Daily Manna (Coffee with Jesus)

I had a dear friend years ago who gave me great advice from time to time as a parent of three who were competitive and fought over who got the biggest and best piece of whatever they were given to share. She had raised two boys to adulthood.  In teaching each of her boys with perspective in “fairness”, she would tell one son to divide what was to be shared, but the other boy would have first choice of the two pieces.  Impressive, right?!  What wisdom!  The son dividing the treat thought twice about making the cut, knowing his brother would get first choice.  Peace between brothers was the result. 

Abraham divided the land God gave to them, but Lot had first choice of where he would go and settle.  Lot chose Sodom.

We all have that relative that seems to be followed by a black cloud hanging over their heads.  They assume that bad luck follows them wherever they go.  Lot seems to be that relative of Abraham.  Abraham graciously allows Lot to choose which land, but he didn’t choose well.  As Lot looked over the land, he chose what he thought was the best land, greener, more pasture for stock, the land of Sodom.  Lot thought he “had it made”.  The downside was that Sodom had the reputation of “being full of evil.”    

Abraham was a man of God, guided by God, worshiped God and listen to His direction.  Lot, his nephew, followed his own desires and instincts.  Lot knew of God through watching Abraham relate to God but Lot doesn’t seem to have the relationship with God that Abraham has.  Lot’s faith is based in knowing his uncle.  Abraham is told what will happen to Sodom and Gomorrah and has asked God to save his nephew and family as we read yesterday in Genesis 18. 

I confess.  I was in Lot’s position of weak faith in my early twenties.  I was raised in church where my parents and grandparents served with strong, committed faith and relationship with God.  In a crossroads experience, I learned I was merely hanging onto the “coattails” of their faith.  I needed to commit to a faith in God in relationship to Him myself.  I was glad for this crisis of faith-believing for only then did my relationship with God become real, binding, growing and complete.

Pause to read, think, pray…

Is my relationship with God based merely on the faith of those I believe to have faith or do I have faith, trust and hope in God no matter what they believe and do? 

Do I really believe what God says really real? 

Does my behavior show what I believe about God? 

Our real belief will always show through our “first thought” behaviors.  What is in our hearts will eventually flow out through what we do. Many leaders do not realize that what is in their hearts comes out of their mouths.  In other words, “What is in a man comes out of the man.” (Proverbs 12:14) If one’s heart is filled with evil, accepting evil; then he will speak evil. If one’s heart is filled with God, then he will think, speak and do what God says.  We have only two choices.

Evil that includes all sexual perversions of evil have created victims who have cried out to God for help.  God is responding.  He will destroy these cities of evil in such a way nothing will ever grow there again.  Lot is living in the middle of it all with his family.

How does evil progress to this point?  Evil flourishes where it is given free rein to do so. Evil has one purpose—to destroy every living creature and human in its path.  What looked good to Lot is now threatening his faith as well as his very life.  Is it any wonder Lot is sitting at the gate?  Is he avoiding the corruption and turning his head from what is happening inside the gate?  Abraham’s faith and relationship with God saves his nephew, Lot.  Reading this story of God’s power at work, it seems Lot, being submersed in a city of evil has actually learned to live with it, accepting the life he chose to live.  He knows it is wrong but evil has taken over to the point he feels he cannot fight it.  Then God shows up to rescue him and his family.

Lot recognizes the angel messengers from God and welcomes them, even tries to protect them who came to protect him!  So, there is some faith left in Lot.  He takes them in. Evil comes knocking at the door, Lot offers his daughters as a sacrifice to evil.  Has he resigned himself to evil, played the games of evil, to the point of accepting its power? 

The angels have the power to cause the evil gang of men to go blind.  Is Lot awakened from his stupor of acceptance of evil to recognize God at work?  Not quite, yet.  The angels, sent by God to destroy the city, now warn Lot to get out with his family, but he drags his feet!   Lot, what are you thinking?!

Pause for a minute…how many times has God tried to pull us from the fires that seek to destroy us?  How many times as God sent a lifeboat and we said, “No, I’m good, I can handle the storm and choppy waves that are drowning me.”  How many times have we drug our feet while He is trying to rescue us from what is bad for us? 

That dark cloud hanging over our heads probably isn’t “bad luck” at all.  It might be our unwillingness to follow the One and Only who loves us most, has our name written on the palm of his hand, knows what we need and provides all we need with our best interest in His heart. 

