OT: The Book of Genesis, Chapter 26

Genesis 26:1-35

26:1 Like his father, Abraham, experienced there came a famine in the region where Isaac and his family resided. Think also of this famine in a figurative sense: tribulation and deprivation threatened to upset the life Isaac was used to. What did Isaac do? He was pro-active, he tried to work with local leader about the impending crisis. 

26:2 Although Isaac was productive in taking immediate action to try to control his situation, he did not react the way his father would have (and did). Abraham always sought God first. Abraham understood that his efforts were most likely to succeed if the first entity he sought counsel from was God. Yet God was with Isaac, as He is with us, even when our faith isn't as strong or immediate as it could be. He took control: He led Isaac away from famine, away from the plans Isaac was drawing up because He knew of a better way.

These opening verses are wise counsel for us. For if what we seek is relief and opportunity, the first person we need to turn to in moments of doubt, fear, anxiety, frustration, or sadness is our God. The plans He is able to make for us and lead us through are so much more sophisticated than anything we could plan. Allow Him to take control, His scope is broader and His decision making skills are wiser.

26:3-4 God makes the same promise He made to Abraham and to all of us, His children: follow me and I will be with you and bless you. When we follow Him, He becomes able to protect us. When we voluntarily seek refuge under His wing we enter a sphere of love and protection.

26:5 God make a promise to Abraham who He professed as a prophet and He intended to keep it. He promised Abraham generations of posterity and for that to continue, He needed to remain with his children (Isaac and Ishmael, etc) and then their children...etc, leading up to you and your posterity! For those who will accept Him, there is an abundance of blessings to receive.

How did Abraham gain access to these blessings? God reminds us: he followed God, His voice, His charge, His commandments, His statutes and His laws. What is all of that? Together the comprise God's philosophy of life, they are detailed explanations of how to live a compassionate life.

26:6 God's advice was for Isaac not to leave, as he had begun to plan to do. In a figurative sense, God asked Isaac not to stray from his faith. God placed this family in a space where their faith would be respected and allowed to flourish, un-tempted and un-corrupted by neighboring villages and their opposing ways of life.

26:7 Isaac uses the same formula as Abraham: he pretends that Rebekah is his sister rather than his wife. In the cultural context, beautiful women were sought after by royalty... men lost their lives in order for others to legally obtain their lives. 

26:8 Isaac's duplicity is soon found out: Abimelech noticed Isaac's affection toward Rebekah.

26:9 As he did to Abraham, king Abimelech called Isaac out into truth from his lie. Isaac is then honest in telling him of his fears.

26:10 King Abimelech is not happy. He is aware that Isaac's family is closely connected with God and he does not want to infringe upon that... Isaac's lie might have caused him to do so. King Abimelech might not have wanted to ascribe to the faith and its responsibilities but neither did he want to upset a clearly powerful God.

26:11 And so, Isaac and Rebekah become protected by king Abimelech's order for everyone to leave them alone.

26:12-14 As God promised, instead of being destroyed by famine, Isaac began to prosper. Notice the first sentence: Isaac sowed the land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold. God promised that if Isaac put in the faith and effort, he would accomplish and even thrive. God fulfilled that promise with Isaac and He will fulfill it for you.

Isaac did not sit down and relax. He wasn't lazy. He wasn't entitled. He worked. God showed him a place where his efforts would produce exceedingly and so Isaac put the effort in. God's blessings flood into us and our lives much the same way. The more generous we are, the more generosity we receive... from life and people and God. Our patience opens up space for more patience. Our kindness opens up space for more kindness.

We God discovers a vessel, a human, a soul, willing to work compassionately... He is going to completely fill that person will blessings and opportunity because through that person He is able to bless the world. As the instruments through which so many of His abilities come, together with Him we can change lives: our own, our family's, our community's, our nation. We can help put a force of love into the globe. But we have to be willing to put in the work.

26:15 King Abimelech and the people under his jurisdiction grew to be envious... and then spitefully jealous of Isaac's success. They were a self-sufficient, even successful society and here was this man exceeding their accomplishments. In order to try to thwart him, they dried up his wells (disabled him, they thought, from running his farm).

26:16 Eventually, he is asked to leave. As humans, we know of opposition. Of jealousy and spiteful acts. We know that we have to be better than that... but we also know that not everybody is and sometimes it affects our lives. People are not always as proud or appreciative of us as they should be... how does Isaac handle this?

26:17 Without dispute, he separates himself from the negativity. He rebuilt his farm in a more peaceful space. How could he do so with so little anxiety? God had promised to take care of him and God's promises are not limited. Where we must go, He goes. And He continues to bless us the entire way: from departure to journey to destination and repeat.

26:18 Opposition follows him. Again, they try to thwart him. They will fail. It would be easy for Isaac (or us) to perceive this inconvenience, this injustice as unnecessary derailment. But what it actually was, was an opportunity for Isaac to distance himself and his family from people who would continue to plague them. Throughout his life he (and we) journey to where we need to be... when we follow God. Maybe it's inconvenient... but it is not unnecessary. Any movement we make with our eyes on God is movement we need to make. Is movement that is good and better for us.

26:19 Isaac and his workers began to dig another well...

26:20... but they were forced to stop. Someone else laid claim to that space. 

26:21 Isaac moves to another space and begins to dig another well... but again he meets dispute. On the surface, this would be frustrating. But we must remember that we do not want to be in a space that is not for us. And the space or person or job or opportunity that is for us will be offered to us without contention.

Isaac could have stayed and argued and fought and begged for this land but he understood that it was not for him. When something is for us, we do not have to desperately reach for it. When something is meant for us, it is placed right into our hands.

26:22 Isaac finally finds the space that was meant for him and his family. No arguments, no haggling. Isaac calls this land: Rehoboth, or "spaciousness." Perfect working because that is, in essence, what God gives to us: freedom and the space to thrive and learn and love. If we are in the right place, the best place for us to be, we will never be moved from it.

When we put in the effort and the faith God makes sure we have the essentials: the space to thrive in our endeavors, learn from our experiences and love the people in our lives.

26:23-25 Isaac builds an altar from which to worship, express his gratitude for God. It's imperative that we all have some kind of outlet to express our love, communication and gratitude to God. Sometimes that space is our head... in both quiet and hectic environments. Sometimes it is 5 minutes or an hour or a day... or longer. Sometimes it is in fasting or giving... however we express our kinship with God, it's important to actually do it. We need moments of reflection for they prod our growth and expansion of perception.

Isaac was a mediator from the very beginning. Especially in our generation, we are always going. Always doing something or writing something or talking to someone... playing games or googling things. Whatever it is: we need moments away from it. We need moments with God. We need to hold him in our minds and souls as we hold our phones in our hands: in other words, we are to give him our undivided attention (and even awe). He uses those moments to pack us with wisdom and instruction so that when it is time to make a decision or take on a responsibility, we are prepared to do it the right way.

In those moments of prayer and meditation we organize our thoughts and the events of our lives. Are we upholding our values? Have we remained committed to our goals? Are our motivations selfless? In the chaos of life we get derailed. All of us. If we make moments of reflection frequent, we are less likely to deter from our path.

26:26 Those who tried to ruin Isaac's life returned... but this time they wanted to be friends. It might sound familiar... when people who took us for granted realize they probably should have kept us close... because of our accomplishments.

26:27 These men return for selfish reasons and Isaac is straight-forward about that with them: why are you here when you hate me and asked me to leave? Be honest. Be straightforward. Give and demand truth.

26:28-29 Having been called out for their unkindness, they simply request to have a non-contentious relationship with Isaac. 

26:30-31 Even though it would seem that they do not deserve it, Isaac is kind with them. God impresses upon us complete compassion. When we person comes to us peacefully, we are taught to return that peace. Vengeance and bitterness is toxic: 

"Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured."

