Genesis 17-18

Genesis 17

God changes lives every day. However, I find it curious that God even changed Abram's name, as well as Sarai's. i can imagine them both walking up to people like, "um, it's Abraham now." It would be somewhat of a pain, I think, but also a glorious outward sign of God's promise. Everyone would know that somehow, everything changed. 

The other sign of the promise was circumcision. (If you don't know what that is, ask your parents.) I wanted to talk about a metaphysical circumcision, though. I think the concept of cutting off different things in our lives is a healthy one - removing bad attitudes, or snide comments, or habits that take a bit of effort to be broken. I think to God, circumcision of the soul must be more important that circumcision of the body. 

God's promise to Abraham was so great that he genuinely couldn't believe it. He promised Abraham descendants, and the land in which he was currently an outsider. It looked impossible at the time -  so impossible that Abraham fell on the floor, and started laughing. God didn't even get offended. I imagine he probably laughed with his son that would become the father of many nations. God delights in laughter. 

This is definite, as God tells Abraham to name his son after laughter itself. I love the playfulness of our creator. He embodies both might and delight. 

And he keeps all his promises. 

Genesis 18

One of my favorite things about God is the variety of different mediums that he uses. Sometimes he speaks through nature, or through music, or through prayer, but perhaps my favorite is the way he works with and uses people. In this chapter, the visitors speak to Abraham with something of a message from God. 

Abraham does what I wish I could more often do, which is simply that he recognizes it at the time. He bows to them, calls them "Master," kills the calf, makes the bread. He does everything in his power to be a proper servant to these strangers. I think that's gorgeous. 

I love how there are three men. It sort of represents the Trinity to me. Plus, you can see that they are all-knowing, by the way they call Abraham's wife by name. Then they proceed to change the world by telling Abraham that in a year at this time his wife is going to have a son.  

Though Sarah laughs, she still regards childbearing as a deep pleasure. She never in her dizziest daydreams imagined that God would grant her a baby of her own. She laughs, and I picture the God smiling. His next words are a reminder that with Him, all things are possible. 

I don't think It was too intelligent of Sarah to lie to God in saying that she didn't laugh, but I think all of us do it. We try to justify our actions, and defend ourselves, and sometimes just straight-up lie. 

There is a 100% chance that God knows we're lying. Is it not easier to simply be like "oh, I'm sorry. I was being human again, and forgot that you even know my thoughts"? 

I love that God reveals his plan to Abraham and allows Abraham to ask questions. I don't think He necessarily requires us to blindly accept what He says as law - we're allowed to doubt, and to question, and to search God for an answer. However, I think He begs us not to look elsewhere. If we can find the answers to our questions in God, the amount of faith we can gain is massive. And our relationship with the one who made us will grow exponentially. 

"Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?” (Genesis 18:25 NIV)

Abraham knows God's goodness. And he, like myself, doesn't understand how a God so good could just massacre something, if there's anything worth saving. 

I wanted to mention that I never see God destroying something as "God destroying something." I see it rather as "God sparing something." Saving them from the pain and sorrow of wickedness. Obviously,I don't know everything, so please take that with a grain of salt. 

Have a glorious day!

Genesis 16

Genesis 16: the Hagram Affair

I'm not sure there would be anything more emotionally devastating for me than to discover that I couldn't have babies. Knowing myself, I realize full well that I would be so...so absolutely beyond pissed at God. I can't even stand to write down the words I would cry to Him because they're awful. 

Yet, thinking of Abram and the family, she gives her Hagar to sleep with. 

I genuinely cannot imagine resorting to that. It must have torn Sarai up inside. It would have wrecked me. The marriage would be essentially over. 

Why couldn't they have trusted God? God promised that he would make their descendants as numerous as grains of sand. Therefore, it wasn't up to them to take it into their own hands. God will always provide; the whole Hagram affair wasn't even truly necessary. 