Lot questions his rescue, bargains with God’s messengers, but has enough faith left from his observations of Abraham’s life to finally make his escape.

Genesis 19, The Message

^1-2 The two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening. Lot was sitting at the city gate. He saw them and got up to welcome them, bowing before them and said, “Please, my friends, come to my house and stay the night. Wash up. You can rise early and be on your way refreshed.”

They said, “No, we’ll sleep in the street.”

³ But he insisted, wouldn’t take no for an answer; and they relented and went home with him. Lot fixed a hot meal for them and they ate.

^4-5 Before they went to bed, men from all over the city of Sodom, young and old, descended on the house from all sides and boxed them in. They yelled to Lot, “Where are the men who are staying with you for the night? Bring them out so we can have our sport with them!”

^6-8 Lot went out, barring the door behind him, and said, “Brothers, please, don’t be vile! Look, I have two daughters, virgins; let me bring them out; you can take your pleasure with them, but don’t touch these men—they’re my guests.”

⁹ They said, “Get lost! You drop in from nowhere and now you’re going to tell us how to run our lives. We’ll treat you worse than them!” And they charged past Lot to break down the door.

^10-11 But the two men reached out and pulled Lot inside the house, locking the door. Then they struck blind the men who were trying to break down the door, both leaders and followers, leaving them groping in the dark.

^12-13 The two men said to Lot, “Do you have any other family here? Sons, daughters—anybody in the city? Get them out of here, and now! We’re going to destroy this place. The outcries of victims here to God are deafening; we’ve been sent to blast this place into oblivion.”

¹⁴ Lot went out and warned the fiancés of his daughters, “Evacuate this place; God is about to destroy this city!” But his daughters’ would-be husbands treated it as a joke.

¹⁵ At break of day, the angels pushed Lot to get going, “Hurry. Get your wife and two daughters out of here before it’s too late and you’re caught in the punishment of the city.”

^16-17 Lot was dragging his feet. The men grabbed Lot’s arm, and the arms of his wife and daughters—God was so merciful to them!—and dragged them to safety outside the city. When they had them outside, Lot was told, “Now run for your life! Don’t look back! Don’t stop anywhere on the plain—run for the hills or you’ll be swept away.”

^18-20 But Lot protested, “No, masters, you can’t mean it! I know that you’ve taken a liking to me and have done me an immense favor in saving my life, but I can’t run for the mountains—who knows what terrible thing might happen to me in the mountains and leave me for dead. Look over there—that town is close enough to get to. It’s a small town, hardly anything to it. Let me escape there and save my life—it’s a mere wide place in the road.”

^21-22 “All right, Lot. If you insist. I’ll let you have your way. And I won’t stamp out the town you’ve spotted. But hurry up. Run for it! I can’t do anything until you get there.” That’s why the town was called Zoar, that is, Smalltown.

²³ The sun was high in the sky when Lot arrived at Zoar.

^24-25 Then God rained brimstone and fire down on Sodom and Gomorrah—a river of lava from God out of the sky!—and destroyed these cities and the entire plain and everyone who lived in the cities and everything that grew from the ground.

²⁶ But Lot’s wife looked back and turned into a pillar of salt.

^27-28 Abraham got up early the next morning and went to the place he had so recently stood with God. He looked out over Sodom and Gomorrah, surveying the whole plain. All he could see was smoke belching from the Earth, like smoke from a furnace.

²⁹ And that’s the story: When God destroyed the Cities of the Plain, he was mindful of Abraham and first got Lot out of there before he blasted those cities off the face of the Earth.

³⁰ Lot left Zoar and went into the mountains to live with his two daughters; he was afraid to stay in Zoar. He lived in a cave with his daughters.

^31-32 One day the older daughter said to the younger, “Our father is getting old and there’s not a man left in the country by whom we can get pregnant. Let’s get our father drunk with wine and lie with him. We’ll get children through our father—it’s our only chance to keep our family alive.”

^33-35 They got their father drunk with wine that very night. The older daughter went and lay with him. He was oblivious, knowing nothing of what she did. The next morning the older said to the younger, “Last night I slept with my father. Tonight, it’s your turn. We’ll get him drunk again and then you sleep with him. We’ll both get a child through our father and keep our family alive.” So that night they got their father drunk again and the younger went in and slept with him. Again he was oblivious, knowing nothing of what she did.