Mark Twain

If Isaac had been cruel to them... he would have been no better than they were to him. We must not emulate the behavior of our enemies... for it we do, we become them.

26:32-33 Kindness yields. Isaac's compassionate dealings with the men reaffirmed his commitment to the faith. His commitment to the faith allowed him access to the blessings of God. The new wells they dug began to run with water; soon they would be as sufficient and productive as they had once been. Isaac allowed God's compassion to flow through Him... and so God allowed His blessings to flow through Isaac's life. The same arrangement happens in your life: you put in the compassionate effort and it is returned to you.

Had Isaac opposed God and went against His philosophy... had he dried up his faith with anger and revenge, those wells would have remained dry too. 

26:34-35 Esau followed a different path. He began to take on several wives and none of them of the same faith. We are not required to marry people who share our specific faith, but it is important that we marry people who share our values. Esau did that but the problem was... his values were non-existent, or even corrupt. Abraham was strict about Isaac's wife being from a faithful background because we are very much who we surround ourselves with... for Isaac and Rebekah to see that trend ruined, it caused them grief.

OT: The Book of Genesis, Chapter 25

Genesis 25:1-34

25:1 Abraham married again, this time to a woman named Keturah (“Fragrence”). Remember that Abraham was promised a posterity as multitudinous as the stars. Through Keturah would come many of his descendants.

25:2 The children of Abraham and Keturah: Zimran (“Musician”), Jokshan (“Snarer”), Medan (“Contention”), Midian (“Strife”), Ishbak (“He Releases”), and Shuah (“Wealth”).

25:3 Jokshan’s son’s names where Sheba (“Seven; an Oath”) and Dedan (“Low Country”). Dedan’s son’s names were Asshurim (“Guided; Blessed”), Letushim (“Hammered”), and Leummim (“Peoples”).

25:4 The sons of Midian were Ephah (“Gloomy”), Epher (“A Calf”), Hanoch (“Dedicated”), Abidah (“My Father Knows”), and Eldaah (“God Has Known”).

25:5-6 Abraham took care of all his children but to Isaac he gave the main inheritance. Isaac would be the one to carry the torch so to speak, the child who would propel the faith. In essence, Isaac inherited the blessed responsibility, but still a responsibility, for upholding and maintain the family’s connection with God.

In the New Testament we learn from Luke 12:48 that to whom much is given, much is expected. Isaac was given much but he was given it for a reason. Always remember that we are given to in order that we may give. Blessings are meant to continually flow.

25:7-8 Abraham reached the culmination of his life at the age of 175. The Old Testament is a journey passed on from life to life. A journey of life on earth coupled and truly propelled by God’s will and love.

25:9-10 Abraham’s first sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him with his first wife, Sarah, in the land Abraham purchased.

25:11 Isaac took his father’s place as a prophet of God. God blessed Isaac and we know how God’s blessings come: through our permission and invitation. Isaac became a man of faith like his father; through his faith and trust in Him, God would be able to continue providing blessings.

25:12-16 This is the genealogy of Ishmael’s (child of Abraham and Hagar) sons in order of age: Nebajoth (“Heights”), Kedar (“Dark”), Adbeel (“Chastened by God”), Mibsam (“Sweet Odor”), Mishma (“A Hearing”), Dumah (“Silence”), Massa (“Burden”), Hadar (“Honor”), Tema (“Desert”), Jetur (“Enclosed”), Naphish (“Refreshment”), and Kedemah (“Original”).

25:17-18 Ishmael lived 137 years and passed on from Earth (east of Egypt) peacefully among family.

25:19-20 Isaac and Rebekah married but despite their efforts, were unable to conceive.

25:21 Isaac prayed to God that Rebekah would become pregnant and God answered his prayer. God answers our prayers but not always in the way we expect him to. Abraham and Sarah prayed for a child and received one, Isaac prayed for children and received them… and God answered these prayers because he knew that it was the best option for them. They would carry along a line of prophets who would shape and save the world through their faith and compassion.

Yet it is not always the case that our prayers are answered exactly as we think we want them to be. God is going to use his perfect discernment to determine what would ultimate bless our lives and what would not. Trust Him to deliver what is best for you.

25:22 Rebekah conceived twins and it was a difficult pregnancy. As they would in life, her twins struggled with each other in the womb.

25:23 Rebekah’s difficult pregnancy symbolizes a struggle between ideologies: her sons would oppose each other in character. The explanation from God, which came through no doubt in response to Rebekah’s prayers and communication with him was this: each of her sons would represent and spearhead two different nations with entirely different cultures. Although born equal, one would prosper over the other because that one would choose to walk with God (and would thus invite His blessings into their lives and endeavors).

God's exact words to Rebekah: 

“Two nations are in your womb,

Two peoples shall be separated from your body;

One people shall be stronger than the other,

And the older shall serve the younger.”

What we realize from this is that God knows who we are even before we are born. He knows the trajectory of our lives: as individual souls, as peoples and nations and a species. That is how He is so capable of guiding and loving us: He knows how we think, what our motivations are, our weaknesses, our dreams, our abilities...Ephesians 1:4, we were chosen by God before the foundation of the Earth. God is already informed. He knows that Rebekah's sons will each become very different men: one would follow God and the other would not.

25:24-26 Just as God explained (there were no ultrasounds in Rebekah’s day) she gave birth to twins. She first gave birth to Esau ("Hairy")and he became the eldest (who, God foretold, would serve the younger). Isaac and Rebekah’s second son was born grasping the heel of his older brother and they named him Jacob ("Heal-grabber").

Isaac was 60 years old when Rebekah gave birth to their twins. Isaac and Rebekah prayed to God but also exhibited patience: they did not have children until after 20 years of marriage. It is easy to read over that but it is such a bold message. These people, now ancient to us, experienced the same tribulations and frustrations that we experience. They had to develop their faith and trust in God in order to endure circumstances which did not happen precisely when they wanted them to. They had to come to trust that His time is the best time.

25:27 As the boys grew, Esau and Jacob become to exhibit their differences. Esau was a fierce and adept hunter and Isaac was mild and gentle.

25:28 Isaac was most proud of Esau because of the benefit of having a skillful hunter in the family but Rebekah admired Jacob’s serene nature.

25:29-30 In this and the next verses the struggle between Jacob and Esau is simplified: represented by a seemingly simple trade. Esau returns from hunting empty-handed and we get the idea that such had been the result of many of his hunting expeditions. Esau's way of life is failing him but Jacob is prospering because he works with God.

25:31 Jacob offers the stew to Esau if Esau will renounce his birthright. As the eldest son, Esau had the responsibility of representing his father and his father's faith. Jacob wanted that blessing; he cherished it.

25:32 Without hesitation, Esau trades his blessed responsibility for a meal. He comes to represent those whose faith is easily traded for the immediate gratification of valueless things.  

25:33 Jacob requires Esau to promise that he is making a permanent trade: officially offering his responsibility to Jacob. Esau officially sold his birthright. Esau did not care that he had been chosen by his father to continue this beautiful relationship with God that his grandfather, Abraham, had created. A true child of God (like Jacob), one of like-heart and mind, would be overjoyed at the blessed opportunity of working directly with him as a prophet.

25:34 Jacob and Esau made the trade and in doing so, clearly expressed and defined their opposing characters. 

OT: The Book of Genesis, Chapter 24

Genesis 24:1-67

24:1 Abraham himself was reaching the culmination of his life on Earth and there were matters he wanted to settle before moving on. Before we get there, consider the end of this verse: and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things. Abraham developed and maintained a strong connection and communication with God and that relationship afforded him blessings in all aspects of his life: health and home, family and wisdom, protection and guidance.

