January 5, 2024 - Genesis 12-14

With the announcement of a redeemer, patience in the face of so much sin and rebellion, the repopulating of the earth, and the spread of peoples across the earth (rather than removing all because of their arrogance and sin), have I mentioned that our God is merciful?  And the show of his mercy becomes even greater.  To Abraham he makes wonderful promises including “In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (12:3).  Unfortunately, Abraham did not fully rest in the promises of God, with little faith and out of fear passing his wife off in Egypt as his sister.

Yet, there’s just something about this man Abraham.  As his family and possessions and herds grew, he said to Lot, “Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right, or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left” (13:9).  Lot chose what appeared to be the best land, the Jordan Valley, which was well watered, and Abraham was content to take the land of Canaan.  Though, perhaps, not yet a man of full, robust faith, Abraham is beginning to trust his God to care and provide for him.  There’s the story of Lot and Sodom and Gomorrah, here, but standing out is Abraham’s encounter with Melchizedek who gave his blessing:  “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” (14:19-20)  Being careful not to veer over into prosperity thinking, it is good to remember that God blesses those who trust him.  The psalmist put it thusly:  “Blessed is the man [whose]  delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night” (Psalm 1:1-2).  The prophet Jeremiah, like this:  “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him” (Jeremiah 17:7).

O taste and see that he is good;

experience will decide

how blest are they, and only they

who in the Lord confide.

Fear him, you saints, and you will then

have nothing else to fear;

make serving him your sole delight,

your wants shall be his care.   –George Thomas Smart (1754)