I can't believe a week has gone already. It doesn't seem like that much time should have passed. Oh well.
Day 7
Genesis 14:1-16:16
(14 | 15 | 16)
Lot is really quite unlucky here. A battle takes place between two groups of allied kings, two of whom are the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah. When these two kings fled the battlefield, the kings of the victorious allegiance seized the towns' goods and food, and left. They also seized Lot and his property. Luckily for Lot, someone managed to escape and tell Abram. Abram immediately gathered a group of his own men and set out to find Lot. Eventually, he managed to recover both Lot and his possessions. Melchizedek, another king who, just to confuse matters, wasn't actually involved in the conflict in any way as far as I can tell, blesses Abram and thanks God for delivering Abram's enemies to him. Abram gives him a tenth of everything he has, and then refuses to take anything from the king of Sodom because he promised the LORD that he wouldn't. I have to say, I don't really understand why that is. Presumably, it made just as little sense to Abram, but he kept his promise anyway.
The start of chapter 15 is interesting because Abram acts in exactly the same way as I would in this situation. God had promised Abram a child, but he was still childless. So he was probably a little bit annoyed when he reported to God that he wouldn't be able to give his estate to his offspring, rather he'd have to give it to a servant. Reading God's promises and yet not seeing them materialise can be frustrating, so it's good to read that Abram felt exactly the same way. Even more encouraging is God's reaction; God again tells Abram that his descendants will be as difficult to calculate as the number of stars in the heavens. Even more encouraging than that is God directly addressing Abram's concerns; he tells him outright that he won't have to pass his estate to a servant, rather he'll be able to do it with his own offspring, his own flesh and blood. It's also interesting to note that God makes the first promise of the promised land here. But he doesn't sugar coat the fact that Abram's descendants will have to endure 400 years of slavery first.
I suppose there is some logic to the actions of Sarai and Abram in chapter 16. God has promised them a child, but no child is forthcoming as Sarai is still barren. So she offers Hagar, her maid, to Abram. The idea was that he would get Hagar pregnant, and then Sarai and Abram could make a family through that child. When Hagar realises she's pregnant, her attitude towards Sarai goes downhill. Sarai is upset, so she starts mistreating Hagar, causing her to run away. Hagar is found by an angel in the desert, and he tells her to return to Sarai, that's she's pregnant with a boy, and that she's to name him Ishmael. He also promises her that her descendants will also be incalculably large. So Hagar goes back, and Abram names his son Ishmael. Abram is 86 at this stage, and so, given Hagar's testimony of her encounter with an angel, is probably convinced that this is the offspring the LORD promised him.
Matthew 5:43-6:24
(5:43-38 | 6:1-24)
Matthew 5 finishes off in the same counter-cultural manner it started. Jesus encourages people to love everyone, even their enemies - especially their enemies. Everyone is capable of loving those who love them back. But if you find people who hate you, and you just love them back, you can be a real witness to God's love.
Matthew 6:1-18 carries the essential message that you should practice spiritual disciplines without being seen to do so. Jesus doesn't want people to do these things (that is pray, fast and give to the needy) so that they can be seen doing these things. Your intentions matter; if you intend to do things so you can be obedient, then the Father will know. If you do things so that people will notice you doing things, then the LORD won't reward you for them because you're doing them for you instead of for him.
(I realise I missed out the Lord's Prayer. For an interesting look at that, go here.)
The next part of Matthew 6 is linked. It's another challenge, and one I feel is relevant for most, if not all Christians. "You cannot serve both God and Money." Your motivation in any situation has to be to do God's will. Too often, something else takes priority, be that money or another false idol. What Jesus is telling us is challenging. It isn't easy, but it is doable.
Psalm 6:1-10
6
I'm not really sure what to make of this. David is still praying for deliverance. But he's also praying for mercy. He's struggling, and he wants God to sort it all out. He's wondering why it hasn't happened yet. But he's still expectant that it will happen.
