Tag: Abraham

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No Limits

Daily Reading

Genesis 22-24

Daily Thought

After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 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” (Genesis 22:1-2).

God’s command of Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac is one of the most troubling in Scripture. Yes, God creates life, so it is his for the asking, and taking, but not children, not child sacrifice. That is the great sin of wicked people to phony foreign gods. Right? Yet God commands this of Abraham. Explanations have been offered. Perhaps God was dramatically displaying that he is not like these pagan gods because he stops Abraham’s knife before it plunges into Isaac’s chest. Maybe this was a terrifying test to the ultimate length Abraham would stretch his faith. Certainly this is a foreshadowing of “God so loved the world that he sent his only Son” and Jesus on the cross was God’s sacrifice for the sins of the world. It is okay, is it not, for God to ask this of Abraham in light of God’s willingness to do it himself with his Son. These are some of the offered answers. Do any satisfy?

Martin Luther, the 16th century reformer, during devotions with his wife, read the account of Abraham offering Isaac on the altar. Katherine Luther argued, “I do not believe it. God would not have treated his son like that!” “But Katie,” Luther replied, “He did.” That may be as good an answer as we get. Abraham trusted God for his son; now he must trust God with his son. That’s what we know. “A man’s got to know his limitations,” cautioned Clint Eastwood’s Dirty Harry, and Abraham learned his faith has none. Abraham proved himself faithful, and God proved himself faithful. So what do we learn? We learn what God expects from us, and what we can expect from God. God gave his only son. There should be no limit to my faith because there is no limit to God’s love.

Daily Prayer

God Almighty, You are faithful and just, and You are good.  I trust You no matter what, because You are the one place where trust is always satisfied. This means, God, that the times when I don’t understand, it’s okay, because I don’t have to understand. You have a plan and a purpose, and that is enough.

Teach me to be strong in my faith, to place my all in Your hands, no limits, to love You completely.  

Amen

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Chutzpah

Daily Reading

Genesis 16-18

Daily Thought

Chutzpah, a Yiddish word, means audacity, utter nerve, effrontery, nearly arrogant courage, impudence, supreme self-confidence, unbelievable gall, insolence. It sounds bad and often is, most frequently, perhaps in New York City when jaywalking pedestrians stride into traffic oblivious to car, taxi, or bus, then pound on the hood and holler at the car that would have hit them had the driver not slammed on the brake.

There is bad chutzpah. Arrogant insolence. Don’t do that. 

But there is good chutzpah. Abraham had a good chutzpah. He argued with God over His plans to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. “What if there are 50 righteous? 45? 40? 30? 20? 10?” (Genesis 18:23-33) Moses had good chutzpah. He, too, argued with God to save His own people, even when they were wrong (Numbers 14:13-19). Jacob wrestled all night with what appeared to be a man, but was at least an angel, and he won, or survived, at least (Genesis 32:24-32). In the morning God changed Jacob’s name to Israel, “for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed” (Genesis 32:28). Jacob’s chutzpah was on display and the very name of the nation Israel is a kind of chutzpah. It means “wrestles with God.” 

Jesus draws a picture of prayer by telling a story of a widow pounding all night long on the door of the town judge, demanding justice against an adversary (Luke 18:1-8). It seems God invites a certain kind of chutzpah, good chutzpah, into our relationship with him. How’s your walk with God? Routine? Perhaps it could use some chutzpah.

Daily Prayer

My God, I love Your promises. Ask anything in faith and it will be done for you. You do not have, because you do not ask. God, may I be bold with You. May I trust You so much that I believe You go before me. That You have my best in mind. Not my will, but Yours be done. Delight myself in You and I will have the desires of my heart. All things work for good to those who love You. 

With great boldness, God, may I step out in faith and call on Your promises. May I walk in expectation that You mean what You say, and that my life has meaning because You set my path in front of me. God, I trust You. Transform me, God, into a person of bold, even audacious faith. 

Amen

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Self-Made People

Daily Reading

Genesis 12-15

Daily Thought

Written one after the other, there is a noteworthy contrast between the stories of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9) and Abram (Genesis 12:1-3). Both the people of Babel and the children of Abram aspired to become a great people. Abram’s hope came from God. God said to Abram, “I will make your name great” (Genesis 12:2) and promised the 75-year-old and childless man he would give birth to a great nation. The citizens of Babel, instead, pursued a glory of their own making. “Let us make a name for ourselves” (Genesis 11:4), and they began building a marvelous city with a tower that reached the heavens. 

Both had their eye on a great nation and a great name, but the difference is self-made versus God-made. The people of Babel said, “Let us make”–they desired to do without God. Abram’s vision, on the other hand, was stamped “Made by God.”  Because Babel was self-made, they were made for themselves. Their focus was inward, “lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.” God, rather, turns our eyes outward. 

The difference is self-made people are made for themselves and God-made people are made for everyone else. Put yourself in the hands of God and let him do the construction “and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:3).

For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works. ~Ephesians 2:10

Daily Prayer

Creator, You made me.  Fearfully and wonderfully, you formed me for a purpose.  You are in charge, You are God, and, best of all, You are good.  My passion is to do the good You have made me to do. To be a blessing, as I have been so blessed.  To love, because You first loved me.  

I find myself on my knees in worship, because I am amazed, in awe of You.  The heavens and earth proclaim Your majesty.  And You would think of me, one so small?  In my smallness, You’ve placed Your image, given me Your Spirit, and You call me to be a blessing to others.  Of course, I’ll do it!

Amen