^36-38 Both daughters became pregnant by their father, Lot. The older daughter had a son and named him Moab, the ancestor of the present-day Moabites. The younger daughter had a son and named him Ben-Ammi, the ancestor of the present-day Ammonites.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

When we’re in a bad place and God sends a rescue—GET OUT!

Even though the way out seems unlikely and foreign to us, heed the red flags of warnings, don’t succumb to the evil around us–just GET OUT!

Don’t bargain with God, asking for our will and way to be done.  Just Trust God.

“Now run for your life! Don’t look back! Don’t stop anywhere on the plain—run for the hills or you’ll be swept away.”

Avoid being the one who looked back and regretted it.  Too salty for you?  Don’t mess with God!

Oh Lord,

There are so many faith lessons to be learned from your story of your rescue of Lot.  What a mighty God you are!  What power you have over evil!  What loving, longsuffering patience you have with us.  How gentle you are in our crisis of faith.  You hear and answer prayer from victims of evil.  You save us from ourselves.  You forgive us for our sins.  You deepen our faith.  Thank you for teaching me, helping to see that accepting evil leads to death.  Thank you for rescuing me.  Thank you, Jesus for redeeming my soul.  Thank you for getting me out of situations that would harm me.  Now help me to live what you have impressed on my heart.  Our relationship is real and for my part, it is growing stronger deeper still.  You are Hope.  You are my life.

In Jesus Name, For Your Glory, Amen

You know when you know.  There are some relationships that you have over the years of our lives that cannot be broken.  When you have them, you cherish them.  These relationships can go for long stretches of time without seeing them, be separated by distance, and still the relationship is there.  You don’t always agree about everything in life, but the love and respect you have for each other and their family is the glue that cements the relationship.  You meet from time to time and just pick up the conversation where you left off that last time you saw or spoke with them.  I’m thinking of my friends’ relationships right now and smiling.  Are you?  Yes, we cherish these precious, unconditional, loving, forever relationships. 

Abraham and God have a relationship that tops all human relationships.  Abraham knows that His relationship with God is the most important relationship he will ever have in his life.  Abraham and God don’t always agree and certainly Abraham is less than perfect in his behaviors, but God loves him deeply knowing that Abraham respects and loves God back.

When God shows up, Abraham looks up, gets us and immediately bows before him—taking on the role of a servant.  Read, think, pray as we learn from Abraham’s behavior in his relationship to God.  Abraham gives his best to His Master showing us the epitome of hospitality because of who he is.  “Stop, rest, refresh—I’ll get water to wash your feet!”  “Sarah, make bread!”  “Servants, kill the best, fatted calf, cook and serve the meal to our guests while they rest in the shade.”  This is love expressed with awe and respect for God.

Yes, when the God of Abraham shows up with his angels, Abraham jumps to action to show his love.  Remember the promise of God to Abraham about fathering future generations?  It is time.  The wait is over.  “By this time next year”, Sarah will have her first son, Isaac, in her loving arms.  Sarah laughed at the thought in herself—and God heard those snickers.  The name Isaac, meaning “laughter”, reflects the first thought that came to their minds after God’s announcement.  Remember, earlier God caught Abraham laughing to himself.  Sarah laughed when she heard the news! Can you blame them?  They’re approaching 100 years old! 

There are two lessons here:

–It’s never too late for God to intervene to fulfill His purpose and will through us.

–Don’t mess with God, He knows our thoughts! 

Part two of the Visit

Meanwhile, remember Lot who separated from Abraham and went to Sodom to raise his family?  We were told earlier that Sodom was “full of evil”.  Lot thought he was choosing the “greener grass” but turns out what looked good was rotten to the core!  Isn’t that the way evil works to draw us in? 

Well, things went from bad to worse.  The sin of this city spread to nearby Gomorrah. Sins beyond our wildest thinking or imagining were producing victim of horror!  God heard the victims cry out for mercy and made plans through His messengers to stop the evil dead in its tracks.  So, there is another stop to make after delivering the news of the impending birth of Abraham and Sarah’s son, Isaac, God’s promise to Abraham. 

Genesis 18, The Message

^1-2 God appeared to Abraham at the Oaks of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance of his tent. It was the hottest part of the day. He looked up and saw three men standing. He ran from his tent to greet them and bowed before them.

^3-5 He said, “Master, if it please you, stop for a while with your servant. I’ll get some water so you can wash your feet. Rest under this tree. I’ll get some food to refresh you on your way, since your travels have brought you across my path.”