Our faith strengthens our moments of weakness and our characteristically weak traits. We are covered on all sides by God. God has a purpose for each individual but he does not just help us to fulfill that which is specific to his objective, he also helps in the details of every part of our journey here. He does not only appear in monumental life moments; He is present without even in the mundane. God promised Abraham massive blessings, posterity that would prosper long after he left earth, but perhaps the most beautiful of God’s blessings are those which take place in the quiet and solitary moments. For He is present with us in our moments of broken and disheartened spirit and even a whispered or unspoken prayer for strength is answered speedily and mightily.

24:2 Abraham requests that his servant (in these days, a social system of mutual respect made up a household) make a promise to him.

24:3 Abraham requests that this man promise, in faith, that he will ensure that Isaac enters in marriage with a women from their origin country, rather than from this adopted region they currently live. It is important to Abraham that Isaac marry a person of like-faith.

24:4 Therefore, Abraham’s request is that this servant return to their origin country and return with a wife for Isaac.

24:5 Before making the promise, the servant worries that the woman he chooses will be unwilling to follow him… thus rendering his promise to Abraham unfulfillable. The servant has an idea: he asks Abraham if he should bring Isaac with him.

24:6-7 Abraham rejects this proposal. God had promised Abraham the land on which they presently lived and Abraham knew that it was crucial for Isaac to remain there. If Isaac were absent from their home and something happened to Abraham, they might have lost their claim to the land. Also, if Isaac chose not to return, it would subsequently reject God’s gift of the land.

Abraham reassures his servant that God will help him to accomplish his task of finding Isaac a wife.

24:8 In further reassurance, Abraham tells his servant that if the woman he chooses will not follow him, he is released from his promise. Abraham is not worried because he knows that God will be with the servant in choosing a wife for Isaac.

24:9 Abraham perceived that his servant was worried about failing but Abraham himself never worried. It was with kindness that Abraham gave the servant a way out of the oath. He did not want his servant to be burdened, to feel as if he were embarking on an impossible task.

24:10-13 The servant begins his journey to Abraham’s place of origin. He does not make the journey alone. The servant makes sure to pray to God for help in his journey. This is sound advice for us, for whenever we are about to embark on a new journey in life, the request for God’s help is an assurance of God’s help.

24:14 The servant requests help from God in identifying the woman he is supposed to bring back to Isaac. Essential the servant wants to identify the correct women by her kindness. His plan is to request water from a woman and if she 1) generously offers him some and also 2) offers some for his camel, he will know that he discovered a compassionate woman.

24:15 Before he finished his prayer, the right woman presented herself: Rebekah. What we can learn from this is that God knows what our prayers are before we even consciously develop them into words. The moment we begin a prayer is the moment God begins answering it. The moment he begins creating the circumstances which will manifest it.

24:16 Rebekah is described to be beautiful. It is also stated that she has never had a relationship with a man before.

24:17 The servant ran to meet her: this is clearly a man raised in Abraham’s household. Abraham was a focused and determined person. He was not lethargic or apathetic. He got things done and without hesitation.

24:18-20 Rebekah identifies herself as compassionate: she offers a drink of water to the servant and to his camels. Like Abraham, she is quick in being productive.

24:21 The servant is marveling at the occurrence: his prayer was answered in the exact manner he requested. He took a moment of silent observation and reflection to ensure that he was making the right decision. He did not want to act hastily. It’s a wonderful reminder to us to take a moment before making a decision and assure that it aligns with our faithful objectives and values.

24:22-25 The servant requests to know of Rebekah’s family as Abraham was specific requiring that a wife from Isaac come from his family. Rebekah reveals that she is Abraham’s family indeed (a few generations removed) and welcomes the servant to lodge in their home.

24:26-28 As Rebekah went to tell her mother of the servant and his stay in their home, the servant begin to pray in gratitude rather than request this time to God. After all, God had helped him complete his task perfectly.

24:29-31 Rebekah’s brother Laban greets the servant with welcome and grace.

24:32 The servant arrives at the home, unloads his camels and ensures that they are cared for with comfort and food. He washes his feet after the travel, and also those of the men who were with him. The servant is concise in fulfilling his promise to Abraham but he is not hasty. He does not rush and neither does he delay. He takes care of what needs immediate attention (his camels) and out of respect washes himself to prepare to make a respectful request from this family.

24:33 The servant is invited to eat but before accepting food and merriment from the family, he wants to make clear his intentions, his reason for visiting.

24:34 The servant identifies himself as a man from Abraham’s household.

24:35 He begins to familiarize Rebekah’s family with the conditions of Abraham’s house. Abraham’s household is certainly a unique one. It has been led and protected and even established by God from its very beginning. The servant ensures that this family understands that Abraham is prosperous in direct result of his faith.

24:36-38 The servant introduces the crux of his visit: Abraham and Sarah’s son Isaac has reached the age to begin a family of his own and his father has requested that she be found among his family.

24:39-41 The servant withholds no information. He recounts his exact conversation with Abraham, including his doubts that it would be so easy to convince a woman to follow him back to Isaac. He explains to Rebekah’s family that his journey is propelled by God and also that, should they and Rebekah decide to refuse him, there will be no harm done.

24:42-44 The servant then recounts meeting Rebekah at the well under the specific circumstances which comprised his prayer to God. He tells the family that he asked God to help him find the right woman and Rebekah appeared.

24:45-47 In full disclosure, the servant even explains the conversation he initially had with Rebekah concerned a drink of water for himself and for the camels. This is the way of Abraham’s household: honesty and earnest. The servant is aware that he makes a grand request: to bring their child back with him to start a new life with… essentially strangers. He wants them to know the full story, in truth, in order that they understand they are respected.

24:48-49 The servant explains his joy, wonder and gratitude toward God for answering his prayer. He also reassures the family that although the events unfolded perfectly for him this far, they are not expected to comply if they do not wish to. Our God does not force anyone to do anything. He constantly gifts us the freedom of choice.

24:50-51 In ancient tradition, Rebekah’s father and brother decide her fate: they relent in allowing her to join the servant in his return to Abraham and Isaac. After hearing of God’s abundant blessings and the kindness of the family requesting her, they likely decided that allowing Rebekah to go would be the best decision for her wellbeing.

24:52 When he accomplished his mission, the servant bowed to God and prayed. Notice that the servants faith was present throughout his journey. He prayed before he began, he prayed as he went and he prayed as he finished.

Our relationship with God should be just as complete. We should invite Him into every aspect of our lives, into every decision and into each phase of those moments because He has the capacity and the ability guide and protect us. To ensure our success.

24:53 In celebration of their agreement, the servant adorns Rebekah and also her family with gifts. He knows that Abraham and Isaac will be grateful for their generosity and will want to adequately express that.

24:54-56 The servant is ready to return to his home and officially complete his task. Rebekah’s family wants to continue to the celebration. The servant however, is insistent that he and Rebekah should leave in a timely and productive manner.

24:57-58 Kindly and fairly, the family allows Rebekah to determine her time of departure and she decides to leave with the servant without delay. Although it is not written, we know that God is complete and fair in his arrangements. It is entirely plausible that Rebekah has been informed of this life-change. Not only informed but also reassured: Rebekah is a child of God, meaning that blessings are offered to her and likely in the form of joining with the family.

24:59 And so Rebekah and her nurse joined with the servant and his men in their journey back to Abraham and Isaac.

24:60-61 And Rebekah was blessed to become a mother of great and protected posterity. With that, they set out for home.

24:62-63 As the servant and Rebekah reach home, Isaac is meditating in the field. Isaac is now a man, grown in patience and faith and his meditation is representative of that. It is a beautiful moment for Rebekah, his future wife, to arrive as he is meditating in gentle humility and love for God.

24:64-65 Upon her notice of him, the servant identifies Isaac to Rebekah. She lifts her eyes up to him. In that moment God’s plan manifests and Rebekah dismounts to meet her future husband.

