Genesis 14:13 A man who had escaped came and reported this to Abram the Hebrew. Now Abram was living near the great trees of Mamre the Amorite, a brother of Eshkol and Aner, all of whom were allied with Abram.
At this point in the Genesis narrative, Abram and Sarai are an old childless couple whom God promised descendants as numerous as the stars. But reading this section on Christmas morning–the day we celebrate the birth of our Savior, directly descended from Abraham and Sarah–infuses this scripture with new meaning for me.
Genesis 14:14 When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he called out the 318 trained men born in his household and went in pursuit as far as Dan.
Abraham is not perfect. He messes up plenty of times. But he is faithful, steadfast. He learns that God is with him, that God keeps his promises, that God’s timeline might be vastly different than our own, that God’s way might look vastly different than anything we had hoped or imagined, but His plan is perfect and we just need to trust Him.
Genesis 14:15 During the night Abram divided his men to attack them and he routed them, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus.
Precious Savior, Thank You for Your Son, born this day so long ago. Thank You for Your promise to never leave us nor forsake us, to give us hope and a future. Thank You for Your timing, even when we chafe, eager to see the fruits of Your love in our lives. Help us, like Abram, to trust You always. Amen.
Genesis 14:16 He recovered all the goods and brought back his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other people.
Have a blessed day.