Answered Before Asked

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

ANSWERED BEFORE ASKED

Gen 24:10-21

10 Then the servant took ten of his master's camels and left, taking with him all kinds of good things from his master. He set out for Aram Naharaim and made his way to the town of Nahor. 11 He had the camels kneel down near the well outside the town; it was toward evening, the time the women go out to draw water. 12 Then he prayed, "O LORD, God of my master Abraham, give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. 13 See, I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. 14 May it be that when I say to a girl, 'Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,' and she says, 'Drink, and I'll water your camels too' — let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master." 15 Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah, who was the wife of Abraham's brother Nahor. 16 The girl was very beautiful, a virgin; no man had ever lain with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again. 17 The servant hurried to meet her and said, "Please give me a little water from your jar." 18 "Drink, my lord," she said, and quickly lowered the jar to her hands and gave him a drink. 19 After she had given him a drink, she said, "I'll draw water for your camels too, until they have finished drinking." 20 So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, ran back to the well to draw more water, and drew enough for all his camels. 21 Without saying a word, the man watched her closely to learn whether or not the LORD had made his journey successful.

NIV

After the servant swore to his master Abraham, he set out to where Abraham insisted he go to look for a wife for Isaac. The first truth we notice is that he prayed for the LORD to show kindness to his master, Abraham. We do not live in a culture of masters and servants; however, we do have employees and employers. So, as employees, we should pray that the LORD would show kindness to our employers. We also have other areas in our culture where others are in charge, such as the officials of our cities, states, and national offices. Of course, the government is supposed to be by the people, for the people, and of the people, yet we have elected them, and we should pray that the LORD would show kindness to them.  It would also be right to pray that the LORD would show kindness to each person we know. Second, we notice the servant's prayer is very precise about what he expected the LORD to show him: the perfect woman to be Isaac's wife, and exactly how that would be shown to him. Did the LORD set up the circumstances in accordance with the servant's prayer, or was he praying in accordance with the guidance of the LORD? We believe the LORD had inspired the servant's prayer to accomplish his plan in Isaac's life. Third, Rebekah showed up even before the servant had finished praying. This leads us to believe the LORD's plan all along was for her to be Isaac's wife. He directed her to show up at the exact moment she did and fulfill the conditions of the servant's prayer. This gives us the truth about our prayer life. We should pray in accordance with God's will, and the only way we will know that is by spending more time listening than talking. Although God is interested in what we say or pray, he does not want us to babble on like the pagans or the Pharisees, trying to impress others with our many fine-sounding words. The servant was exact in his prayer, and it was short and sweet; then he sat waiting for the answer, which, of course, came before he finished praying. God will always answer. He will show us the answer if we listen and watch. All too often, we babble off a short prayer, with all the right words, then get on with what we have to do, and never wait for the answer. The servant saw his prayer answered, so should we. He answers even before we ask. Answered

Blessed In Every Way

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

BLESSED IN EVERY WAY

Gen 24:1-9

24:1 Abraham was now old and well advanced in years, and the LORD had blessed him in every way. 2 He said to the chief servant in his household, the one in charge of all that he had, "Put your hand under my thigh. 3 I want you to swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living, 4 but will go to my country and my own relatives and get a wife for my son Isaac." 5 The servant asked him, "What if the woman is unwilling to come back with me to this land? Shall I then take your son back to the country you came from?" 6 "Make sure that you do not take my son back there," Abraham said. 7 "The LORD, the God of heaven, who brought me out of my father's household and my native land and who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, 'To your offspring I will give this land' — he will send his angel before you so that you can get a wife for my son from there. 8 If the woman is unwilling to come back with you, then you will be released from this oath of mine. Only do not take my son back there." 9 So the servant put his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and swore an oath to him concerning this matter.

