Verse for the Day, 31 March 2014.

Genesis 24:1-9, “Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years. And the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.  (2)  And Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he had, "Put your hand under my thigh,  (3)  that I may make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell,  (4)  but will go to my country and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac."  (5)  The servant said to him, "Perhaps the woman may not be willing to follow me to this land. Must I then take your son back to the land from which you came?"  (6)  Abraham said to him, "See to it that you do not take my son back there.  (7)  The LORD, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and from the land of my kindred, and who spoke to me and swore to me, 'To your offspring I will give this land,' he will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there.  (8)  But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be free from this oath of mine; only you must not take my son back there."  (9)  So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master and swore to him concerning this matter.”

We see Abraham acting here with discernment and wisdom. In fact Abraham does exactly what the Israelites would be commanded to do by God through Moses. God would instruct them not to take for themselves wives from amongst the Canaanities. Abraham had lived long enough amongst the Canaanities to know they were a wicked and idolatrous people, he had witnessed God’s wrath against them in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. He wisely discerned that it would be not only be wrong for his son to marry a Canaanite women, it would also invite idolatry back into his family, which would ultimately lead to the judgement and wrath of God. Thus Abraham gives very specific instructions to his servant to return to the land from which he came and seek a wife for his son there. Abraham demonstrates further wisdom and faith when his servant asks if the woman he finds is unwilling to leave, should he then take Isaac to her. Abraham had understood clearly God’s promise to him, this was the land in which he was to live and remain, and this promise was not just for Abraham but also for Isaac and for Isaac’s offspring. This land, this promise of blessing and prosperity was as much for Isaac as it was for Abraham. If Isaac where to return to the land from which Abraham came, it would be to forsake and turn away from the promises and covenant of God.

Abraham functions as an example to us in his decision making and trust in the sovereignty of God. We need to exercise the same wisdom and discernment when it comes to the decisions we make. We need to be aware of the world in which we live, of their ways and the great danger that comes with flirting with the world, with inviting them into our lives and homes. We are called to reach out to the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we are called to live in the world, but we are also called to not live like the world, we are to be distinct from the world. We are not to engage in the ways and practices of the world, but are to demonstrate holiness and obedience towards God. As we do this, as we seek to make important decisions with these things in mind, seeking to honour God, we need to trust in God and in God’s sovereignty, believing in faith that God will lead us in the right way. Abraham’s obedience, trust and faith in God is rewarded, for it is with remarkable ease that his servant finds a wife for Isaac and he returns rejoicing, rejoicing for the sake of his master and rejoicing in the God of his master. God will lead us faithfully as we seek to follow him and live in obedience to His ways, honouring Him with our lives and in the decisions we make.

Our good and great God we thank You that You give Your wisdom and guidance to us so freely. We thank You that You have given us Your Spirit of wisdom and Your Word that gives us wisdom and discernment, that teaches us how we are to live in the midst of the world. We pray that You will enable us to not only trust in You and Your sovereign purposes, but to also seek to make wise decisions that honour You. Amen

Verse for the Day, 28 March 2014.

Genesis 23:19-20  After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah east of Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan.  (20)  The field and the cave that is in it were made over to Abraham as property for a burying place by the Hittites.

 

In Genesis 23 we find a mixture of grief and the further fulfilment of God’s promise and covenant with Abraham. There is grief for Abraham in the death of Sarah, his wife and companion. They had, had quite a marriage and life together, both witnessing the mysterious but wonderful ways of God. God had been patient and merciful to them on so many occasions and even in the midst of Sarah’s death God shows yet more goodness, faithfulness and grace to Abraham. Abraham had been living in the land of Canaan for over 50 years, yet he did not own a single patch of land. He was no longer childless, but he was still landless, that part of God’s promised was yet to show any signs of fulfilment. This all changed as Abraham, through the death of Sarah, is able to buy a piece of land. It may not have been a vast area, but it was land and it was Abraham’s. After so many years Abraham is seeing God’s plan unfold and come to fruition, first the birth of Isaac and now a small, but significant piece of land.

 

The Biblical account of Abraham and Sarah serves to both encourage and challenge us. We can be encouraged because we learn of God’s constant faithfulness, mercy, patience and protection of Abraham and Sarah, even when they tested God through their foolish and sinful decisions. We are further encouraged by the fact that even when we do make the wrong and sinful choices, it does not hinder God’s sovereign will and plan. We are also challenged, challenged to learn from Abraham and Sarah’s mistakes, and challenged to demonstrate the faith and obedience that they both at times displayed. Abraham and Sarah were by no means perfect, but they serve as examples to us as to what God can accomplish through two people. We therefore would be wise to learn what we can from their lives and seek to display the positive virtues, whilst guarding against foolishness and self-reliance.

 

Heavenly Father, we thank You that You are the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. We have the joy of knowing and worshiping the same God that Abraham and Sarah knew. We thank You that as You showed Yourself to be faithful, good, gracious, merciful and patient with them, so You shall be the same to us. Thank You for the truths and lessons that have been preserved for us in Scripture, may we be wise to learn from them and use the Scriptures to aid us in a closer walk with You. Amen.