They said, “Certainly. Go ahead.”

⁶ Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. He said, “Hurry. Get three cups of our best flour; knead it and make bread.”

^7-8 Then Abraham ran to the cattle pen and picked out a nice plump calf and gave it to the servant who lost no time getting it ready. Then he got curds and milk, brought them with the calf that had been roasted, set the meal before the men, and stood there under the tree while they ate.

⁹ The men said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?”

He said, “In the tent.”

¹⁰ One of them said, “I’m coming back about this time next year. When I arrive, your wife Sarah will have a son.” Sarah was listening at the tent opening, just behind the man.

^11-12 Abraham and Sarah were old by this time, very old. Sarah was far past the age for having babies. Sarah laughed within herself, “An old woman like me? Get pregnant? With this old man of a husband?”

^13-14 God said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh saying, ‘Me? Have a baby? An old woman like me?’ Is anything too hard for God? I’ll be back about this time next year and Sarah will have a baby.”

¹⁵ Sarah lied. She said, “I didn’t laugh,” because she was afraid.

But he said, “Yes you did; you laughed.”

* * *

¹⁶ When the men got up to leave, they set off for Sodom. Abraham walked with them to say good-bye.

^17-19 Then God said, “Shall I keep back from Abraham what I’m about to do? Abraham is going to become a large and strong nation; all the nations of the world are going to find themselves blessed through him. Yes, I’ve settled on him as the one to train his children and future family to observe God’s way of life, live kindly and generously and fairly, so that God can complete in Abraham what he promised him.”

^20-21 God continued, “The cries of the victims in Sodom and Gomorrah are deafening; the sin of those cities is immense. I’m going down to see for myself, see if what they’re doing is as bad as it sounds. Then I’ll know.”

²² The men set out for Sodom, but Abraham stood in God’s path, blocking his way.

^23-25 Abraham confronted him, “Are you serious? Are you planning on getting rid of the good people right along with the bad? What if there are fifty decent people left in the city; will you lump the good with the bad and get rid of the lot? Wouldn’t you spare the city for the sake of those fifty innocents? I can’t believe you’d do that, kill off the good and the bad alike as if there were no difference between them. Doesn’t the Judge of all the Earth judge with justice?”

²⁶ God said, “If I find fifty decent people in the city of Sodom, I’ll spare the place just for them.”

^27-28 Abraham came back, “Do I, a mere mortal made from a handful of dirt, dare open my mouth again to my Master? What if the fifty fall short by five—would you destroy the city because of those missing five?”

He said, “I won’t destroy it if there are forty-five.”

²⁹ Abraham spoke up again, “What if you only find forty?”

“Neither will I destroy it if for forty.”

³⁰ He said, “Master, don’t be irritated with me, but what if only thirty are found?”

“No, I won’t do it if I find thirty.”

³¹ He pushed on, “I know I’m trying your patience, Master, but how about for twenty?”

“I won’t destroy it for twenty.”

³² He wouldn’t quit, “Don’t get angry, Master—this is the last time. What if you only come up with ten?”

“For the sake of only ten, I won’t destroy the city.”

³³ When God finished talking with Abraham, he left. And Abraham went home.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Our relationship with God must be honest and sincere as well as loving and kind with respectful “hospitality” of service to God. 

We must realize that NOTHING is impossible with God.  He has proven His power over and over again through His Word and to us!

We can converse with God asking for mercy for those who we love.  That’s how we learn to seek justice, love mercy and walk humbly with him—all the requirements God gave us to live well in relationship with Him.  (Micah 6:8)  Lot is on Abraham’s mind as he questions God about destroying the evil cities.

Trust God. Build a relationship of trust with God.  He can do anything, you know!  Mm, can God trust me, like he trusted Abraham with information of importance?

Communicate in communion with God.  How long has it been since you talked with God?  –And listened, ready to serve in obedience to God?

When we talk with God, do we also lean in to listen intently to what He has to say in answer to our questions?  Frustrations in life come from not listening.

Our relationship grows as we commune with God hourly, daily, 24/7.  To know God is to be still, let go of all distractions and worries around us and really listen, believing God knows what is right and true.  When we do, God will change our thinking and give us peace.  The apostle Paul explains,

“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:8-9, NLT

Lord,

The more I learn the more I know I need to learn.  Thank you for being patient with me as we build our forever relationship.  Forever—I like the sound of that.  Some relationships come and go, but our relationship is forever!  All because of Jesus! I love you with all my heart, mind and soul.  How can I serve you today?