NIV

This is the beginning of one of the great stories about the lives of Isaac and Rebekah; however, even though Abraham's servant's oath is important, one truth stands out above all else. Abraham was well advanced in years, and the LORD had blessed him in every way. How many ways could the LORD have blessed him?  How many ways has the LORD loved Abraham enough to bless him in every way? Was it higher than the mountains, wider than the ocean, higher than the highest sky, deeper than the deepest sea? Was that how much he loved Abraham, that he blessed him in every way? However, the Lord has blessed those who are in Christ in every way, for Jesus is the only way. How can we be blessed any more than to know Jesus, accepting him as our Lord and Savior, having all our sin washed away, cleansed completely, even from the sin we have yet to commit? We could recount all the ways the LORD blessed Abraham by going back over his life, just looking for those times of blessing. But we could recount the many times the LORD has blessed us if we went back over our lives. Sometimes we could forget all the ways he has blessed us, especially when we are going through a difficult time, but that is exactly when we need to recount past blessings. Remembering all the ways the LORD has blessed us over our years gives us encouragement, strengthens our faith, and helps us believe that the LORD will see us through this particular stretch of difficulty. We might change in our faith, wondering where he is and why he hasn't healed or helped us through, but then we need to see that one set of footprints in the sand, as he is always there, and at those times, he is carrying us through. We also need to remember the LORD never changes; he is always looking to bless us in every way. 

See You In The Morning

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

SEE YOU IN THE MORNING

Gen 23

23:1 Sarah lived to be a hundred and twenty-seven years old. 2 She died at Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep over her. 3 Then Abraham rose from beside his dead wife and spoke to the Hittites. He said, 4 "I am an alien and a stranger among you. Sell me some property for a burial site here so I can bury my dead." 5 The Hittites replied to Abraham, 6 "Sir, listen to us. You are a mighty prince among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs. None of us will refuse you his tomb for burying your dead." 7 Then Abraham rose and bowed down before the people of the land, the Hittites. 8 He said to them, "If you are willing to let me bury my dead, then listen to me and intercede with Ephron son of Zohar on my behalf, 9 so he will sell me the cave of Machpelah, which belongs to him and is at the end of his field. Ask him to sell it to me for the full price as a burial site among you." 10 Ephron the Hittite was sitting among his people and he replied to Abraham in the hearing of all the Hittites who had come to the gate of his city. 11 "No, my lord," he said. "Listen to me; I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. I give it to you in the presence of my people. Bury your dead." 12 Again Abraham bowed down before the people of the land 13 and he said to Ephron in their hearing, "Listen to me, if you will. I will pay the price of the field. Accept it from me so I can bury my dead there." 14 Ephron answered Abraham, 15 "Listen to me, my lord; the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver, but what is that between me and you? Bury your dead." 6 Abraham agreed to Ephron's terms and weighed out for him the price he had named in the hearing of the Hittites: four hundred shekels of silver, according to the weight current among the merchants. 17 So Ephron's field in Machpelah near Mamre — both the field and the cave in it, and all the trees within the borders of the field — was deeded 18 to Abraham as his property in the presence of all the Hittites who had come to the gate of the city. 19 Afterward Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave in the field of Machpelah near Mamre (which is at Hebron) in the land of Canaan. 20 So the field and the cave in it were deeded to Abraham by the Hittites as a burial site.

NIV

It seems we have to include this entire story of Sarah's death and burial. It is amazing that she lived to 127. From what we know from early in their story, Sarah was about ninety when Isaac was born, so that would mean he was now thirty-seven and still living in his father's household. But the story here is about Abraham mourning over the death of his dear wife and securing the place for her burial. This would have been a sad time in Abraham's life, but yet, it is the way of life. All of us who are married will face that moment sometime; it is inevitable. We also have Jesus' promise that as long as we remain in him and he in us, although we die, we will live. Still, burial is a human practice. Abraham needed to secure a place, and the process then was very different from today's practice. He wanted to pay; they wanted to gift; he insisted on paying; they agreed, and the bargain was made. But the story is still about Abraham having to put his wife to rest in a tomb. One of the hardest times in life is when, after so many years together, you have to say that final farewell. So often, we never think about that moment or consider it when we start our journey together. With so much life ahead of us, we look at all the many years Abraham and Sarah spent together, most likely more than any of us will ever achieve, and it was right for Abraham to mourn and weep over her. This should give us a truth, a lesson to learn. Let us use the time we have been given to love and cherish each other, to honor each other. Of course, the husband is commanded to love his wife, and she is commanded to respect her husband. Yet, older women are to teach younger women to love their husbands. They are also to train younger women to be self-controlled, kind, and subject to their husbands so that no one will malign the word of God. That would mean the older women have learned those traits. What a joy to have that kind of marriage, which we are sure existed between Abraham and Sarah because we have been given so much of their lives as an example for us. Let us reflect on how to live together before that time comes. Yet, we will not say goodbye, but "I will see you in the morning.” 