Verse for the Day, 27 March 2014.

Genesis 22:1-2  After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am."  (2)  He said, "Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you."

We can only wonder what Abraham’s first reaction was when he heard these words from God. Yet despite what Abraham may have thought and felt, he obeyed and carried out the command of God. We are taught in Hebrews 11:17-19, that Abraham believed that God would raise Isaac from dead. Abraham had every reason to believe this would be so, for it is the only way in which God would be able to fulfil His covenant and promise to Abraham. God had made it abundantly clear to Abraham that it would be through Isaac that this promise would start to come to fulfilment, there was never any mention of any other child or offspring. Isaac must live, Isaac must go on to father more children, this must happen so that God’s covenant can continue to stand. While Abraham had this understanding that does not mean that it was any easier for Abraham to carry out the command of God. Abraham’s faith and trust in God was being tested to the absolute extreme.

It is all well and good for us to boast of our faith and trust in God when the going is easy; it is all well and good for us to say that we trust in the sovereign plan, purposes, will and works of God when they do not require sacrifice from us. The true measure of our faith and trust in God and in His sovereignty is put to the test and revealed when we are confronted with a very difficult choice, one in which we are presented with the choice to either obey God and trust Him, or to turn away from the will of God and trust in ourselves. These tests are never easy and they require us to take significant steps of faith, at times to be willing to even risk our lives. These tests are not act of cruelty against us, rather God uses these tests to refine and grow our faith and trust. These tests also help us to have greater confidence in the sovereignty of God, knowing that God has planned all things and He knows the beginning from the end. Thus while the test, our future and the outcome is hidden from our sight and unknown to us, it is known to God. When these tests come we need to demonstrate the same faith and trust that men like Abraham did. Despite how we may feel about what God has called upon us to do, despite what fears we may have, we need to trust in God, whom we know is good and is in control. God is faithful, and while He may test His children, He tests them for their good, for their growth and for His glory. He does not abandon them during these tests, or cause them to face it alone without His presence, help, wisdom and strength. The great test for us is if we will walk in obedience and cast ourselves upon God during the test, or if we will try and go it alone, or if we will turn aside from God and disobey Him.

Our Lord and God, there are many times when we do not understand Your sovereign plans and purposes, we find it difficult to obey and follow You, especially when the path that You set before us is a difficult one. We pray that You would strengthen us through Your Spirit and cause our faith and trust in You to grow. Help us to see the infinite wisdom of Your sovereign plans and to then follow You with a faithful obedience, even when it is difficult. Amen.

Verse for the Day, 26 March 2014.

Genesis 21:1-8  The LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did to Sarah as he had promised.  (2)  And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him.  (3)  Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac.  (4)  And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him.  (5)  Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.  (6)  And Sarah said, "God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me."  (7)  And she said, "Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age."  (8)  And the child grew and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned.

God keeps His promises! Some 30 years after the first promise of a vast number of descendants, God brings it pass with the birth of Isaac. Abraham and Sarah’s wonder and joy is clear to see in these verses; they are also quick to give God the glory. Sarah freely acknowledges that it is only by God’s hand, help and power that she has been able to conceive and give birth to a child. Once more God demonstrates His sovereignty and faithfulness.

The birth of Isaac is one of a string of promises that teach us about the faithfulness of God to His sovereign will and His promises. Isaac is part of the fulfilment of the promise made in Genesis 3:15, for it is from Abraham that Christ will descend. Christ is the ultimate fulfilment of both of these promises. Thus we see in Christ the fulfilment of promises made 4000 years and 2000 years before His birth. Christ himself has made promises to us who believe. He has promised that His Word will always stand, His Church will prevail and remain until the end and all who believe in Him will inherit eternal life. We find ourselves living some 2000 years after Christ, and to this very day Christ’s Word and Church still stands, in fact His Word is still working in power to change lives and His Church is growing more and more each day. We have 6000 years of God’s faithfulness to His promises and His sovereign will, thus we have every reason to place our trust, confidence and faith in God, and to serve Him whole-heartedly. No matter what your circumstances or situation may be today, know this for certain, God keeps His promises!

Our heavenly Father, we fall before You in worship and thanksgiving today, for You are a faithful promise keeping God. Thank You that Scripture serves as a constant reminder of this fact and challenges us to trust you more and more. We pray that You will keep us ever mindful of the truth that You keep Your promises, may it cause us to trust You and to serve You with our lives. Amen.

Verse for the Day, 24 March 2014.

Genesis 20:3-7  But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said to him, "Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man's wife."  (4)  Now Abimelech had not approached her. So he said, "Lord, will you kill an innocent people?  (5)  Did he not himself say to me, 'She is my sister'? And she herself said, 'He is my brother.' In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands I have done this."  (6)  Then God said to him in the dream, "Yes, I know that you have done this in the integrity of your heart, and it was I who kept you from sinning against me. Therefore I did not let you touch her.  (7)  Now then, return the man's wife, for he is a prophet, so that he will pray for you, and you shall live. But if you do not return her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours."

