30th Week - Genesis 19-23 (Click on Title for Video Introduction)

 Click on Title for a Video Introduction

Monday, Genesis Chapter 19

Genesis 19

Mindy Strayer

July 29, 2006

THOUGHT

Back in chapter 13 Lot chose to live right next to Sodom, knowing that it was a very wicked, sinful city. Here in chapter 19 we see the consequences of his choice. This is a good example of how a selfish choice made apart from God leads to problems down the road. Chapter 19 is full of some of the grossest perversion told in the Bible. It is important to be aware that being a part of a sinful environment that does not live according to God’s law can desensitize us to right vs wrong as it did to Lot and his family.  It is evidenced in Lot offering his daughters to the crowd of men and in his daughters getting him drunk and then sleeping with them so that they could carry out the family name. 

We get use to things. The devil and sin are very sneaky. At first we are shocked and can avoid the sins to a certain degree. But after a while it finds its way into our lives even if it is just by us not being so shocked any more by the sin. It has lowered our standard for what is acceptable and what is not.

We need to ask God to impart his wisdom into our decisions. He may call us to live near a Sodom and Gomorrah. He may call us to work in an environment that is sinful. If He does, then the reason for that would have to be for us to be salt and light to those who are living in darkness and despair. What a challenging call that would be. God calling us to live in an all-in-all environment of sin for the purpose of self-gain just as it was for Lot choosing Sodom and Gomorrah.  This was another fine lesson on the importance of praying to God for guidance in our lives. 

A wonderful question to ask ourselves when faced with a choice similar to that which Lot had to make back in chapter l3 would be, “Why is this choice appealing to me?  Would it bring God glory or would it bring me glory?” If the answer is the latter, then I cannot believe that the Lord would desire you choose that path.

PRAYER

Lord God, all praise, honor, and glory go to You. Lord, how we desire that our lives would reflect our gratefulness for how much You love and care for us, your children. Lord, thank You that You always listen to our prayers and provide us with answers to all that we ask. We thank You for Your guiding hand in our lives. We thank You for the great purposes that You have called each one of us to while we are on this earth. Thank You for all of the rich lessons that You are teaching to us through the reading of Your Word. Lord, I pray that each Salt Shaker would desire first Your Kingdom to come and be the driving force in their lives. Build them up to be strong and wise men and women of God. Lord, help us to not become use to sin, but that we would despise it as You do. Help us to live our lives in Your truth by Your guiding light. Make holiness and righteousness the qualities that we most desire to attain. We ask this In the Mighty Name of Jesus, our Savior and soon coming King. AMEN

Tuesday, Genesis Chapter 20

Genesis 20

Verse 6

Tanya Ruden

July 31, 2006

Verse 6:  Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning against me. That is why I did not let you touch her.”

THOUGHT

I really am struggling with what to focus on regarding this chapter. Where is Abraham’s faith?! Does he not believe that God will deliver him from death since He has promised him many nations?  Yet, he has to lie about who he is? Or is this all part of God’s plan to deliver the people of this nation that didn’t fear God? I truly think Abimelech feared God after his dream! I do find it interesting how God used a small lie to deliver a nation. 

So, the moral of this story – ‘it is ok to lie if you feel led by God to do so’? (I should have tried that excuse the time I lied to my dad and lost all my privileges.  I wonder if it would have worked.) I don’t think so, but I do think it shows how God can work through our wrong doings for good.  Through this, Abraham and Sarah prayed to God for this nation at the end, giving them desired blessings in their life (children). Maybe if Abraham and Sarah would have prayed at the beginning, the entire thing could have been avoided? Also, I am sure it was hard for both of them to live the lie.  They both suffered and had heartache. 

We should attempt to live as Jesus would desire in all of our actions and pray about our fears.  We need to give them to God to handle and attempt to avoid the pain relating to our sin.

PRAYER

Lord, we try so hard to live as Jesus lived.  Perfect, yet every day we fail. We mess up and make a mess. We pray for Your support in our lives. We need support to avoid sinning against You. Help us to lift our concerns up to You before we make our own decisions and make a mess of everything. We pray that when we do fall short and sin that You would use those mistakes not only for us to grow in faith, but also for others to grow to know You. AMEN

Wednesday, Genesis Chapter 21 

Genesis 21

Verses 1-2

Tanya Ruden

August 2, 2006

Verse 1-2:  Now the LORD was gracious to Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what He had promised.  Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him.

THOUGHT

WOW! The fulfillment of a long awaited promise was fulfilled.  It reminded me of...Psalm 37:4 (New International Version) Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.

I truly believe this verse, and I believe that if it is not God’s plan for you to have the desire you have, He will change your desire. God wants us to have all the blessings He has prepared for us, and if we delight in Him, we will receive those desires. 