Blessed

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

BLESSED

Gen 22:13-24

13 Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, "On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided." 15 The angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven a second time 16 and said, "I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, 18 and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me." 19 Then Abraham returned to his servants, and they set off together for Beersheba. And Abraham stayed in Beersheba. 20 Some time later Abraham was told, "Milcah is also a mother; she has borne sons to your brother Nahor: 21 Uz the firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel (the father of Aram), 22 Kesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph and Bethuel." 23 Bethuel became the father of Rebekah. Milcah bore these eight sons to Abraham's brother Nahor. 24 His concubine, whose name was Reumah, also had sons: Tebah, Gaham, Tahash and Maacah.

NIV

Abraham called that place "The LORD Will Provide," as we noticed before, but here is where he hears from the angel of the LORD a second time. The LORD said that he swears by himself regarding Abraham and all his descendants. No one else can make that statement. We cannot say that we swear by ourselves, yet isn't that what a promise is? When or if we say, "I promise," aren't we swearing by ourselves? Jesus said that just because long ago men made oaths, we are not to swear at all, either by heaven, earth, Jerusalem, or our own head, for we cannot make one hair on our heads white or black; the only thing that is left is to let our yes be yes, and our no be no. James reiterates those words of Jesus. Let us learn this lesson well. We should not ever ask someone to promise us they will do something for us, for we would be asking them to disobey our Lord.  It might be acceptable to ask if they will do something, but we must accept their yes or no without objection or requiring them to clarify their answer. Only God can swear, and he only swears by himself because he is the only one who can always fulfill what he swears he will do. Secondly, the reason the LORD swore that he would bless Abraham and make his descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore, and through his offspring, who will be Jesus, all nations on earth will be blessed, is because Abraham obeyed him. Our response to that blessing is that we are blessed because of Jesus. However, at the same time, are we not also supposed to obey the LORD as Abraham did? Of course, we could say that we would not withhold our child from the LORD. If he determined we should give him our child, not that we would sacrifice them as a burnt offering, but if the LORD wanted to take our child, we should not be angry with him, but love him, knowing he has a plan and a purpose for all that he does. Our response should always be to obey him, first because we are already blessed, secondly, because as we obey him, he will continually bless us beyond our wildest dreams. 

God Provides

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

GOD PROVIDES

Gen 22:6-14

6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, 7 Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, "Father?" "Yes, my son?" Abraham replied. "The fire and wood are here," Isaac said, "but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?" 8 Abraham answered, "God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." And the two of them went on together. 9 When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11 But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!" "Here I am," he replied. 12 "Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son." 13 Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called that

NIV

This experience of Abraham's is not complete, as the LORD will speak to him again, but this part of his story has much to consider. As we had already noticed, Abraham now places the wood on Isaac to carry up to Mt Moriah, the place the LORD showed him where he was to offer a burnt offering. Of course, Jesus carried his wood through the streets of Jerusalem, built on Mt Moriah; there he offered himself for our sins; there at Calvary he took our place on the cross, where we should have been slain. Isaac did ask that important question, noting they had the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering? Abraham's answer was both an act of complete faith in the LORD and a prophetic foreshadowing of Jesus as the Lamb God would provide. The fact that Abraham bound Isaac and laid him on the altar of wood gives us another foreshadowing of Jesus. Isaac did not resist being bound or laid on the altar. Jesus did not resist being arrested, and later put on that altar of wood, to be the Lamb of God, slain for the world. Abraham did not withhold his only son from God; he intended to go through with the sacrifice of Isaac, even though he had told his servants that both of them would return. However, God would not allow Abraham to complete the task; just as he lifted his arm with the knife in hand, God called out to him by name. Abraham had passed the test, and now God was going to provide the offering by showing Abraham a ram stuck in a thicket by its horns. Was it not there before? Did Abraham notice it before? Did the ram appear from God's hand, or did He open Abraham's eyes to see the ram, as He did for Hagar so she could see the well? In both cases, God provided as he always does. There are two ways in which we are unable to provide for ourselves. First, in the natural, where we sometimes find ourselves in a difficult situation, either financially or emotionally. Second, and most importantly, we cannot and never will be able to provide our own salvation. We will never be able to have any righteousness within because we are simply all sinners; that is, not one person is righteous- no, not one. We are blessed because God provided His Son, the Lamb of God, Jesus, to redeem us and secure our salvation. How could we ever doubt? God has always provided and will always provide. 

