Abraham

Phrases like when rubber meets the road, the moment of truth, name the moment where our ideas, beliefs, and theories have to be tested, or put into practice. In Genesis 22 Abraham steps into one of those moments. Where the same God he left his home for, who rescued his nephew, who he trusted with his family, is now asking Abraham do you really trust me? When I talk to people it is often in these challenging moments that people experience their greatest growth. They are also moments that few of us look forward to.

In a cultural practice of that time, tension arises between Abraham’s two wives. Sarai is jealous of Hagar, and encourages Abram to banish her, so against better judgement he does. In a moment that looks bleak, and heart breaking, God shows up in surprising ways to care for Hagar and her son. God’s grace has this ability to break into our lives in all kinds of ways if we are aware of it.

How many times have you thanked someone for something for them to reply, “no big deal.” What if all things in God’s hands are a big deal? Not in some ominous sense, or to make you stress out about every choice you make, but an encouragement that holding a door, a kind text message, a passing comment, all could make a big difference in someone else’s life.

I think that sometimes we focus so much on what we can see people saying and doing, we forget that scripture tells us those things are an overflow of what is going on inside of them. God’s work of forming us, starts inside our hearts and soul, and then overflows into our hands and feet. That work of formation is one that takes intentionality, and trust.

Planning is great. We should be thoughtful about much in this world. But sometimes our desire for certainty and control can lead us to focus so much on certainty, that we make choices apart from God, for our own peace of mind.

Contracts are agreements between two people or parties that are created to protect each signee. A covenant is an agreement between two people or parties that is meant to protect the other person. In Genesis 15 God formally makes his promise to Abram, and makes clear the terms of what it will take to uphold the covenant. God reminds Abram (and us) that much in this world is far more about God and less about us.

After some time Abram and his nephew find themselves in a place of conflict. So they are given a choice, options of how to move forward. The choice seems clear from a human perspective, but sometimes God’s wisdom is not the same as human wisdom, and His plans do not match ours.

As Abram traveled, his family drew the attention of other nations, as they would pass by and through. Abram felt a tension that we all know well. Do I need to take matters into my own hands or do I wait for God’s guidance on this?

When God steps into Abram’s life he has a big ask and promise for him. God promises to make a great nation out of his family. The ask: leave his lucrative life, pack up what he can travel with and head out that way. No clear sense of his final destination, just pack up, and start moving. Take the next faithful step, trusting that God will reveal the next step on the way to the first one.