It was Sarah’s lifelong desire to have children. She had this feeling for so long – 100 years. The feeling did not go away, and finally, in God’s time, it happened. I do like how in this chapter Sarah laughs about this, but I do think it is a great testimony. I am sure many people told her this is not possible, “give up your dream”.  But since it was in God’s plan, He left the desire there.

I hope this can be a lesson to all of us about our desires. If we feel strongly about something in our lives, 1st delight in the Lord, 2nd pray about it with God.  Know that if it is not God’s plan, He will change your desire and fill it with a new one - so you too can reap the benefits of His blessings. I know from experience that I had the desire to have children. After my miscarriage I looked to God and wondered how that could have happened. I desired children.   In His time he blessed Alan and I with Sierra and Crystal.  My faith tells me that if the miscarriage was His sign I was not to have children, that experience would have changed my heart’s desire to something else - like a passion for animals or service or adoption.

May Sarah’s experience and the Psalm remind us of God’s timing.

PRAYER

Dear Jesus, so often we have the greatest plan for our lives, only to be reminded You have a greater plan than we can imagine. Also, we are so often reminded of Your awesome power and how nothing is impossible with You.  Help us to live life like Sarah - believing that You will make us laugh when we ultimately receive desires we had longed for so long. Thank You. AMEN

Thursday, Genesis Chapter 22

Genesis 22

Verse 2

Tanya Ruden

August 3, 2006

Verse 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.”

THOUGHT

This story is an amazing story of faith, and I think after you have had children it seems even more so.

There are so many things I often wonder about this story that I wish were in the scriptures.  Like, did Abraham pray to God (like Jesus did) asking him to take this burden from him.  Is there a substitute?  I am assuming Abraham didn’t tell Sarah, and I wonder how he carried this ‘load’ with him, alone. Did Abraham cry during the trip thinking about what was going to happen?  Had Abraham thought about what he was going to tell Sarah when he came home? If he had had to sacrifice Isaac do you think he would have told her or lied that something else killed him? What would this have done to their marriage? There are many questions with no real answers.  Based on how the story ends, no answer is needed.  These are things I wonder as I think of how I would have reacted if God would ask me to sacrifice one of my children.  So often as parents we would sacrifice ourselves before we would let anything happen to our children.

This story parallels the ultimate sacrifice that God (Father) made of His Son Jesus.  He had to sacrifice His Son for our sins, just like Abraham was going to have to do with his son.  However, this story hits my heart differently.  It is probably because God is abstract as Jesus’ Father.  I have a hard time imagining God crying or having emotions like we do.  Since He is not of body and since He is perfect, it just seems He is so different from us.  But Abraham is more like us.   He is an earthly dad longing for a child for so long and loving him so much, but loving God more.  He is willing to sacrifice his only son (with wife Sarah) for his faith.  What a testimony.  It makes me feel my faith is weak compared to the example set by Abraham and God. 

PRAYER  

Dear God - What a sacrifice You made in sending Your Son Jesus for our sins! What love and faith You showed! So early in the Bible You had followers of the same strength in faith, willing to sacrifice all for You. Help our faith to become strong - strong enough to realize that all we have on earth is Yours.  You have blessed us with it, and to You it will return.  We should love nothing - nothing more that You! Help our faith grow so You are always first in our lives! AMEN

Friday, Genesis Chapter 23

Genesis 23

Verse 11

Tanya Ruden

August 8, 2006

Verse 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.”

THOUGHT

This chapter was difficult for me to do, primarily because I struggle with so much focus put on the dead earthly body. I realize back in those days, death was full of rituals and traditions.  I assume that can be said about today as well. There usually is a funeral/worship service, a burial, large family dinner, etc. I can’t believe so much money had to be used for a proper place for Abraham to put Sarah.  It is hard for me to understand. I guess it is because now we have the hope of the resurrection.  In those days they didn’t know or understand that your spirit has left your body when you die and all that is left is a physical body. 

Maybe you can tell from this thought that I have a desire to be cremated. I guess it is just because of my philosophy that I am gone.  I am partying in heaven.  You don’t need to spend a lot of money to bury me or anything fancy. Many people have trouble swallowing this idea.  Since I am not the one left on earth, I don’t really care what is done with my body.  So whatever is best for those who love me, can make the choice.  I suppose this is why the accountant in me struggles with so much money for something gone so quickly. 

I am glad Abraham spared no cost to honor his wife as was custom in those days. We should all regard our spouses with this honoring, even when they are gone.

PRAYER

Dear Jesus, thank You for the hope in the resurrection. Thank You for Heaven, a great reunion place for us, after we finish our time on earth. Thank You also for the comfort we find through trouble times through rituals and traditions during times of loss. Comfort all people who have lost someone. May they find comfort in Your loving arms, knowing that when You are holding us, so is the person whom we loved. We look forward to the happy reunion. AMEN!