24:66-67 Isaac had been in mourning at the departure of his mother and with the arrival of Rebekah, he had renewed and reassured joy in life. Isaac knew that he would love this compassionate woman and that their union would extend the blessings of God into new generations. 

OT: The Book of Genesis, Chapter 23

Genesis 23:1-20

23:1-2 Sarah came to the culmination of her life on Earth. As we know, she and Abraham were older when they had their child, Isaac. Abraham mourned for his wife, not because she was gone but because they would be separate until he also passed on to Spirit. Children of God are never gone; after Earth, we join with God in Spirit. 2 Corinthians 5:8 To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.

23:3-4 Abraham is a visitor and a foreigner in the land that he lives and therefore he does not own space for the burial of Sarah. He requests land from his hosts.

23:5-6 Abraham has built a reputation for himself: he is honest and kind in his interactions with them and his host nation offers him its own burial places. They offer him the best that they have.

23:7-9 Abraham humbles himself to their offer but ultimately requests land to call his own. It’s important to Abraham to bury his family in land that is indisputably their own.

2:10-13 Ephron is adamant; he insists that Abraham accept their generous offer. Abraham is equally insistent: although grateful for their kindness, he wants his family to own their own land. After all, there is no assurance that future generations will be as generous and amiable with Abraham as this current one is.

2:14-16 Abraham insists on buying the land (even though for an extremely small amount of money) and does so.

2:17-18 Abraham therefore became the sole and legal owner of the land: Machpelah.

2:19 Having secured ownership of the land, Abraham placed Sarah’s body in its resting place.

OT: The Book of Genesis, Chapter 22

Genesis 22:1-24

22:1 In the journey of our lives there are moments which test our faith in varying degrees. The circumstances of life continually prod us to rediscover, redefine and rejuvenate our values, intentions, motivations and purposes. As we experience, our minds and our bodies fluctuate but what must remain constant is the frequency of our faith.

Abraham, proclaimed by God to be a prophet, will in this chapter symbolize an extreme test of faith. For there is a difference in believing in God and trusting in God. These each place differently on the spectrum of faith. Some people look out at the Earth and the universe and truly believe that there is a God, an intention and purpose to life. Other people look within themselves as products of Earth and Universe and in that discovery, entrust God in perfectly aligning them with the intention and purpose of life.

Even if God manifested physically and tangibly in front of the believer, He would still have limited impact on their life. Yet even unseen, God can completely wield and transform the life of the one who trusts. For it is only with our permission that He can enter the minutia of our lives. Permission comes through trust.

Abraham’s test in this chapter is extreme. It represents the many varied ways in which the strength of our faith is tested. This chapter encourages us to ask ourselves questions such as these: Under what circumstances would I abandon my faith? How far on the fuel of faith am I willing to go? Am I willing to walk by faith rather than sight? What are God’s intentions and am I willing to trust in them even when I am weak?

Beginning this chapter officially, God calls to Abraham and readily, Abraham is available. If we read quickly over this verse, we may neglect to notice the familiarity within the relationship between God and Abraham. In whatever manner God reached out to Abraham, Abraham was not confused or wary or lethargic in answering. He knew Who was communicating with Him on a first name basis.

We have a blessed opportunity: developing a relationship with our creator that is familiar, safe, immediate and accessible. We communicate with God throughout our days and lifetimes in the quest for comfort and reassurance, love and protection. God communicates back to us in propelling us toward our purpose and joy.

22:2 God has a mission for his prophet, Abraham. This is an opportune moment to remember that God loves without partiality. His children are servants, propellers of His compassionate intentions and works. Yet we must remember that God’s children are dutiful because they choose to be not because they are required or even forced to be. Perhaps we are not prophets but our importance to Him is not diminished because of that missing credential. Therefore, we can trust that just as God led Abraham, He shall lead us.

22:3 When God points in a direction and prods us to move, we must move. In immediate trust, Abraham follows God’s directive. It is a beautiful moment, this early morning of Abraham preparing to follow God’s advice. Abraham begins in the first early moment of the day not out of fear or duty but out of trust. Abraham trusts that God is good and moreover, has his best interest at heart.

It is a wise habit to develop a voracious thirst, a habit of inquiry in our world today. Honesty and justice are not assured in our interactions with humanity and the world. Fortunately, however, honesty and justice are assured by our God. There is no need for asking or worrying about the who, what, when, where and why of circumstances in our interactions with God. He takes care of the details. Abraham trusted that whatever and wherever God pointed him, it was a place that was ultimately going to contribute to his wellbeing.

22:4-5 Abraham and Isaac walked toward the place God had called Abraham.

22:6 Taking only what they needed for worship, a handheld torch of fire and a knife (remember these were times of sacrifice) Abraham and Isaac begin to walk.

22:7 Isaac calls to his father with a question. Abraham responds to him with affection: Here I am, my son. Abraham and his wife Sarah waited a long length of time for this child to be born. They passionately prayed for him all their lives and finally, he was delivered to them by God. Certainly, it must have been the great joy of his life for Abraham to be with his son and especially on a mission for God.

Isaac asks Abraham where the sacrificial lamb is. Knowing that they were on a journey to worship, Isaac wondered why the main proponent was missing.

22:8 God assures Isaac that God will provide what they require. When we walk in trust and faith in God what we require will be provided by Him. It is imperative that we are steadfast in the pursuit of our dreams and goals, even when we lack the materials, because our God provides.

22:9-10 Here we come to realize that Abraham knew the full directive from God in full from the beginning. God told Abraham to bring Isaac, his beloved child, to this place for sacrifice. As we read, Abraham did this without qualm. Why? How? Perhaps you are horrified with Abraham and with God. If so, realize that this chapter symbolizes the strength of trust we must have in our Creator.

Abraham brought his son up for sacrifice not because he was willing to do so but because he knew that God would never actually require it. We spoke about the familiarity between God and Abraham and we witness it here again in this verse. Abraham knew His God. Our God is a God of justice and compassion and life. Abraham, Sarah and God put so much love and effort into manifesting Isaac’s life on earth. Abraham knew that God would never take him away.

Moreover, Abraham trusted that if God were to take him away, it would be in his best interest. Our God of life exists beyond the mortality of life on Earth. He and His children live in spiritual eternity. Abraham knew that Isaac would be just as alive in Spirit, if not more, as he was on earth with him on this mountain.

Abraham’s faith in this chapter represented that He believed in God’s limitlessness and in His limitless compassion.

22:11 God stops Abraham from sacrificing Isaac.

22:12 God arranged these circumstances and Abraham participated in them for our benefit. God knows our soul, intimately. He knows every crevice, every weakness, every strength within us. We are the ones who require such lessons. Here is the account of a man, a journey of faith, who went from having nothing to having everything. These circumstances work to explain to us how that happened: through the development of faith and trust in God.

22:13-14 God replaces Isaac on the altar with a ram. This fulfills Abraham’s comment to Isaac: God will provide. This chapter is so relevant to our lives. We found ourselves constantly climbing figurative mountains and often without the equipment we feel that we need. Life tests our faith in various degrees all throughout our lives. Circumstances in life constantly draw fear and anxiety out of us, making us feel inadequate, incapable, and underprepared.

God and Abraham work together in this chapter to be a balm for us. Whatever it is that you need, God will provide. Your trust is His landing pad. The delivery of your answered prayers is enabled through your faith and arrives into your life on your trust.

22:15-16 Withhold nothing from God. The wider and broader your faith, the bigger the blessings that can come through. The larger the landing pad, the larger the landed object. If we withhold nothing from God, He withholds nothing from us. We receive access to His all. All His wisdom, all of His love and protection and guidance.

22:17-18 Through Abraham’s unbarred faith, all nations of the Earth have been blessed… have been given access to the love of this extraordinary Entity. God is thrilled to fill to capacity all the space your faith creates for Him. Allow Him to fill your life with wonder and joy, opportunity and wisdom and love. His blessings to you through your trust.

