abram came to Egypt, the Egyptians saw that Sarai was a very beautiful woman. 

Today’s scripture, Abram and Sarai’s unfortunate actions, brought a quote to mind: “If you think you have blown God’s plans for your life, rest in this. You, my beautiful friend, are not that powerful.”

Genesis 12:15a And when Pharaoh’s officials saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh, 

Abram and Sarai are making some spectacularly bad decisions here. They didn’t stay in Canaan as God instructed them. Instead, they went to Egypt. They didn’t acknowledge the marital relationship between them. Instead, they lied about being siblings. And yet, God still keeps His promises to them, blessing them, bringing His holy Son through their lineage.

Genesis 12:15b and she was taken into his palace. 

Precious Savior, Thank You that You are bigger than my mistakes, that You are sovereign and compassionate and overflowing with love and grace for me. Forgive me for my faulty humanity, including my tendency to think that I am powerful enough to ruin Your plans for me with my own mistakes. Thank You that I am not that powerful. Help me to trust You. Always. Amen.

Genesis 12:16 He treated Abram well for her sake, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, male and female servants, and camels.

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 12:10 Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe. 

Commentary posits that God sent Abram to Canaan, not Egypt and that Abram should have trusted God to care for him where God sent him, famine or no famine. I mean….I get it. God called me to be a teacher, but there have been times where I prayed fervently for literally any other door to open and I would walk through it–teaching felt that difficult at the time.

Genesis 12:11 As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “I know what a beautiful woman you are. 

And then we are back to yesterday’s dilemma of “is this a sign from God or is this me interpreting life as signs?” But here’s something that I know: if the situation involves lying, it’s probably not from God, probably not what He is calling me to do. And trust doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It happens in real life, with real problems, and real need to lean into God and His promises, especially when we are afraid.

Genesis 12:12 When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me but will let you live. 

Precious Savior, Trust when all is going well is not so hard, but trust when things get difficult, that’s the scary part. Help us to trust You, always, even when the going gets tough. You keep Your promises. Thank You. Amen.

Genesis 12:13 Say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you.”

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 12:5 He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Harran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there.

It feels like obedience to God might be a smidge easier when God appears to you and speaks to you. (See verse 7.) It wouldn’t be nearly so agonizing trying to discern what is God’s will if He showed up and said, “Here is exactly what I want you to do in this situation.” I think most people would have an easier time being obedient with that kind of guidance.

Genesis 12:6 Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. 

For me, the problem comes when trying to discern God’s will from *my* wants or the world’s pull. There have been times where I have felt Him giving me signs, but, ultimately, I don’t know if I’m misunderstanding or misinterpreting or those aren’t signs at all but here I am using them to shape my future.

Genesis 12:7 The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him.

Precious Savior, Trying to be obedient to Your will can be very disconcerting at times, but I do think You nudge us through signs at times. Regardless of whether that’s You or my wishful thinking, help me, help each of us, to seek Your will for our lives and to walk the path we feel You are calling us to. Use us where we are. Help us to shine Your light. Always. Amen.

Genesis 12:8-9 From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord. Then Abram set out and continued toward the Negev.

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 12:1 The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.

I usually modify verse 2 to read “I will bless you…and you will be a blessing.” I don’t think that changes the essential meaning, and I like the sentiment. Naturally, the idea of “Blessed to be a blessing” flows from it, a saying I also like. However, of late, I’ve had trouble with any form of the expression “We are so blessed.” It makes me cringe.

Genesis 12:2 “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.

I think my issue is that that expression often feels exclusionary. WE are so blessed, implying that maybe YOU aren’t, especially if you don’t have the same good fortune in whatever area we are sharing on social media that caused my exclamation in the first place. I have started trying to say, instead of “blessed,” the words thankful or grateful because at its heart, that’s what we are–just so incredibly glad that God showed His love in that particular way at that moment.

Genesis 12:3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

Precious Savior, We are all so very blessed–because we have You as our Savior, because we have air in our lungs, because we have the ability to be kind to each other and to try again another day if today doesn’t go so well. Help us work on being thankful and grateful for these things. Help us not to use the term “blessed” as some exclusionary badge of honor but as a reminder to be thankful and grateful for Your provisions. Always. Amen.

Genesis 12:4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran.  

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 11:28 While his father Terah was still alive, Haran died in Ur of the Chaldeans, in the land of his birth. 

Commentary says Abram is known for his great faith, yet in today’s verses, we see that instead of being obedient to God and going to Canaan, Abram and Terah settle in Harran. So a man of the Bible, known for his great faith, wasn’t perfect? Let’s sit with that for a minute.

Genesis 11:29 Abram and Nahor both married. The name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife was Milkah; she was the daughter of Haran, the father of both Milkah and Iskah. 

It’s easy to brush it off with a, “Yeah, but…” However, God shows us again and again (and again and again) that He doesn’t need us to be perfect in order to use us to help fulfill His perfect plan. I for one find that to be very good news. It is easy for me to see the ways that I fall short of God’s calling, but when I take the time to study the Bible, there are soooo many deeply flawed people–just like me–that God uses in powerful ways.

Genesis 11:30 Now Sarai was childless because she was not able to conceive.

Precious Savior, Thank You that perfection is not a requirement for me to be useful in Your Kingdom work. Forgive me when I beat myself up for the many, many flaws, imperfections, and shortcomings I see in myself. Help me to give myself grace. Thank You that You can use me in spite of myself. Help me, Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 11:31-32 Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. But when they came to Harran, they settled there. Terah lived 205 years, and he died in Harran. 

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 11:22-23 When Serug had lived 30 years, he became the father of Nahor. And after he became the father of Nahor, Serug lived 200 years and had other sons and daughters.

I have always been partial to the Ram Dass quote “We are all just walking each other home.” That idea that our goal on earth is to help each other through–with companionship and kindness, by just being present for each other–I absolutely get the wisdom there.

Genesis 11:24-25 When Nahor had lived 29 years, he became the father of Terah. And after he became the father of Terah, Nahor lived 119 years and had other sons and daughters.

I also think that the vast majority of folks are doing the best they can at any given moment. It’s something I tell myself when I am dealing with frustration over the ways others react or show up, but it’s also something I tell myself when, like now, I am just exhausted and feel I have so little left to give–I’m not at 100%, but I’m doing the best I can in the moment.

Genesis 11:26 After Terah had lived 70 years, he became the father of Abram, Nahor and Haran.

Precious Savior, It’s easy to make snap judgements about others. Help me, instead of judging, to support and encourage, to remember that we are all doing the best we can. Help me to remember that “We are all just walking each other home.” Help me to do my best to help others along the path today. Amen.

Genesis 11:27 This is the account of Terah’s family line. Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor and Haran. And Haran became the father of Lot. 

Have a blessed day.