The Test

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

 THE TEST

 

Gen 22:1-5

22:1 Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!" "Here I am," he replied. 2 Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about." 3 Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. 4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5 He said to his servants, "Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you."

NIV

This is one of the most famous stories from Abraham's life. God, 'Elohim,' tested Abraham, although we are not told what the test was for. Was it about Abraham's faith, or his obedience, or both? We know the story and how it ended, but several truths in this first portion stir thoughts in our hearts. First, Abraham was to take his only son Isaac, whom he loved. We know God considered Ishmael, for he heard his heart's cry and opened Hagar's eyes so she would see the well and give her son the water of life. But God said to Abraham that Isaac was his only son, whom he loved. Of course, we know this foreshadows God giving His only Son, whom He loves. He led Abraham to Mt. Moriah to sacrifice him there, the very place where Jesus was sacrificed, as Jerusalem sits on Mt Moriah today. As this story unfolds, we know Abraham put the wood on Isaac to carry to the place of Sacrifice, as Jesus carried his wood, the cross, to the place of sacrifice. Yet Abraham demonstrated his faith in Almighty God by telling his servants that he and the boy would go up there to worship and then return to them. It is thought that he felt that although he would sacrifice his son, Isaac, God would restore him to life, or that God would provide the sacrifice. That is what we are told in the next conversation between Abraham and Isaac. But our story today is about the fact that although Abraham was a man of God, although he had been visited by God, talked with him about Sodom, and had the promise of a son, received that promise, God still tested him. We are told not to put God to a foolish test, but could God test us? We certainly cannot compare ourselves to a man like Abraham, yet we try to live in accordance with God's way. We try to do whatever he directs us to do. We believe God and have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior. We endeavor to serve him in any way that he leads us, yet does he test us? Personally, I know I have been tested several times, and I hope I have passed, as Abraham did. Does God test us all at some point in our lives to prove our faithfulness, our trust, our obedience? We know that if or when God tests us, he does not do so for us to fail, but for us to pass. 

Peaceful Agreement

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

PEACEFUL AGREEMENT

Gen 21:25-34

25 Then Abraham complained to Abimelech about a well of water that Abimelech's servants had seized. 26 But Abimelech said, "I don't know who has done this. You did not tell me, and I heard about it only today." 27 So Abraham brought sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelech, and the two men made a treaty. 28 Abraham set apart seven ewe lambs from the flock, 29 and Abimelech asked Abraham, "What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs you have set apart by themselves?" 30 He replied, "Accept these seven lambs from my hand as a witness that I dug this well." 31 So that place was called Beersheba, because the two men swore an oath there. 32 After the treaty had been made at Beersheba, Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his forces returned to the land of the Philistines. 33 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called upon the name of the LORD, the Eternal God. 34 And Abraham stayed in the land of the Philistines for a long time.

NIV

The main topic of this discussion, which was not an argument, was about a well. Abraham knew in his heart that he was right, that he and his menservants dug that well, but someone in the household, or under the rule of Abimelech, seized the well. The direct meaning of the Hebrew word translated as seized is to violently take away, to tear away, to rob. We do not know whether anyone in Abraham's household was injured in this violent action by Abimelech's people; however, it is interesting that the offended gave gifts to the offender as part of the agreement. We are told that Abimelech was not aware of what men under his command did; however, we find that strange, as we would think that when they took control of the well, they would have reported it to their king. Nevertheless, Abraham took seven ewes and presented them to Abimelech as a witness that the well belonged to him. Of course, seven is the perfect number, the number of completion. There are seven Jewish festivals; God rested on the seventh day, it is the divine order of completion. But the story is about the offended giving the offender a gift to prove his case. Abraham could have taken his hundreds of fighting men and recaptured his well by force, but that could have started a war.  We believe the LORD gave Abraham wisdom to resolve this matter in a peaceful and amiable manner by giving those seven ewe lambs as a testimony that he had dug the well. Everything ended well; they made a treaty and swore an oath. Our story is about making peace with anyone who has offended us. Sometimes, when we are offended, we expect the offender to make the peace, to come and ask for forgiveness. Sometimes, when we are offended, we simply sit and stew, even harboring a bit of anger, bitterness, or a vengeful feeling. However, in the example of Abraham and Abimelech, we see that when we are offended, we should offer a gift to the offender to bring a peaceful resolution to any possible conflict. In other words, the offended person needs to seek a peaceful treaty, without self-righteousness, anger, resentment, or a desire for revenge.