Day 7
Genesis 14:1-16:16
(14 | 15 | 16)
Lot is really quite unlucky here. A battle takes place between two groups of allied kings, two of whom are the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah. When these two kings fled the battlefield, the kings of the victorious allegiance seized the towns' goods and food, and left. They also seized Lot and his property. Luckily for Lot, someone managed to escape and tell Abram. Abram immediately gathered a group of his own men and set out to find Lot. Eventually, he managed to recover both Lot and his possessions. Melchizedek, another king who, just to confuse matters, wasn't actually involved in the conflict in any way as far as I can tell, blesses Abram and thanks God for delivering Abram's enemies to him. Abram gives him a tenth of everything he has, and then refuses to take anything from the king of Sodom because he promised the LORD that he wouldn't. I have to say, I don't really understand why that is. Presumably, it made just as little sense to Abram, but he kept his promise anyway.
The start of chapter 15 is interesting because Abram acts in exactly the same way as I would in this situation. God had promised Abram a child, but he was still childless. So he was probably a little bit annoyed when he reported to God that he wouldn't be able to give his estate to his offspring, rather he'd have to give it to a servant. Reading God's promises and yet not seeing them materialise can be frustrating, so it's good to read that Abram felt exactly the same way. Even more encouraging is God's reaction; God again tells Abram that his descendants will be as difficult to calculate as the number of stars in the heavens. Even more encouraging than that is God directly addressing Abram's concerns; he tells him outright that he won't have to pass his estate to a servant, rather he'll be able to do it with his own offspring, his own flesh and blood. It's also interesting to note that God makes the first promise of the promised land here. But he doesn't sugar coat the fact that Abram's descendants will have to endure 400 years of slavery first.
I suppose there is some logic to the actions of Sarai and Abram in chapter 16. God has promised them a child, but no child is forthcoming as Sarai is still barren. So she offers Hagar, her maid, to Abram. The idea was that he would get Hagar pregnant, and then Sarai and Abram could make a family through that child. When Hagar realises she's pregnant, her attitude towards Sarai goes downhill. Sarai is upset, so she starts mistreating Hagar, causing her to run away. Hagar is found by an angel in the desert, and he tells her to return to Sarai, that's she's pregnant with a boy, and that she's to name him Ishmael. He also promises her that her descendants will also be incalculably large. So Hagar goes back, and Abram names his son Ishmael. Abram is 86 at this stage, and so, given Hagar's testimony of her encounter with an angel, is probably convinced that this is the offspring the LORD promised him.
Matthew 5:43-6:24
(5:43-38 | 6:1-24)
Matthew 5 finishes off in the same counter-cultural manner it started. Jesus encourages people to love everyone, even their enemies - especially their enemies. Everyone is capable of loving those who love them back. But if you find people who hate you, and you just love them back, you can be a real witness to God's love.
Matthew 6:1-18 carries the essential message that you should practice spiritual disciplines without being seen to do so. Jesus doesn't want people to do these things (that is pray, fast and give to the needy) so that they can be seen doing these things. Your intentions matter; if you intend to do things so you can be obedient, then the Father will know. If you do things so that people will notice you doing things, then the LORD won't reward you for them because you're doing them for you instead of for him.
(I realise I missed out the Lord's Prayer. For an interesting look at that, go here.)
The next part of Matthew 6 is linked. It's another challenge, and one I feel is relevant for most, if not all Christians. "You cannot serve both God and Money." Your motivation in any situation has to be to do God's will. Too often, something else takes priority, be that money or another false idol. What Jesus is telling us is challenging. It isn't easy, but it is doable.
Psalm 6:1-10
6
I'm not really sure what to make of this. David is still praying for deliverance. But he's also praying for mercy. He's struggling, and he wants God to sort it all out. He's wondering why it hasn't happened yet. But he's still expectant that it will happen.
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