As one might expect, this causes a serious rift in the relationship between Sarai and Hagar. Hagar looks down on Sarai; ("haha, you can't have babies!") When Sarai gets extra mean, Hagar runs away. 

I'm reading a book called the Shack, and it's phenomenal. I came across a part last night that reminded me that God will travel any road to get to you. This time, He traveled up the road to Shur to comfort Hagar, who slept with a man not her husband, and to promise her plentiful descendants. 

He's so freaking awesome. 

Hagar's response to God is so gorgeous. "You are the God who sees me." 

The simplicity of that statement sums up God in a glorious way. He sees us - not for what we're trying to be, or what our friends think we are, or for what we aspire to become. He sees us in all of our shattered glory, in all of our thoughts riddled with insecurities and fears that maybe someone might see through the mask we're wearing - and He loves us harder, and better, and with more joy than anyone else ever could. 

Oh, yes. He is the God that sees us. 

Genesis 15

Genesis 15

I often forget how awesome of a reward God is. We spend our lives often looking for love and fullness from other people, and when we're able to feel that in its entirety from the creator of the universe - is there anything truly better? 

I think Abram felt the same way. He was concerned with the whole "inheritance situation," and seemed to think God was going to do nothing about it. But at the same time, I think his honesty with himself and God was admirable. It allowed God to relieve Abram of the situation, and to promise away his worries and fears. 

Imagine the night. This happened so long ago that no lights truly disrupted the glory and magnificence that is the night sky. When Abram looked up with God, I'm sure the sight was staggering. 

As numerous as the stars. I have no doubt that Abram doubted this at times. How can one go from childless, to galaxies' worth of children? But Abram believed God more than he doubted him, and the visual reminder of the stars must have brought him great peace. I imagine he laid in his eno before he went to sleep and just looked up for a while. Maybe now and then he tried to count the stars before his eyes finally gave up and he fell asleep. 

Abram is also reminded that the land will be his and his children's, but seems to doubt this even mo than the concept of children themselves. When he asks God for a sign, God gives him one. 

I wonder why the "thick and dreadful darkness" was necessary. Seeing as one of my spiritual gifts is joy, I have a real issue with darkness. As in, I don't wasn't any in my soul or heart or life. (I'm not talking about physical darkness here. Nighttime is the greatest.) 

God tells Abram the big picture of his plan, which I think is awesome but sometimes uncommon. More often, we get little instructions or jobs to do, with the knowledge that above all, we should trust the one who formed us, because his plan is so much better than mine. 

Genesis 14

Genesis 14

War has gone on for way too long. You would think that by now, we would have a way to stop it, and a way to communicate peacefully. I guess I'm a little bit of a flower child though, seeing as I grew up listening to John Lennon's "Give Peace a Chance." It's a great idea though, because maybe if these people followed that concept, they wouldn't have fallen into tar pits. 

Lot didn't do anything specifically that was wrong in this situation. All he was doing was hanging out by Sodom. 

We do this all the time. The excuse "well, I wasn't doing anything, I was just there!" is not unheard of. But look where it got Lot. Carried off as booty for some warmongers. The people we surround ourselves with will have an impact on us, whether we like it or not. 

Meanwhile, I imagine Abram to be living in some trees. 

However, I imagine him and his whole camp to be lounging around in enos, oddly enough. 

Which is not at all possible due to the fact that this happened so very long ago. 

Anyway, I'm amazed at Abram's response to Lot being captured. Without a moment of "haha, quarrelsome little sucker," he went out with 318 men to pursue his nephew. And then he freaking completely rescued him, just like God rescues us. 

I wonder what Lot's response was. I can't imagine not being humbled, but what can you say to properly thank Him? 

Abram's rescue of Lot completely parallels God rescuing us. 

1. Lot was living in sin, like we do. 

2. God doesn't lay in his eno and reprimand us; he gets up with his angel armies and delivers us from evil. 

3. He saves us completely - not just our souls, but our emotions, relationships, freedom, etc. 

4. We, like Lot, can never thank Him enough.