In Jesus Name, For Your Glory, Amen

There is nothing more male bonding that going to the “big game” with other males who enjoy the competition of sports along with the conversations about sports.  They love to commentate and speculate no matter what game they’re watching.  Sometimes, as the female of the family, I join in but from a different perspective.  I form relationships with my teams and are loyal only to them.  If my teams are not playing, I am not interested. 

Not so with most of the males in my family, they are interested in any game at any time no matter who is playing.  That’s just the way it is.  Male-bonding at it’s best.  I provide the snacks.  In observing this male-bonding phenomenon I have learned that they are “all in” no matter what is happening around them.  Their extreme focus and attention to detail are amazing!  You cannot get their attention in the middle of a game unless you use food.  The strong bond with each other, built over the years, is through their enjoyment of being a part of the game.

I think of this as I read our next passage.  I’ll admit, I am laughing a bit out loud as God provides a male-bonding experience for Abram and his household that I’m sure no one saw coming!  God uses this extreme male-bonding experience that “cuts to the chase” of what he expects from Abram, his male household and his male descendants. The directive is clear.  The promise of God is real.  The covenant is permanent.  “That way my covenant will be cut into your body, a permanent mark of my permanent covenant.”  God is serious.  “I am The Strong God, LIVE ENTIRELY before me”, says God.  Abram makes the cut—”just as God had told him.”

Genesis 17, The Message

^1-2 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, God showed up and said to him, “I am The Strong God, live entirely before me, live to the hilt! I’ll make a covenant between us and I’ll give you a huge family.”

^3-8 Overwhelmed, Abram fell flat on his face.

Then God said to him, “This is my covenant with you: You’ll be the father of many nations. Your name will no longer be Abram, but Abraham, meaning that ‘I’m making you the father of many nations.’ I’ll make you a father of fathers—I’ll make nations from you, kings will issue from you. I’m establishing my covenant between me and you, a covenant that includes your descendants, a covenant that goes on and on and on, a covenant that commits me to be your God and the God of your descendants. And I’m giving you and your descendants this land where you’re now just camping, this whole country of Canaan, to own forever. And I’ll be their God.”

^9-14 God continued to Abraham, “And you: You will honor my covenant, you and your descendants, generation after generation. This is the covenant that you are to honor, the covenant that pulls in all your descendants: Circumcise every male. Circumcise by cutting off the foreskin of the penis; it will be the sign of the covenant between us. Every male baby will be circumcised when he is eight days old, generation after generation—this includes house-born slaves and slaves bought from outsiders who are not blood kin. Make sure you circumcise both your own children and anyone brought in from the outside. That way my covenant will be cut into your body, a permanent mark of my permanent covenant. An uncircumcised male, one who has not had the foreskin of his penis cut off, will be cut off from his people—he has broken my covenant.”

^15-16 God continued speaking to Abraham, “And Sarai your wife: Don’t call her Sarai any longer; call her Sarah. I’ll bless her—yes! I’ll give you a son by her! Oh, how I’ll bless her! Nations will come from her; kings of nations will come from her.”

¹⁷ Abraham fell flat on his face. And then he laughed, thinking, “Can a hundred-year-old man father a son? And can Sarah, at ninety years, have a baby?”

¹⁸ Recovering, Abraham said to God, “Oh, keep Ishmael alive and well before you!”

¹⁹ But God said, “That’s not what I mean. Your wife, Sarah, will have a baby, a son. Name him Isaac (Laughter). I’ll establish my covenant with him and his descendants, a covenant that lasts forever.

^20-21 “And Ishmael? Yes, I heard your prayer for him. I’ll also bless him; I’ll make sure he has plenty of children—a huge family. He’ll father twelve princes; I’ll make him a great nation. But I’ll establish my covenant with Isaac whom Sarah will give you about this time next year.”

²² God finished speaking with Abraham and left.

²³ Then Abraham took his son Ishmael and all his servants, whether houseborn or purchased—every male in his household—and circumcised them, cutting off their foreskins that very day, just as God had told him.