Giving trust to God is a proclamation, it is to truly believe that our lives are better and more precisely wielded by God than they are by our own hands (and works, and decisions). Our first gift from Him is a life of freedom of choice: He is not an overbearing parent. The moment we allow Him full access and control of our lives is the very moment that all other things, people and ideas lose ability to have control over us. Absorbed in Him Who is limitless in wisdom, love, and life we become supernatural, undefined, unmoored and undeterred by the limiting laws of humanity and Earth.

22:19 Abraham returned to his men and continued with his life. Although our gratitude for them never is, blessings become common place in a life lived with God. Abraham returns to his normal schedule, his regular life, after this amazing experience of divine intervention. For Abraham knows that God is with us not only in the spectacular moments but also in the mundane.

22:20-23 Abraham’s family continues to grow. His brother Nahor (“Snoring”) and his wife Milcah (“Queen”) produce eight children: Huz (“Wooded”), Buz (“Contempt”), Kemuel (“Raised of God”), Chesed (“Increase”), Hazo (“Vision”), Pildash (“Flame of Fire”), Jidlaph (“Weeping”), and Bethuel (“Dweller in God”).

22:24 Nahor’s concubine, Reumah (“Elevated”), also produced children: Tebah (“A Slaughter”), Gaham (“Burning”), Thahash (“Dugong”), and Maachah (“Oppression”).

OT: The Book of Genesis, Chapter 21

Genesis 21:1-34

21:1 "The Lord did for Sarah as He had spoken." The beauty about answered prayers is that when they arrive, we can be assured that they have arrive in perfection: in the time and condition chosen by God and tailored to us. Abraham and Sarah had prayed vehemently for a child. They desired to produce life and to love their creation. Prayers rooted in manifesting life and love are precious to God and He is thrilled to both receive and answer them. Yet and fortunately, He will not do so hastily. God does not rush the business of answering prayers. He prepares you. He prepares the gift. He prepares the conditions under which the gift (prayer) reaches you. God ensures that when you receive what you have been praying for, you are ready for it. Ready to appreciate it. Ready to retain and maintain it. Ready to understand it. Ready to nourish it. 

Humans are not naturally abundant in patience. It is a learned and developed virtuous behavior. Especially in our current generation, we are accustomed to instant gratification. But God puts quality over everything else. He will never present you with an impromptu or makeshift answered prayer. He's going to truly decorate your gift with surprises you do not even know you wanted or needed. He's going to draw our your inspiration and your passion. If we are willing to employ patience and trust, He's going to curate our happiness and fulfillment. The gift He finally presents to us in His chosen time will make us laugh at our original request. 

21:2 And with that, laughter is born to Sarah and Abraham: their son Issac is born. Issac meaning laughter. Issac's foretold conception inspired laugh as did his birth. Remember that Sarah laughed in good-natured disbelief when God promised her a child. Her human mind could only see the limitations: I am too old. My husband is too old. It's too late. Basically she did what we do: she listed all the reasons why it could not happen or was unlikely to happen. We frustrate and depress ourselves thinking that we aren't smart enough or young enough or beautiful enough, charismatic enough, capable enough... whatever it is, we impose limitations on our dreams and prayers.

We forget an essential element: We have a limitless God. All of the ways an avenues we cannot see or conceive of are clear as daylight to Him. Our created is creation, is science. He knows how to wield it. He knows how to construct the life and elements of life that will bless His children with their prayers.

21:3-5 Abraham and Sarah raise Isaac in faith for their (our) God from His very conception and birth. They keep with the health recommendation of circumcision. They name their baby after laughter as God foretold.

21:6-7 Now with an infant child, in a moment of reflection Sarah remembers her laughter. She laughs again at the miracle and incredulity of the answered prayer she holds in her arms. She spent so much of her life disbelieving and discouraged that her dream could ever become reality... and yet, there he was. Isaac came in perfect time. In the time God knew he could grow and thrive in health and love and faith. 

Through your own faith you will experience the same incredulity as Sarah. For the endurance of your faith and patience will inevitable reward you with your deepest prayers. Wait, blissfully wait for your prayers knowing that in the time you do not have them, God has them and is perfecting them for you. It takes awhile because He's working on something massive.

21:8 Isaac began to grow and Abraham retained the same love and passion he had for his gift. Abraham never diminished in gratitude or awe at his answered prayer, his child. He celebrated the moments of growth and achievement in his life. We have the blessed responsibility of caring for the answered prayers we receive. Be they a child, a job, an experience, a talent, an opportunity... whatever it is that you pray for, cherish it. Remember always the miracle of having received it.

21:9-10 Sarah loved her child so much. But Sarah, like us, was not perfect. She began to resent Hagar and Ishmael even though it was because of her own actions that they became a part of her life. She wanted only her own family unit in their home: Herself, Abraham and Isaac.

21:11 Abraham was hurt and torn for he had love for both of his children. And yet he had a responsibility to his wife. What did Abraham do in his moment of conflict? He spoke to God, of course. He spoke to the divine entity who can solve the problems we humans think are unsolvable. 

21:12-13 God makes another promise to Abraham: He will take care of both sons. Isaac was born through God's own divine-wielded and had thus inherited a great purpose of faith. But God's love is impartial. Even though Isaac's birth was arranged by Him and Ishmael's was not, God ensured that Ishmael would be cared for. Would be the forefather of a nation just as Isaac would be. 

21:14-16 And so Hagar and Ishmael embarked on their own journey, separate from Sarah and Abraham. At inception, the journey was not an easy one. Hagar even feared at a certain point that she and her child would die. In her deepest moment of weakness, she prayed. And so did Ishmael.

21:17 God heard their prayers. They requested His presence in their life and immediately they received Him. God awaits our invitation. He has given us complete freedom, He does not impose faith on us. Hagar and Ishmael invited Him into their lives. Recall 2 Corinthians 12:10, when are are at our weakest is when God is at His strongest for us. Hagar and Ishmael reached a point of weakness where they were ready to give control over to God, who is so much more capable than we are.  

Do not fear. God implores Hagar and Ishmael to release their fears because He cradles them in His arms. Just as He cradles you. With Him, there is nothing to fear. He has no barrier, no boundary, no limit, no darkness, no adversary... release your fears and let Him fill in those spaces with blessings.

21:18 Arise. God's love encourages us to stand up, figuratively. To have courage and hope. To stand with strength and faith and love and to never shrink to fear. Arise he tells Hagar and Ishmael, grand blessings await them. Ishmael's blessings with amount to a nation. He and we are loved by the emphasis of the universe. Arise and walk toward your blessings. God has secured them in your path... but you must walk in patience and faith through the time and experience it takes to get to them.

21:19 Immediately God refreshed them. He is our metaphorical water, the element of life of which we are most made of. The element we cannot live without. He rejuvenates their mind, body and soul. He provides for them and us the sustenance we need to keep striving toward our dreams and goals and passions and prayers.

21:20-21 Ishmael and Hagar began to develop a life for themselves, outside of the shadow of being unwanted by Sarah in her house. They began the journey in fear because they could not see beyond the present. Beyond the limits. God encourages us to explore. Had Ishmael and Hagar never left the home of Abraham they would have never had their own home, their own nation. They were no longer in the background, they came to the forefront. 

Hagar thought her life was over. She thought her son's life was over. She all but gave up... but before she did, she prayed to God. Suddenly she left a directionless chaos and began to walk His ordered and blessed path. Moment by moment they allowed themselves to be led to the beautiful future God envisioned for them.

21:22-24 Abimelech requests that from now and forward Abraham remain honest with him. He asks Abraham to return the kindness he has received. Abraham promises to do so. 

