Day 8
Genesis 17:1-18:33; Matthew 6:25-7:23; Proverbs 1:8-19
Well, we are over a week in now, and I am sure there have been high points and low points. But God is good and we are still immersed in both His love and His word. Sorry we are a day late with this post, read the Bible yesterday morning before team meeting but then didn’t get chance to upload. Here it is though.
Lovely subject for the chaps today. Circumcision. Although this is soon surpassed by the importance of the following passage – the three visitors.
We see a little bit of Abraham’s context here as the visitors come to his tent. Where as Lot lived among the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham is a tent dweller (obviously a descendent of Jabel back in day 3). We get a very nomadic picture in Genesis and Exodus and Abraham is no exception. In this passage though, Abraham comes face to face with the Lord which is an absolutely immense privilege that not many people in the Bible actually get to achieve. And then proof that Abraham was an Englishman – he invites God in for a cuppa. So Sarah runs round like a mad woman and then puts the spread on and Abraham talks to the Lord and the angels in a face to face meeting and get’s the promise of a baby even though he is absolutely ancient. Then Sarah laughs at God (oops!) when she hears that she is to have a Baby. Sarah may be a but dubious but this we know is the God of promises. He has made a covenant with Noah, and a number of covenants with Abraham, the people are starting to realise that they can trust this God.
And then the cheek of it. God is muting that the people of Sodom are just too evil and so the city must be destroyed. Probably quite aware that Lot lived there, Abraham does his best to save the place. And so he pleads with God, should there be any righteous people. And once God has accepted his plea for fifty he keeps nagging at God until he brings him down and down. How often are we guilty of this. Abraham had good reason, he was trying to save righteous people from destruction, but we often say to God, “but what if” as an excuse when God is asking us to do stuff. Rationalise a different approach to the one God wants us to take. I know I have been guilty of that on the past. Is there some thing that God is asking you to do, something that He is saying to you and you are arguing against him? Are you “doing an Abraham” for your own sake rather than the sake of others?
And of course, throughout the last couple of days we have had the sermon on the mount running through our Gospel reading. Within chapter 7 Jesus is speaking about our relationships, both with God and with others. First of all you need to get your relationship with God right. How can you judge others if judgement on you is not going to be favourable. Get yourself sorted with God, are you and He on a good footing. And then don’t be judgemental anyway, the teaching to the disciples was about being helpful to ones brother, a relationship of service. In verse 12 we see the relationship thing taken to the final level. 1st God; 2nd those close to you and then 3rd EVERYONE!!! “In everything you do” ie whoever you meet, “do to others what you should have them do to you”. So how are your relationships , with God, with family and friends and then with the random stranger you meet in the street?
Well, we are over a week in now, and I am sure there have been high points and low points. But God is good and we are still immersed in both His love and His word. Sorry we are a day late with this post, read the Bible yesterday morning before team meeting but then didn’t get chance to upload. Here it is though.
Lovely subject for the chaps today. Circumcision. Although this is soon surpassed by the importance of the following passage – the three visitors.
We see a little bit of Abraham’s context here as the visitors come to his tent. Where as Lot lived among the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham is a tent dweller (obviously a descendent of Jabel back in day 3). We get a very nomadic picture in Genesis and Exodus and Abraham is no exception. In this passage though, Abraham comes face to face with the Lord which is an absolutely immense privilege that not many people in the Bible actually get to achieve. And then proof that Abraham was an Englishman – he invites God in for a cuppa. So Sarah runs round like a mad woman and then puts the spread on and Abraham talks to the Lord and the angels in a face to face meeting and get’s the promise of a baby even though he is absolutely ancient. Then Sarah laughs at God (oops!) when she hears that she is to have a Baby. Sarah may be a but dubious but this we know is the God of promises. He has made a covenant with Noah, and a number of covenants with Abraham, the people are starting to realise that they can trust this God.
And then the cheek of it. God is muting that the people of Sodom are just too evil and so the city must be destroyed. Probably quite aware that Lot lived there, Abraham does his best to save the place. And so he pleads with God, should there be any righteous people. And once God has accepted his plea for fifty he keeps nagging at God until he brings him down and down. How often are we guilty of this. Abraham had good reason, he was trying to save righteous people from destruction, but we often say to God, “but what if” as an excuse when God is asking us to do stuff. Rationalise a different approach to the one God wants us to take. I know I have been guilty of that on the past. Is there some thing that God is asking you to do, something that He is saying to you and you are arguing against him? Are you “doing an Abraham” for your own sake rather than the sake of others?
And of course, throughout the last couple of days we have had the sermon on the mount running through our Gospel reading. Within chapter 7 Jesus is speaking about our relationships, both with God and with others. First of all you need to get your relationship with God right. How can you judge others if judgement on you is not going to be favourable. Get yourself sorted with God, are you and He on a good footing. And then don’t be judgemental anyway, the teaching to the disciples was about being helpful to ones brother, a relationship of service. In verse 12 we see the relationship thing taken to the final level. 1st God; 2nd those close to you and then 3rd EVERYONE!!! “In everything you do” ie whoever you meet, “do to others what you should have them do to you”. So how are your relationships , with God, with family and friends and then with the random stranger you meet in the street?
Comments
Post a Comment