^24-27 Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised. His son Ishmael was thirteen years old when he was circumcised. Abraham and Ishmael were circumcised the same day together with all the servants of his household, those born there and those purchased from outsiders—all were circumcised with him.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

After the mess Sarai made to “help God” bless Abram with a large family, (Genesis 16), God shows up.  I love it when God shows up with compassionate forgiveness and gets His plan back in motion after missteps I make that causes problems and delays!  God sees that lessons in waiting are learned, so He shows up with what HE wants and clarifies His Plan with Abram.  He does that for us, too when we humble ourselves before Him.    

Abram is overwhelmed when God shows up for him again and falls facedown (humbled) before God.  After a messy cleanup, isn’t it just like God to show up and redirect our attention and focus back to Him and His best for us?  We are ready for God through our humbled posture to God.

God begins by telling Abram the details of His covenant to Abram.  The details include permanency.  God clearly wants Abram to know that Abram’s part is “live entirely before me, live to the hilt!”  In other words, be ALL IN, Abram!  To show it, Abram must make a permanent, no going back, cut into his body to represent the permanency of God’s Covenant with him. 

Read, think, pray, live!

As we read this I wonder, how seriously do I take God at His Word to me? 

Do I really believe what God says to be really real? 

Am I “all in”, living entirely before God, asking God what He wants each day, living in humbled expectation of God?

Am I merely a spectator of life or am I a contributing part of the life God has planned for me?

When God shows up in our lives, permanent changes are made.  We are never the same once we give our lives to God, living entirely before him by the work and power of Jesus who saved us and renewed our relationship with God!

God changed Abram’s body, gave him a new name that described what God was going to do through him, changed his wife’s name, and renewed his relationship and covenant with Him. A year later, a son is born to Sarah, which shows it is never too late to accomplish the will of God.  God said His name is Isaac, which means laughter, because Abram laughed to himself to think God would actually do exactly what He said.  Mm, don’t mess with God.  God does what He says!

Lord,

You are so patient with us but you do have directives for us that teach us, draw us closer to you and show us your love, mercy and grace.  Thank you for being with us.  Thank you for show up when we need you most.  Thank you for providing for us before we know we need it.  Your will and the ways to accomplish your plan are always best.  I lay my life before you this morning as a living offering to you. I want your perfect will to be done in my life.  I’m entirely yours.

In Jesus Name, For Your Glory, Amen

When will ever get this right?  God leads us, we don’t lead Him.  God tells us what to do with how, when and where if we listen.  But when God seems late in making it happen for us, why do we step in to help the God of Creation with our own small efforts?  We’ve all done it, admit it.  Let’s confess now that our efforts pale in comparison to God’s ways.  Most (every) times we make life worse, creating messes that only God can clean up.  Let’s give all praise, honor and glory to God for “fixing” our mistakes through our impatience and “making all things turn out for good for those who love Him”.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”  Romans 8:28

Oh God, we are such a mess at times.  How we must make you sigh when we try to take over your will by thinking we have better ways for speeding up your process, changing the course, not following your directions in the least because of our impatience!  Help us to learn to wait for your best!  

We, who have also jumped ahead of God at times, cannot judge Sarai to harshly when she stepped up to “help” God with his promise to Abram to birth the generations.  Sarai’s biological clock is ticking.  She is old and still hasn’t gotten pregnant with their first child, let alone a “nation” of children.  In that culture, to be barren is humiliating.  So, she births a plan to help God along in His plan.  She pays the price for doing so, however.  To make matters worse, Abram blames her for what happens though He (like Adam) was a willing participate in Sarai’s plan!

There will always be extreme hurt with complications when we depart God’s will for our will.  Hagar, the obedient servant, did what she was told but became a casualty of war between Sarai and her husband.  But we have an Almighty God who steps into our lives, corrects our course and helps those we hurt in the process.  God is good.  We need His help.

There is no scripture more heart stirring and comforting than the words of God to Hagar, “I hear you.” Hagar has lived in a household led by Abram who loves God in relationship.  He regularly communes with God.  So, Hagar has been introduced to God.  Now when she is thrown out, alone, not knowing what is next for her, Abram’s God becomes her God! 

“She answered God by name, praying to the God who spoke to her, “You’re the God who sees me!” 

“Yes! He saw me; and then I saw him!”