Be honest and a person of your word. As a child of God, you do not need to deal deceitfully or manipulatively with others. God is protecting you from all sides providing your the wisdom and kill and perception life requires, therefore do your work of honoring that protection: be compassionate with others. Continue on the flow of His love... what comes into you, express out into the world.

21:25-31 There is a misunderstanding regarding a dug well between Abraham and Abimelech and so together they work through a fair solution. They settle their disagreement without violence or hatred. They communicate. They create the conditions under which both are justly and fairly treated.

21:32-34 Dispute resolved, Abraham and Abimelech both lived their separate lives peacefully. Abraham, as he always does, remains committed and grateful to his faith. Ensuring that his love for God is present in all circumstances of his life. For wherever we invite God in, there we find blessing.

OT: The Book of Genesis, Chapter 20

Genesis 20:1-18

20:1-2 Abraham and Sarah use the same tactic they used in Egypt years ago: they pretend to be merely brother and sister, rather than husband and wife, in order to evade enemies. For if a leader were to take interest in Sarah, he might take Abraham's life in order to claim her as his own.

20:3 And again God intervened: ensuring that Abraham and Sarah's union was respected.  

20:4-5 Unsuspecting king Abimelech, is prompted by God to release Sarah. Abimelech claims innocence, and he is right to as Abraham and Sarah had not been honest with him. Their methods were necessary however because Abraham might not have initially survived if they had not. (That is, at least, how our human minds work. God always clears a path).

20:6 God is always fully aware of the details of our situations. He knows that Abimelech is innocent and He also guided him away from joining with Sarah. God is like our bumper-rails in the game of bowling; even if we do not realize it, our faith gives him permission to keep us out of the gutter. 

20:7 Abraham is proclaimed as a prophet. Prophet noun: a person regarded as an inspired teacher or proclaimer of the will of God. Through Abraham and following prophets, God would build His philosophy on the earth. It was imperative that these souls be permitted to speak and live His message.

God ensures that Abraham will pray for Abimelech and we are introduced to the concept of intercessory prayer. Intercessory prayers are the prayers we pray on behalf of others. We learn here that they are heard, effective, and answered by God.

20:8-10 Abimelech confronts Abraham about his lie. This is a great lesson for us in conflict resolution: employ stark honesty. Abimelech asks Abraham why he deserved to be lied to. 

20:11-13 Abraham finally interacts with Abimelech with the same honesty: he explains to the king that he was worried about being killed for ownership of Sarah. He explains that Sarah is technically his half sister, but also that they are indeed married. 

20:14-16 Sarah is returned to Abraham, not having had any children with Abimelech. God had ensured Abraham that he and Sarah specifically would be the parents of generations of peoples and He remained committed to that promise by temporarily disabling all in that house from reproducing. 

20:17-18 Abraham prayer to God, thanking Him for the restoration of his wife. He also prayed for Abimelech and his family, asking God to allow restore their own ability to reproduce. We see here that intercessory prayer works. Pray on behalf of others; your faithful contributions lead to blessings in their lives.

OT: The Book of Genesis, Chapter 19

Genesis 19:1-38

19:1 The two angels reach Sodom by evening and they come into the presence of Lot, Abraham's nephew. Lot has the same reaction as Abraham, to bow before these angels, these messengers of God.

Lot welcomes the angels into his home and offers them food and shelter. In the New Testament we spend a lot of time talking about ourselves in faith as servants. We are servants of compassion and of justice, we do the work required to enable justice and compassion to come into the world. Neither Lot nor Abraham is ashamed of their duty to serve. There is no greater title or higher honor than being a steward of righteousness. There is no more important job or purpose you could have. 

Right there in Lot's presence are the angels who serve God in arranging and bringing into effect the prayers and hopes of Lot's. Lot is honored to return some of what has been given to him.

19:2 Lot opens his home to the angels. He knows of the danger in the place where he lives and he works to protect even these angels. These are messengers of God and as such, no harm could befall them. Yet Lot reveals his soul in wanting to do what he can to ensure that the angels do not even come into danger (even though they could handle it). This is compassion. He wished to open his home to them.

19:3 The two angels accept his insisted offer and they receive Lot's hospitality; they come under his care.

19:4-5 The corrupted neighborhood caught sight of the angels in Lot's house and they surrounded it. Their desire was the exploit the angels. Surely they stood out in such a wicked place.

19:6 It is endearing to read of Lot's vehement protection of his visitors. He feels a responsibility for protecting the lives of those around him, even the ones who did not necessarily need him to. But Lot is not without flaw, as we will see.

19:7-8 The men surrounding the house succeed in causing deep fear within Lot. Lot does not distribute his love and protection evenly. Believing that the evil outside the doors would not be assuaged to leave them alone, Lot offers his own daughters to them. Perhaps Lot's mistake is somewhat understandable: he reveres these creatures but he does not understand them. He does not understand that love and compassion and protection should be extended even to the figures who are weak or perceived as average.

Lot has never understood God the way that Abraham has. Lot likely fears that he will lose God's favor if he does not act in complete reverence of these angels. What Lot does not realize is that God loves with impartiality; God would prefer Lot protect the weak, his daughters in this case.

19:9 The angry and wicked crowd continued to demand from Lot. They wanted entrance into the house, access to the two visiting angels. This is symbolic of wickedness working to enshroud good. Wicked always works to taint and thwart and ruin. It's motivation is destruction.

19:10 The angels are more advanced in their faith and understand that they must protect all of the lives in the house, as each one is vitally important to our God; they pull Lot into the house and secure the door. Just as God's love and protection secures us in safety. 

19:11 Not only did they secure the souls, the children of God, they also disabled evil from ever finding them. God reinforces His love and protection. We are doubly secured by Him.

19:12 The angels instruct Lot to gather his family and those he cares about and move them out of Sodom.

19:13 It had come to a point where God found it necessary to destroy Gomorrah. Yet as He assured Abraham, he would not destroy innocent souls. Now, realize that Lot had overtly displayed his flaw. He let fear scared him into offering his children over to evil. God does not destroy fallible souls, he destroys evil souls. Lot almost made a grave mistake, he did not respect the innocence or life of his daughters as fully as he should have but because he did not die in Sodom, we know that Lot's soul was tormented. He was weak. God protects us when we are weak. He protects us when our weakness causes us to make bad decisions. His hope is that through His strength and guidance in our weak moments, we might learn to be better. God rescues the souls who have potential for good and edification.

19:14 Lot did what he could to urge his family to pack up and leave. His sons-in-law did not believe his warning. A key element of escaping evil is having faith in God to lead you out of it. We must trust in his foretold events, no matter how they reach us. 

As humans we are often so convinced that we know better. We dismiss warnings and even the intuition of our own souls because we think we know better than nature. Or maybe we are lethargic or apathetic. We don't always act when it is necessary. We do not always heed the advice of those who care for us, who care about protecting the quality of our lives.

To be sure, an entire upheaval of your life would seem to be a difficult and unpleasant task. In the experience of life, we learn that most... if not all... difficult and unpleasant experiences produce the opportunity for our greatest growth. Lot warns his sons-in-law to act but they refuse. They refuse to grow. They choose to remain stagnant. When it is our time to change the conditions of our lives or our characters we must actively, willingly do so because it contributes to our own betterment.

19:15-16 The angels urged Lot to hurry. It was time to leave. God works with precision. There is no lingering on His part. When a decision is made, when something has to be done, it is done. Lot however, as humans do, lingered. But this is what God does for His children, even for the ones of weaker faith, He takes our hand and leads us. If we won't move when its necessary, He moves us. We are a stubborn species. Sometimes a lazy species. A disbelieving species. He makes up for those shortcomings with ultimate patience. 

19:17 Do not look behind you. Do not look back at past infractions. God wants you to be focused on the future, focused on betterment. Lot is told not to look back and this is why: to look back is symbolic of returning to an old mistake. Once you make that mistake, learn from it, grow from it and never return to it.