Yet again we witness Abraham and Sarah’s failure to trust God to protect and watch over their lives. Genesis 20 strikes such a familiar note with Genesis 12, that we wonder how it is that they had not learnt to trust God in such situations. Just as we see Abraham and Sarah repeating sinful behaviour and making foolishness decisions, we also see the patience, grace, goodness and protection of God. God graciously warns Abimelech, who believed he was acting in integrity as he was unaware that Abraham had lied to him. God’s warning is gracious but also severe enough to compel Abimelech to take action quickly. God protects Sarah from Abimelech and in doing so ensures that the covenant promise is upheld. Had Abimelech taken Sarah into his harem of wives and Sarah was found a few months later to be pregnant, the thinking would be that Abimelech is the father of this child and not Abraham. Abraham and Sarah in their folly and sinfulness potentially bring God’s plans in jeopardy. However, we quickly learn that God’s plans are not thwarted by our foolishness, God remains sovereign and in control and He will act so as to uphold His will and plan. Abimelech is warned and is kept from Sarah, Sarah’s honour as Abraham’s wife is upheld, sin is exposed and dealt with, God is revealed as good and gracious and His sovereign will and plan remains in place.

We often display the same pattern of life that Abraham and Sarah did, we repeat our previous sins and foolish decisions, despite the fact that God has rescued us and helped us through and out of them in the past. We also fail to consider how our sinful actions and foolish decisions with affect others. Abraham and Sarah’s “innocent” lie affected Abimelech and his entire household. Furthermore our sinful actions and foolish decisions are revealing of how much we actually trust in God, in God’s faithfulness, power and sovereignty. How grateful we should be that God is so patient with us, that He graciously rescues and protects us time and time again, and that the full consequences of our sin are often restrained. We would do well to remember who our God is, so that when we are faced with the choice to trust in God, or trust in ourselves, we are quick to turn to and trust in God.

Trustworthy Father, we thank You that You remain steadfast, true and unchanging, Your faithfulness is so constant. Thank You that You protect us from the full consequences of our sin and rescue us from our own foolishness. May we learn from this passage the joy of trusting in You, rather than the foolishness and pain that results from trusting in ourselves. Amen.

Verse for the Day, 21 March 2014.

Genesis 19:15-16, “As morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, "Up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be swept away in the punishment of the city."  (16)  But he lingered. So the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the LORD being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city.”

Genesis 19 is a sobering reminder of God’s holy and just wrath against sin. It is a reminder that God will not contend with the evil and sinful ways of mankind forever, but a day of judgement is coming, one from which there is no escaping. We need to keep in mind that we are only in the 19th chapter of the Bible and this is God’s fourth act of mass judgement against sin. There has been the curse of Genesis 3 against all mankind, the flood, the dispersion of people at Babel and now the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. All this gives evidence of the fact that man has a love affair with sin, one that continues through the generations, even though God reveals Himself to be patient, merciful, and gracious and forgiving, man pushes that to its very limits in the hardness of his heart. We seem unable to grasp the holiness and goodness of God and of living in obedience to God; we fail to understand the gravity of sin and its consequences both in this life and in eternity.

Lot, while his actions and help towards to the two visiting angels are commendable, not even he seems to grasp the danger and imminence of God’s judgement. Even after the numerous warnings of the angels, urging Lot to leave, we are told Lot lingered, in fact he lingered so long that the angels had to take him by force out of the city. We cannot know for certain the reasons for which Lot lingered, was he reluctant to leave his property and possessions? Did he love the people of these two lewd cities and therefore did not want to see them destroyed? Did he linger in the hope that his sons-in-law might come with him? We are not told. But it is very apparent that Lot did not understand the peril he and his family was in, God judgement was about to descend and it would be devastating. Lot escapes this judgement through the active hand and mercy of God. The angels take Lot and his family out of the city and their lives are spared.

We see in these verses a picture of our salvation, for we like Lot have all lingered in the world and in sin. We may have heard the Gospel many, many times, heard the warnings of God’s judgement against sin and the punishment stored up for those who refuse to believe in Him and live in obedience to Him. We may have heard that all, to the point that we can recite it, but we have remained unmoved, we have continued to linger in a most dangerous place, failing to take seriously the warnings of God’s judgement, that will come swiftly, with finality. There will be no grace, or second chances to be found on that day. It took the work, the hand of God to move us from that place, it took the power of God to pluck us up out of the path of danger and His judgement and set us down in the place of his mercy, grace and salvation. Had God not been merciful to us and brought us out of that place, we would still be lingering there! How grateful we should be, that we like Lot, have been actively rescued by the merciful and powerful hand of God, rescued from our sin and God righteous judgement against that sin. God has set us down in a new place, in His place, His Kingdom. Let us linger in the Kingdom of God, let us let our hearts and minds linger in the things of God, the Word of God and the ways of God today.

Our most gracious, merciful and powerful Saviour we thank You for the great salvation with which You have saved us! Thank You for rescuing us from our lingering in sin, a lingering that would lead to our deaths and eternal punishment. We do ask for Your forgiveness for the many times that we go back and linger there once again. Help us to see the joy of a life spent lingering in Your presence and in Your Word and may we endeavour to spend our days there. Amen.