Scripture text for Monday, January 18, 2010: Genesis 37:1-37:36

Full Text Online | Listen Online

Sold into slavery by his brothers? Unjust! Evil! How could brothers commit such heinous sin against one they should love dearly? These are often the reactions to the reading of this old, familiar Biblical drama.

This scenario and others like it – murder, rape, infidelity – continue to repeat themselves today. Horrific events outside man’s ability to control – earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes – take their toll around the globe. We witness these things and can be shaken. Emotionally our minds can be shaken, physically our bodies can be shaken, and spiritually our faith can be shaken.

How are we to understand where God is in these events?

Returning to the text …

Scripture text for Friday, January 15, 2010: Genesis 32:1-33:20

Full Text Online | Listen Online

Esau prepared for his reunion with his brother, Jacob, by bringing “a few” men with him. While preparing for this meeting with his brother – the brother who tricked him out of birthright and blessing – it seems Esau may have been preparing for retribution rather than reconciliation. Yet, when the brothers meet, Esau runs to his brother and embraces him. (like the father of the prodigal son??) God is good and answered Jacob’s prayer for help from chapter 32.

Scripture text for Thursday, January 14, 2010: Genesis 27:1-28:22

Full Text Online | Listen Online

As I read this passage, it reminded me how dangerous and destructive it can be to make decisions based on emotions.

Esau had already sold his birthright to his brother because he was hungry. Now we have Rebekah loving Jacob more than Esau and coercing him to deceive his father so he might be blessed instead of Esau.

Scripture text for Wednesday, January 13, 2010: Genesis 21:1-22:19

Full Text Online | Listen Online

As I prayed about this text I felt the Lord say this: even when we have repentant hearts and choose to turn from sin in our lives, we will still have to live with possible consequences when we make poor choices. I’m not a doom and gloom kind of person when it comes to interpreting scripture-I find it to be extremely uplifting in my life. But it’s not always warm fuzzies! Abraham knew God had a plan for his life, to give him a huge hope and a huge future-yet he listened to his wife Sarah and slept with her servant Hagaar instead of waiting on the Lord to give him a child with Sarah. Impatience cost him the opportunity to see his son grow as Ishmael and Hagaar were banished to the wilderness. Was Abraham able to see that God was with him and teaching him through those low moments… are we?

Scripture text for Tuesday, January 12, 2010: Genesis 15:1-15:21

Full Text Online | Listen Online

“Abraham believed God” (v. 6). I remember as a graduate student, I once had a heated, mutli-episode debate with one of my professors about Christianity which he had referred to in class as a “leap of faith.” I quizzed him on what he meant by that and I challenged what I sensed he meant which was, in effect, an irrational choice to believe in God.