Instincts in Action

 

 

 Picture from a plaque in my Grandmother's kitchen.

This week we want to look at Abraham’s relationship with God and his family and the effects of that relationship.  Remember your observations from a chapter certainly do not have to be the same as mine. That’s why I welcome your comments and discussions. God shows us all different things for our place and time and expects us to share to help others to grow.

Observations:

Genesis 20:17,18   In Abraham’s travels, he tells Sarah to say she is his sister so other kings won’t kill him and take his wife. He was willing to let Sarah be used in an adulterous situation to save his own skin. Self-preservation is a natural instinct. In the case of Abimelech, God caused his royal household to be unable to bear children. This was serious business. The nation was essentially dead without an heir to the throne. I wonder what plans for self-preservation we as Christians have that might be causing the downfall of our own nation? Matthew 6: 33

Genesis 21:22  Abimelech saw God in Abraham’s life and it caused him to have respect for God even though he chose not to worship God. Abimelech probably thought making a deal with Abraham would give him clout with God. Abimelech followed his natural instincts for self-preservation as well. God would have us dwell with all men peaceably so Abraham agreed to the deal. Romans 12:18

Genesis 22:9 There is so much in this chapter. Isaac had learned what was needed for worship; wood, fire, a lamb. He had obviously been a part of worship. Imagine yourself as a strong teenager and your father is over a hundred years old! Would you let him bind you and lay you on wood to be slaughtered and burned for an offering? Our natural instinct would be to break and run from a crazy old man. But, Isaac trusts his father. He understands the meaning of the burnt offerings. God was working in his heart as well as in Abraham’s heart to create the picture of Jesus and God the Father.

Genesis 23:17 Machkpelah, a double cave, a cave within a cave, was the place Abraham chose to bury Sarah. It was a beautiful place, a field and trees and a cave, cool and peaceable. Here was a place Abraham could come and visit and know that one day his son would place him here in this peaceable place with the wife he loved. That natural instinct of the love and commitment of a husband for his wife took over even in death with the best place regardless of the price, for the one he loved. Christ loved us so much He provided the best place for us even though the price of His sacrifice was great. Ephesians 5:25

Application:

 We see the examples both good and bad that Abraham set for his wife, his son, and the neighboring peoples. Sometimes the natural instincts of self-preservation got in the way. Sometimes the honoring of a father and God over-rode those natural instincts. What examples are we leaving for our families and neighbors that they might choose to worship, honor, and serve the true God? Deuteronomy6: 5-9

Prayer:

Lord Jesus may we honor You with our hearts, our minds, and our strength, teaching these things to our children and showing the example to all we come in contact with that it might become our natural habit it not instinct to lift up the name of Christ in all our lives. In Your name we pray. Amen

Blessing,

Gail

God's Way or My Way?

 

Scripture

Deuteronomy 5:9,10

Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.

Genesis 14-18

Observations

Genesis 14:22,23

Abram defended his family (Lot) but did not take payment from the king of Sodom. He had given tithes to Melchizedek, King of Salem to give praise and honor to God for defeating the enemy but he was not going to take gifts from Sodom and have them say the Sodomites made him rich.

Genesis 15:18

Abram pours out his heart to God. God has made him promises that Abram just doesn’t see being fulfilled. Nevertheless Abram still follows God’s directions and God reveals more of His plan for Abram and his descendants. Abram continues to put his trust in the one True God.

Genesis 16:5

Sarai makes plans when she doesn’t see how God’s plan is working out. If God is going to give Abram a child she figures it must be by someone other than herself but as his wife, she plans to be involved. As usual our own plans backfire when they are not God’s plans. God’s plan is one husband and one wife for life (Matthew 19:4-6). God will take care of the details.

Genesis 17:1

The Lord appeared to Abram and told him that He was all Sufficient or Almighty. (Geneva and KJV) Almighty gives me the sense that He can do anything. All Sufficient means He’s all I need. Abram (99 years old) needed to have a fatherly arm around him. The term seems personal. “My Father can do anything and He will take care of me.” Abram can feel secure.

 

Genesis 18:19

God knows Abraham, that he will be the spiritual leader of his home. He will teach his sons to follow the Lord. God has a plan for Abraham’s family because Abraham has a heart for God.

Application:

We cannot see into the future but we can be assured that if we put God first and follow His Word that God will take care of the details. God has a plan to prosper us and our families for generations to come. The question is, Will I follow a plan that doesn’t seem to make sense at the time or will I try to figure out a plan of my own?

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, help me recognize when I am trying to go my own way. Help me to recognize Your plan and follow it, that you might prosper my family for generations to come. Amen.

 

Won’t you share what God is revealing to you from His Word?

Blessings,

Gail

A Thanks Giving Tree

And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice. Genesis 22:18

Thanksgiving – it’s right around the corner. Have you considered the things that you are thankful for? I’ve seen several Thanks Giving Tree. Basically, they are twigs or drawings with paper leaves attached. People write or draw something on a leaf every day and attach it to the tree. It’s a simple reminder of how blessed we all are.

Have you considered your greatest blessing and where it came from? Salvation would have to be one of the first leaves on my tree. God freely sent His Son to die for my sins so I can spend eternity with Him. But someone at some point in time had to be willing to be responsible for the family into which Jesus would be born. Abraham was that man. God wanted to see if Abraham was willing to give his son, Isaac, back to God as a sacrifice. God stopped Abraham just in the nick of time. Because Abraham obeyed God’s voice, he received a promise that all the nations of the earth would be blessed through his family. Wow! What a promise to know that somewhere down the line God’s Son would be born into Abraham’s family. Abraham believed God and obeyed God in all He asked.

I’m just wondering what blessings we would receive if we believed and obeyed whatever God asked of us. Would school be a better place? Would there be peace in our families? What would our nation look like if we Christians obeyed God? Is there hope for the lost? Abraham could have thought all hope was lost when he had no child. Yet he continued to believe God and when he was 100 years old and Sarah was 90 they had a child, their only son that God asked Abraham to sacrifice. God blessed Abraham with family because family is the only thing that lasts.

Why not begin a Thanks Giving Tree today. Then let us know how God has blessed you.