Day 5: Gen 14:1 - 17:27

It's funny how you can read one group of scripture and it's hard to get any obvious revelation and then you can read another group of scripture and there are hundreds of topics all flying at you all at the same time. In Chapter 14, we see that Abram really and truly was a man blessed of God. Four armies came from different directions and attacked his nephew and his people and yet Abram, with God's help, took an army of 318 people, and chased these four armies until they had defeated them and taken back everything they had stolen. That's pretty awesome! And this passage of scripture is also the first place in the Bible where we learn about Tithing. Notice how Melchizedek didn't have to beg Abram for the tithe or tell him how it was God's will and that he would be sinning if he didn't tithe. He just did it because he knew it was what he was supposed to do.

The next chapter has a very simple, yet very powerful, topic which we've talked about a few times at church recently. In this passage, we see Abram inside around his own little problem of not having a son and he starts to complain to God about it. Instead of God just trying to speak to him in the midst of his frustration, the Bible says (15:5) "Then He [God] took him outside and said, 'Look at the sky and count the stars. You can't do it can you? That's how many descendants you will have! You're going to have a big family, Abram!'." The point I want to make about this passage is that sometimes, we have to get outside. And I don't necessarilly mean that we literally need to go outside, but sometimes we need to get out of our own little box and get a different perspective on things. There have been so many times that I've been in a situation that I didn't know how to handle and once I took a step to the side and looked at it from a different perspective, God revealed to me exactly what needed to be done. Remember, if you're only looking at the problem, there's no way that you'll ever see the solution. 

Isn't it funny how any time we take things into our own hands, we usually just mess them up? Abram did just that when he agreed to take God's promise into his own hands and get someone else pregnant. I've always thought it was interesting how before Ishmael was born, everyone seemed to be in agreement that Abram was supposed to get Hagar pregnant, but as soon as it happened, everything fell apart. But even after Abram made the wrong decision and tried to take matters into his own hands, God showed up and established His covenant with Abraham. And once again, we see that recurring Biblical theme - Sweet Redemption!

- Lord, thank you so much for making me an heir to the blessings of Abraham (Gal 3:13-14). I know that even if I have to take my small army up against kings from all over the place, You will be with me and give me victory. Help me to always take a look outside and look somewhere other than my problems. Give me the faith to believe Your Word when it's spoken to me so that I don't try to take matters into my own hands. Keep me strong and in your arms and thank you so much for Your Redeeming Grace. -