Are tears coming to your eyes to read and understand what is going on here?  God is for all, created all, is in all, and makes things right when we mess life up by our disobedient impatience.  Sarai messed up.  She brought Abram in on the scheme to “help” God.  Hagar was a “casualty of war” in Sarai’s plan.  Sarai’s plan was not God’s plan.  God did not need Sarai’s help.  God does not need our help to accomplish His plan but He will invite us to his work to accomplish it.  Wait for it…Wait for His invitation! 

Genesis 16, The Message

^1-2 Sarai, Abram’s wife, hadn’t yet produced a child.

She had an Egyptian maid named Hagar. Sarai said to Abram, “God has not seen fit to let me have a child. Sleep with my maid. Maybe I can get a family from her.” Abram agreed to do what Sarai said.

^3-4 So Sarai, Abram’s wife, took her Egyptian maid Hagar and gave her to her husband Abram as a wife. Abram had been living ten years in Canaan when this took place. He slept with Hagar and she got pregnant. When Hagar learned she was pregnant, she looked down on her mistress.

⁵ Sarai told Abram, “It’s all your fault that I’m suffering this abuse. I put my maid in bed with you and the minute she knows she’s pregnant, she treats me like I’m nothing. May God decide which of us is right.”

⁶ “You decide,” said Abram. “Your maid is your business.”

Sarai was abusive to Hagar and Hagar ran away.

^7-8 An angel of God found her beside a spring in the desert; it was the spring on the road to Shur. He said, “Hagar, maid of Sarai, what are you doing here?”

She said, “I’m running away from Sarai my mistress.”

^9-12 The angel of God said, “Go back to your mistress. Put up with her abuse.” He continued, “I’m going to give you a big family, children past counting.

From this pregnancy, you’ll get a son: Name him Ishmael;
    for God heard you, God answered you.
He’ll be a bucking bronco of a man,
    a real fighter, fighting and being fought,
Always stirring up trouble,
    always at odds with his family.”

¹³ She answered God by name, praying to the God who spoke to her, “You’re the God who sees me!

“Yes! He saw me; and then I saw him!”

¹⁴ That’s how that desert spring got named “God-Alive-Sees-Me Spring.” That spring is still there, between Kadesh and Bered.

^15-16 Hagar gave Abram a son. Abram named him Ishmael. Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar gave him his son, Ishmael.

WHAT DO WE LEARN AND HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Consider this scenario.  You hear that a friend’s birthday is coming soon.  You think your friend needs a bigger party than he usually has so you take the lead and plan it.  You have a plan in mind for the party that you think will top all other parties.  Excited just thinking about it, you get a jump on the details and even buy all the supplies for a great party.  You then go to your friend’s house to make it happen. 

The friend opens the door and sees all you have done and asks, “What’s going on?”  You reply, “I have planned a birthday party that will be the envy of all parties!”  The friend says, “That’s nice of you, but my parents have planned a fantastic, week-long trip for me to Disney and they said I could invite a friend!” “There won’t be party, because this trip this is way better!”  How embarrassing to be left holding the party goods.

When we think we can do better, we miss what is best!  God knows what is best for each one of His people.  He will invite us to what is the best for us.  Always.  Count on God.  And just wait!

“Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” Psalm 27:14

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9

Through it all, real faith was revealed.  Sarai’s faith wavered.  Abram caved into Sarai’s weakness.  Hagar did what she was told. Bitterness set it.  Hagar was sent away, rejected for her part of Sarai’s plan.  God sees Hagar.  Hagar sees that God sees her and now she believes in Him!  This is the good that comes from what was bad.  God is good.  Trust Him.

Lord,

I repent of those times I thought about and implemented ways to “help” you accomplish your will in my life.  What was I thinking?  The evil one loves it when I step in to help you.  Help me to learn from my mistakes and missteps.  Thank you for mopping up my messes.  Thank you for your forgiveness and making things right with you.  You are God, you don’t need my help to accomplish your will and purposes but when you invite me, I’m there!  Thank you for inviting me to your work to teach me your ways.  I will wait on you and your invitation to the party. Transform my thinking and behaving…

In Jesus Name, For Your Glory, Amen!