19:18-19 Still, Lot's faith is weak. He has just been personally escorted by angels out of a wicked city. His life has just been saved by God and His messengers. Lot still worries about losing his life.

Let's examine this type of faith because it is alive and abundant in the world today. Faith with limits is not faith. Why ever would a soul fear death when our God is the God of life? There is no death for God's children. To be gone from Earth is to be alive in Spirit. 

We know of Abraham's strong faith. Abraham would have been praying for his family, including the branch of Lot's. Witness what God can accomplish for you through your faithful prayer and compassion for others. He will personally arrange for you and those you care about to be delivered from evil. 

19:20-23 Lot requests a different destination, a city life again rather than a country life. He does not know how to live that lifestyle anymore. Permission is granted. God is not thrilled with the condition of the city Lot requests but he generously relents. God listens to the specifics of our prayers.

19:24-25 Sodom and Gomorrah and all of the evil within them were destroyed.

19:26 Lot's wife makes a mistake. She looks back. Because his wife is unable to let go of the corrupt lifestyle of Sodom and Gomorrah, she perishes with the wicked city. Evil actions cause us to perish. It is not a punishment, it is a reality. Evil cannot continue to exist in this moral and just universe. She gave her life to death rather than to life, by choosing evil over good. It was not a punishment, it was a personal decision. She enacted her free will to choose.

19:27-29 Abraham witnesses that Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed and God sends Lot to Abraham to show him that He kept His promise. He did not destroy those who Abraham prayed for. God listens to our prayers and when we pray for others, they receive His blessings.

19:30 As it turned out, God's suggestion was better (not surprising, right?). Lot moved from Zoar, the city he requested to the mountains where it was safer.

19:31 Lots daughters became concerned that their family would die out in these mountains. Lot lost his wife and the world that they knew (and everyone in it) was destroyed. They believed their entire family to be gone.

19:32-33 Lots daughters developed a plan to reproduce in an incestuous relation with their father while he was drunk. The eldest daughter committed the act first.

19:34-35 The next night, Lot's second daughter did the same. They genuinely believed that they were earnestly continuing their lineage. They believed it was a necessary desperate measure.

19:36 The daughters both became pregnant.

19:37 The firstborn daughter named her son Moab (name meaning: of his father).

19:38 The second-born daughter named her son Ben-Ammi (name meaning: son of my people).

OT: The Book of Genesis, Chapter 18

Genesis 18:1-33

18:1-2 Abraham is resting in the extreme heat by the terebinth trees when God and two angels manifest before him. As soon as Abraham notices the figures suddenly standing near him, he rushes up to greet them. Immediately he bows. The reason why Abraham bows, the reason why any soul feels automatically inclined to bow before God is because to be in His presence is to be in the presence of compassion manifested. Love manifested. Wisdom manifested. To be in His presence is the be in the presence of the creative hand of the universe.

God has blessed Abraham's life. He has led Abraham. He has made and fulfilled promises to Abraham that extend even beyond Abraham's life on earth. Even more than that, He has done all of those things selflessly. Without requirement, God blesses us. To enact His blessings, we give Him our permission but to us He gives so much more. So when Abraham finds himself suddenly in the presence of God, he feels moved to exude zealous reverence and gratitude.

18:3 Abraham asks God: will you let me serve you? God will you find me worthy enough to serve you? For God's mission  is a bold and divine mission, arching far beyond the limits of humanity. To be a part of His mission is a humbling honor. Abraham requests that God, His presence, remain with him.

18:4 Abraham asks if he may be able to bring water to these angels and God. He asks for the opportunity to wash their feet after a presumed long and dusty travel. He requests that they rest and allow Abraham to, in the only way he can, serve them as they have served him.

18:5 Abraham hopes to feed them as he has been fed by them so they too are prepared to continue their own journey. We may not have the capabilities of God but we do have the capacity for compassion and gratitude. God does His best for Abraham and in return, Abraham does his best for God. It may seem that compared to Him, our capabilities are without value but God has taught us repeatedly that we have the most important ability: the ability to express love. With their assent, Abraham does so.

18:6 Abraham runs into the tent for Sarah's help in preparing a meal for them. 

18:7 Abraham himself runs to the herd for a meat portion to the meal. Abraham does work to prepare an acceptable meal or a last minute meal or an easy meal. He immediately begins to put together the best of what he has for his visitors.

18:8 He brings the prepared meal to his angelic visitors. For this is how we are meant to receive family and friends. We are meant to bestow them our appreciation and hospitality.

18:9 "Where is Sarah?" They ask Abraham. He assures them that she is nearby in their tent. This question explains to us the reason for their visit to Abraham.

18:10 They explain to Abraham that they have come to announce Sarah's imminent pregnancy. The reason why this announcement is so formally announced is because through Abraham and Sarah would come the tribes of people who would eventual populate the entire world. Tribes of people who God would claim as His own if they (we) would accept Him. Also through this line of descendants would come our messiah.

18:11-12 At the news that she would conceive, Sarah laughed. It was a laugh of utter disbelief and shock. Sarah at this point was older, certainly beyond natural child-bearing age. We often react similarly when we contemplate our own dreams coming into fruition. We ask God for something but deep down it still feels unreachable. We cannot imagine actually receiving the things we ask for. We do not have the quality of hope that God assures us we can latch onto. They seem impossible to us, unlikely at best. We do not often enough have the patience or perspective to understand that through God, our prayers are always inevitably answered.

18:13-14 With solemnity, God asks this question (and realize that He is speaking directly to you, as well): Is anything too hard for the Lord? It is a rhetorical question. Look around. Look at and within yourself. You are a living, breathing miracle of manifested life... and so is everything, the entire world and universe around you. What is impossible to us is easy for God. We cannot see beyond our limits and our barriers and because of that we forget that He has no limits. He has no barriers.

18:15 Sarah is not in the presence of Him but God knows of her reaction. She does not even have to express herself aloud for Him to know her thoughts. God knows what we are thinking; He knows the character of our souls. Sarah is ashamed of her disbelief. She regrets that her faith in God dwindled in a weak moment. God does not revoke His promise because of it, though. He knows that Sarah did not mean harm or laugh maliciously. She's in shock. No, He remains committed because He does not abandon us. He does not scoff at us. Even though he as abundant reason to, He never doubts our ability to be and do better. He believes in our capability; He arms us with purpose and opportunity because He has faith in us. Surely based on that alone we can return the faith in Him.

18:16 The angels and God have other business to attend to: the region of Sodom. Abraham rises to join them on their travel to Sodom.

18:17-18 God is on a constant effort of working with humanity, hearing and answering our prayers. After His business with Abraham, He looks to Sodom. There is distress in Sodom, separate from Abraham. God considers keeping the two separate. Abraham is faithful and God is abound to attend to business concerning the faithless. A region filled with evil.

18:19 God knows Abraham. He knows how Abraham will raise his family. God knows our souls to intimately because we have been with Him far longer than we realize. Ephesians 1:4 God explains that He has known us and loved us even before the creation of this planet we now inhabit. He knows our souls. Every detail. The evil in Sodom has nothing to do with Abraham, could never influence or derail him and therefore God considers keeping his business with Sodom separate from Abraham. 

18:20 God hears an outcry of prayers about Sodom and Gomorrah. The events taking place there are causing many to despair. There are regions in our world today which reflect the severity of evil that took place in Sodom and Gomorrah and we can be sure that God hears the outcry. He always has and He always will.

18:21 God ventured to Sodom and Gomorrah to get a personal account of the events there. He analyzes situations with his perfect perspective. Take comfort in this fact, that our God gathers evidence for Himself. He acts and judges based on facts and truths.

Wonderful words from God: And if not, I will know. If the truth is not apparent, He will know. No matter what works to obscure our truth, be it our own deception or the deception of others, God knows the truth. Nothing is hidden from Him. Nothing is beyond His reach.

