Rejoice

DEVOTION

GENESIS

REJOICE

Gen 25:1-11

25:1 Abraham took another wife, whose name was Keturah. 2 She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah. 3 Jokshan was the father of Sheba and Dedan; the descendants of Dedan were the Asshurites, the Letushites and the Leummites. 4 The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida and Eldaah. All these were descendants of Keturah. 5 Abraham left everything he owned to Isaac. 6 But while he was still living, he gave gifts to the sons of his concubines and sent them away from his son Isaac to the land of the east. 7 Altogether, Abraham lived a hundred and seventy-five years. 8 Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man and full of years; and he was gathered to his people. 9 His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah near Mamre, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite, 10 the field Abraham had bought from the Hittites. There Abraham was buried with his wife Sarah. 11 After Abraham's death, God blessed his son Isaac, who then lived near Beer Lahai Roi.

NIV

Here we have more children of Abraham through this woman, whom is called in our language a wife, but in the original language it implies woman, and is not properly expressed in our English. Yet later she is expressed as his concubine or there were other woman whom Abraham had relations with who bore him sons that are not recorded. Here we have six sons of Abraham whom Keturah bore him. We are also told that two of those sons, Jokshan and Midian had sons and of some other sons of theirs. Now we have Ishmael, Isaac and these six sons, all the offspring of Abraham. Although we will not be able to follow all the descendants of all these sons, we are told of more of the descendants of Ishmael, but we will continue through the line of Isaac until we reach Christ. This is why Abraham left Isaac everything. He was the one and only son born to him through his beloved wife Sarah as a promise of God.  Surely because of Abraham these other sons which became clans, tribes and some into nations were blessed in some sense. But not every nation on the earth would be blessed except through the line of Isaac. But our lesson in not in all this genealogy, but rather in the statement about the life of Abraham. When he breathed his last, he died as a good old age, an old man full of years. We should note although there had been a struggle between Isaac and Ishmael when they were young causing Abraham to have to send Hagar and Ishmael away. It was these two sons who buried their father next to his wife Sarah. Whatever their differences, the death of their father brought them together. This could be a great lesson for all of us in the time of the passing of one of our loved ones. But the lesson here that catches our thoughts is about Abraham living to a good old age, an old man and full of years. The original language makes a little more of this full of years. It means satisfied, pleasant. All the days of his life at least from the calling of God on his life, Abraham walked with the Lord, did what he was commanded to do, not without some detours, or sin, as he was not a perfect man. But nevertheless he believed God and it was counted unto him as righteousness. He was a man of faith and he lived his life to the fullest being satisfied in his old age ready to breath his last, knowing his journey was to take him to God. This is how we need to see our lives. We need to live them with satisfaction, without worry, without anxiety, without frustration or contempt, envy, jealously, rage, malice, or bitterness.

Eph 4:29-32

29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

NIV

All these attitudes can do nothing but destroy us, bring us down from the glorious satisfied life we should be living in Christ. We need to see how blessed of a life we have because of Jesus Christ and live our lives to the fullest extent possible so that we live to a good old age, and full of years. Those bad attitudes can actually shorten our lives. When we live in Christ being kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, we are like Christ. Forgiveness brings years of joy rather than bitterness.  

Prov 17:22

22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

NIV

Prov 15:15

15 All the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast.

NIV

We are assured a cheerful heart gives us a better live, full of years of satisfaction rather than living with dried up bones or being oppressed by life and thus wretched. Who would want to live wretched with dried up bones, when a merry heart, which is caused by our faith in Jesus Christ, gives us full years of satisfaction?

Phil 4:4-7

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

NIV

Rejoice! And live a life full of years of satisfaction to a good old age.