When we follow God’s will, making sweeping changes in our lives, our faith in God will be challenged and tested.  It is in the obedience, no matter what that looks like to the world, that the measure of our faith is revealed.  We believe in God in our household which is now only Randy and myself because we have learned that to do anything else is not good for us.  We are still tested by fire often for we have not arrived yet in our growing likeness to our Savior.  We still need to be purified by the holy fires that melt away the rough edges, revealing the likeness to our Master, Jesus.  Peter, who walked with Jesus on earth teaches;

^“These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.” 1 Peter 1:7, NLT

We all have those times when we ask God, “Are you sure, God?”  “How do I know that I am on the right track?”  Sometimes it has to do with checking ourselves to make sure we are not doing life merely on our own steam and power.  We cannot test ourselves, purify or set things right with God.  Only by our admission of not knowing do we know God more.  Confusing? God is the Purifier.  Only God can set things right with Him when we ask, repent, believe and follow Him in obedience with all our heart, mind and soul in Jesus Name. 

Abram is no exception.  Childless Abram asks the same questions from God who told him he would have big family.  “Are you sure, God?”  “How will this happen?”  After the honest questioning, Abram believed!  This belief in God changes everything.  Faith is thinking “I don’t know how you are going to do it, I just know that you will do what you say.”  That is all.  No additions. Pure faith in God corrects our course of thinking like the world, leading us to full trust in what God says.  Believe God.  He doesn’t lie.  Lying is not in God’s nature or character.

Genesis 15, The Message

After all these things, this word of God came to Abram in a vision: “Don’t be afraid, Abram. I’m your shield. Your reward will be grand!”

^2-3 Abram said, “God, Master, what use are your gifts as long as I’m childless and Eliezer of Damascus is going to inherit everything?” Abram continued, “See, you’ve given me no children, and now a mere house servant is going to get it all.”

⁴ Then God’s Message came: “Don’t worry, he won’t be your heir; a son from your body will be your heir.”

⁵ Then he took him outside and said, “Look at the sky. Count the stars. Can you do it? Count your descendants! You’re going to have a big family, Abram!”

⁶ And he believed! Believed God! God declared him “Set-Right-with-God.”

⁷ God continued, “I’m the same God who brought you from Ur of the Chaldees and gave you this land to own.”

⁸ Abram said, “Master God, how am I to know this, that it will all be mine?”

⁹ God said, “Bring me a heifer, a goat, and a ram, each three years old, and a dove and a young pigeon.”

^10-12 He brought all these animals to him, split them down the middle, and laid the halves opposite each other. But he didn’t split the birds. Vultures swooped down on the carcasses, but Abram scared them off. As the sun went down a deep sleep overcame Abram and then a sense of dread, dark and heavy.

^13-16 God said to Abram, “Know this: your descendants will live as outsiders in a land not theirs; they’ll be enslaved and beaten down for 400 years. Then I’ll punish their slave masters; your offspring will march out of there loaded with plunder. But not you; you’ll have a long and full life and die a good and peaceful death. Not until the fourth generation will your descendants return here; sin is still a thriving business among the Amorites.”

^17-21 When the sun was down and it was dark, a smoking firepot and a flaming torch moved between the split carcasses. That’s when God made a covenant with Abram: “I’m giving this land to your children, from the Nile River in Egypt to the River Euphrates in Assyria—the country of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaim, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites.”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

At the moment Abram believed, really believed without question, God declared Abram “set right with God”. 

When we respond to God’s direction with obedience, truly believing, God sets us on the right track with Him.  Real faith corrects our course as we follow God. 

When Abram asks, “How will I know?”  God asks Abram for a sacrifice.  Through the sacrifice and attention to the sacrifice offered to God in obedience, God reveals what will happen now and in generations to come.  God even reveals the Egypt slavery experience that His people will later endure in later generations!  Did you catch that?  God reveals more than we can understand at times.  Faith is not in the understanding but is measured by the willing, relentless obedience from a heart of love for God. 

“To obey is even better than sacrifice”, we will hear from God later through Samuel.  “What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.” 1 Samuel 15:22, NLT

God sees our hearts.  Be honest and open with God.  Ask questions. Questions help us learn.  God understands and will give us information on a “need to know” basis.  Our response is to step out in faith believing.  God responds with small doses of direction that are a bit easier to swallow.  If we knew the whole picture of God’s will for us, it might paralyze us in fear.  (Mm, not “might”, but “would” bring fear and trepidation!)  God knows what He is doing and has our best interest at His heart.

Lord,

Thank you for this lesson in believing in obedience to your will and plan for each of us.  You are amazing in the ways you work in us and through us to make us holy before you and set us right with You.  Continue to purify my heart, mind and fill my soul with all of you in me.  I lay down my life as a sacrifice in obedience to your perfect will again today.

In Jesus Name, Amen