18:22 By now Abraham knows what business the angels and God are on: to destroy the wicked city of Sodom. In our world today, there are crevices of evil within our regions. Abraham is about to subconsciously explain to us why those places are allowed to exist.

18:23 Abraham wonders if the righteous souls amid the evil will also be destroyed.

18:24-25 Abraham knows our God. He knows that our God is a God of justice and compassion. He knows that something is not adding up... He knows that God would never punish good souls simply because they happen to be in the wrong place. What if there are fifty righteous souls, Abraham asks, would you still destroy the entire city?

18:26 Of course not. God proclaims to Abraham that He would certainly not destroy any place where they are fifty righteous souls (even if they were the extreme minority).

18:27 Abraham reveals the strength and compassionate beauty of his character. For even though he feels and knows he is unworthy of questioning God, he knows it is his duty to stand up for these righteous souls. Abraham cannot ignore or waste his opportunity to ensure their well-being.

Are we so bold and committed to justice in our own lives? Abraham found the gumption even to confront God. Surely we can confront our neighbor, our friend, our government, our family if we feel that there is a statement that must be said. 

18:28 Abraham continues, would you save less than fifty? Would you save a mere forty-five? God assures Abraham that He would not destroy a place if there were even just forty-five righteous souls living within it.

18:29 Abraham reveals to us his kind and compassionate soul. He is still concerned for the minority. What about forty? Would you save the entire city if there were only forty righteous souls?

God assures Abraham that He would not destroy a city if there were forty good souls.

18:30 Abraham is going to keep pushing; he's going to keep ensuring that he's doing his best to protect and speak for the lives of these people. Would you save the entire city for the sake of thirty good souls?

No. God will not ever destroy anything if there are even just thirty good people amidst thousands of bad.

18:31 Abraham continues: for twenty people, God, would you save the entire city? Even for twenty, God would not destroy the city. 

18:32 Abraham has a final question and it will reveal the love God has for each individual. Abraham asks if God would leave the entire wicked city in order to save only ten good people.

I will not destroy it for the sake of ten, responds God. Evil exists here in our world and the only reason it is not destroyed in this very moment is because God has compassion for each soul. He will never ever allow a single good soul to be punished because of the work of the evil.

If God destroys something, we can be sure that the entirety of that thing was evil. We can be sure that every action He does is for our benefit. Is done out of love and protection for us. No matter where you are, God sees you. He knows you and He knows what and who are around you. You are seen. You are not forgotten, ever. You are an individual. A cherished individual and you will always be loved and dealt with as an individual. You will never be clumped into a group; you are never anonymous. 

18:33 Reassured, Abraham returns home. God resumes His business. He's constantly working. Observing. Listening. Answering. God does not visit us in physical form right now as He has done before but the promises and the love is the same. His presence is just as real and emphatic. Through your faith you will come to know Him, to feel Him, to see Him manifested before you in so many ways.

Abraham teaches us to be intimately committed to protecting the lives of others. These people had nothing to do with Abraham. He did not know them, they did not know him. He did not know their faces, their interests, their religion, their features, their desires... all he needed to know was that they were good souls and they deserved to be recognized as such. Demand, as Abraham did, that justice is not overlooked. Even for strangers.

OT: The Book of Genesis, Chapter 17

Genesis 17:1-27

17:1 Abram is progressing through life, he's getting older, his family is getting older. He's going through the motions of life but what has not changed for Abram is his faith. His faith has grown with him. God calls Abram to continue to walk with Him, the One Creative Entity in good intention. God encourages him (and us) to be blameless, to always act with compassion and never maliciousness. 

17:2 When we maintain our faith, God is able to maintain His blessings in our lives. He is able to establish Himself within us, within the unfolding of our lives. He is able to remain. This reassurance from God calls for Abram (and us) to remember that with Him, what we produce... our achievements, multiply exceedingly. In Abram's case, this meant a long, almost endless line of descendants when he thought he would have none. For us it might mean something else, a reassurance of accomplishment of a dream or a passion we have.

17:3 Abram falls down to the ground. In humility. In faith. In awe. In love. In gratitude. He is overcome by God's continued love and promise. It is a beautiful, personal and intimate moment when you and God have a private conversation. He will express His love for you with emphasis. 

17:4 God reiterates His promise to Abram. He never forgets. He never slacks off. He remains committed to ensuring that your dreams and your hopes transpire in your life.

17:5 Abram is renamed here by God as Abraham, meaning: father of many. His name comes to reflect God's promise to Him. Abraham went from worrying that he would never have even a single child, to being the father of many generations. God answers prayers with emphasis. 

17:6 Through Abraham's faith, God is able to make him fruitful, a producer of great faith and nations. How so? Through our faith God is able to instruct us. He enables us to learn and grow in wisdom. He teaches us to exert the patience and perspective required to smartly navigate life.

17:7 Moreover, God promises Abraham that He will make Himself accessible to Abraham's descendants. Just as closely as He worked with Abraham, God promises to work with us. He extends His blessed and divine commitment to include even those of us who were not yet born. His love is abundant and without limits. 

17:8 God promises to give a portion of land to Abraham's family... to these many lines of descendants and that has resulted in our world today. Although humans have land disputes, God gave this space to all of us. He promises to be our God. We have this tremendous blessing of having our omnipotent, omniscient creator devote His whole self to us, to our well-being. Individually. We each have full access to all that He is and therefore, with Him, we have no limits. 

17:9 After making these promises to Abraham he returns to Abraham's present. God reiterates His commitment because we so often need to be reassured. He's is here within us; He's not going anywhere. These promises are solidified.

17:10-13 God establishes a health law with Abraham. He requests that Abraham circumcise the males in his family. This will come to represent Abraham's trust that God knows how to promote and ensure healthful living conditions. Remember, this was a time on the earth when there were not yet scientists to discover germ theory.

17:14 The act of circumcision is not something that would disable or enabled a person to receive God's promises... but in Abraham's time, it certainly was a tangible way to distinguish followers of this faith from others. 

17:15 Sarai's name is also changed. She becomes Sarah, meaning: noble-woman.

17:16 God's promise comes into fruition here: Sarah will become pregnant and a mother of nations (along with Abraham, they will have many descendants). God's promises manifest. God promised that this would happen for them. Sarai grew impatient, tried to finagle a desperate way to have children when if she had waited, she would have effortlessly received what she so desired. This is a lesson for us. Be patient. Your commitment with God ensures that your prayers will be answers in perfect timing.

17:17 Abraham laughed in joy and disbelief. He could not fathom that at his and Sarah's age they would be able to have a child.

17:18 Abraham thinks of his son by Hagar, Ishmael.

17:19 God reassures Abraham that Sarah will also bear a son to be named Issac. Issac meaning: laughter. God's commitment to Abraham will be extended to Isaac and his descendants and so forth. This is a lofty and generous promise from God. We discover through this promise that God is thrilled and inspired by our faith and trust in Him to be in our lives.

17:20 God mentions twelve great princes. These will come to be the twelve tribes which grew to comprise of much of the world's population.

Do not forget how messy and fallible a species we are. We make mistakes. We behave selfishly. And although we have many good characteristics, we can be downright frustrating to deal with. God accepts it all. He accepts us all. He makes a commitment to be with and within us despite our shortcomings. We are His children and He loves us. It is endearing to Him to watch us try, even when we stumble, in good faith.

17:21 God knows us. He knows us before we even know ourselves. Before our souls manifest on the earth as humans. God knows that He will be able to maintain this covenant with Isaac because Isaac will have great faith like Abraham.

17:22-27 Immediately after his spiritual conversation with God, Abraham follows God's advice. Be proactive in all that you do, especially your faith. When you want to grow and strengthen your faith, be an active and motivated participant. Utilize every moment to follow God's lead.