pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: Abraham


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Many Hagars and Ishmeals

Reading: Genesis 21:8-14

Genesis 21:14a – “Abraham… took some bread and a flask of water, and gave it to Hagar. He put the boy in her shoulder sling and sent her away.”

Continuing in chapter 21 this week, Isaac has grown out of infancy. He is no longer nursing. No longer dependent upon just Sarah, Abraham throws a big party to celebrate. Abraham’s other son, Ishmael, is about 14 years old. Sarah sees him enjoying himself at the party and she makes a decision: he must go. Ishmael will not share in her son’s inheritance. While we might be shocked by her decision, it has been a long time in the making.

Soon after Ishmael was born, tension and strife arose between Sarah and Hagar. Sarah became jealous and envious. So, using her power over Hagar, Sarah severely mistreated Hagar. It was so bad, Hagar ran away. But God saw Hagar and her suffering. The Lord guided her back into Abraham’s household. Hagar continued to experience and endure harsh treatment from Sarah. Similar things happen today in situations where a person or group has power over others. Immigrants are mistreated by employers. The working poor are taken advantage of by payday lenders, greedy landlords, and others eager to exploit them. Non-whites are targets of unjust systems, profiling, and discrimination. Yes, there are many Hagars and Ishmeals in our day.

Abraham is greatly upset by Sarah’s decision. God offers assurances and a promise, making Abraham feel better about his role in the abuse. But what about Hagar and Ishmael? In verse 14a we read, “Abraham… took some bread and a flask of water, and gave it to Hagar. He put the boy in her shoulder sling and sent her away.” Bearing and raising his child all these years, enduring abuse from his wife all these years – and this is the result? Ishmael is old enough to understand what is happening too. Abraham has been “Dad” for 14 years, treating Ishmael as an only child, a gift in old age. And now this? Sent into the desert to die?

Let us sit with the emotions of the abused and discarded for a while. We finish the story tomorrow. Feel the feels for a day.

Prayer: Lord God, oh how we feel for Hagar and Ishmael. Fourteen years of feeling less than, always powerless and voiceless. Fourteen years of putting one’s head down, enduring abuse, just getting through. And now this: abandoned, sent away, evicted. God, don’t let the feels be limited to this story. Open our eyes and hearts to the Hagars and Ishmeals in our own communities. And move us beyond seeing. Move us to action. May we be the voice and strength for the voiceless, the powerless, the weak. Amen.


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Radical Hospitality

Reading: Genesis 18:1-8

Genesis 18:2b – “As soon as he saw them he ran from his tent entrance to greet them and bow deeply.”

Turning to Abraham and Sarah’s story today and tomorrow, we do so with some context. It has been about 25 years since Abram listened to God’s call, leaving almost all behind to go where God would lead him. We recall that as he left, he did so with a promise: through Abram many nations would be blessed. For his radical obedience, Abram was declared righteous by God. As years passed, patience waned. Abram and Sarai took matters into their own aged hands, producing an heir through their Egyptian servant Hagar. God then reiterated the covenant, telling the newly renamed Abraham that nations and kings will come from him. Thirteen years later, three men visit Abraham.

One day, sitting outside the entrance to his tent, the Lord appears to Abraham. There are three men standing near him. In verse 2 we read, “As soon as he saw them he ran from his tent entrance to greet them and bow deeply.” Abraham’s hospitality is just as radical as his obedience. Or is it the same thing? He invites the three men to stay a while, to be refreshed. My mind goes to Peter offering to build three shelters for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. These three men accept Abraham’s invitation and soon a meal is placed before them. The strangers have been well cared for.

Now, Abraham had a sense that the Lord was present in or through these men. Perhaps, like Peter, he wanted to hold onto this moment. This scripture raises some questions for us. First, do we do the same? When the presence of God shows up in an unexpected way, do we make room and time to be in that presence? And, second, whether in the form of a person or in the form of the Holy Spirit, do we offer radical hospitality in the moment? When we do, friends, we often receive great blessing. May it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, how will you show up today or tomorrow? The question is not “if” but “when” and “how.” Knowing that, prepare our hearts and spirits to receive your unexpected presence generously and abundantly. Lead us to offer our best to you, O Lord. Amen.


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Forward in Faith

Reading: Romans 4:18-25

Romans 4:21-22 – “He was fully convinced that God was able to do what he promised. Therefore, it was credited to him as righteousness.”

Photo credit: Felipe Correia

Today we conclude our week returning to Romans 4. In our reading on Wednesday we looked at verses 13-17, where Paul argued that Abraham’s and our inheritance is based on God’s grace and not on keeping the Law. Jesus also demonstrated this in our Matthew 9 reading, when he sat and ate with tax collectors and other “known sinners.” Jesus called for mercy, which leads to grace, opening the way for all to find their way to God’s table.

Picking up Abraham’s story today, Paul reminds us that Abraham’s situation was “beyond hope.” And yet Abraham had faith in God that he would become “the father of many nations.” At almost 100, Abraham’s body was “good as dead.” Sarah’s womb was also thought to be “dead.” And yet, because God has said it would be so, in faith Abraham was “fully convinced that God was able to do what he promised.” With a hope based in trust and grounded in faith, we read, “It was credited to him as righteousness.”

Continuing, Paul extends the story beyond Abraham. The apostle reminds us that righteousness will be credited to us too if we hold sure to our faith in God. The hope that secures our faith comes through Jesus Christ, the one who met the “requirements” for righteousness on our behalf. In dying for our sins, Jesus paid the price for our “mistakes,” opening the way for us to be made right with God, again and again. Removing this barrier, Christ made a way for all to sit at the table in God’s heavenly banquet. What was and is impossible on our own, Christ made possible for all.

At present, what is your “hope against hope” thing or situation? In this moment, what feels impossible? The God of Abraham remains our God. Grace upon grace continues to abound. Jesus made the way for all who believe to enter into God’s glory, both now and one day. In hope and trust, may we step forward in faith.

Prayer: Lord God, even the most impossible and seemingly improbable are well within your reality. That “thing” happening after years and years of trying and failing? The power over sin? Me in heaven? All not only possible but reality for those who hope in you, who trust in you, who believe in you. Make it so for us, O God. Amen.


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Through Faith

Reading: Romans 4:13-17

Romans 4:16 – “The inheritance comes through faith, so that it will be on the basis of God’s grace.”

In Paul’s letter to the Romans, he references Abraham and his faith. For Paul and others working to welcome the Gentiles (all non-Jews) into the “church,” Abraham was a key Old Testament figure. For the Jews, he was the father of Israel, one of the pillars of their faith. Abraham’s radical obedience to God made him one of the Jew’s primary examples of faith lived out. An absolute obedience to God was important for those in the body of Christ too. Being the persecuted minority, it took a great amount of faith and obedience to stay true to Christ.

In our Romans passage, Paul points to two facts about Abraham that were relevant for the church of his day. In Rome (and in other places) there were serious tensions between the Jewish Christians and the Gentile Christians. The former wanted the latter to basically become Jews first, Christians second. This meant following the Law. Hold on, says Paul. First, he reminds them all that God “appointed” Abraham to be “the father of many nations.” It is not just the Jews who will be blessed through Abraham’s example of faith. For Paul, this meant that all peoples would be welcome in the body of Christ.

Addressing the main tension, Paul turns to the Law and Abraham. He reminds those holding onto the Law as the admission price to the church that Abraham was declared righteous long before the Law even existed. Therefore, “The inheritance comes through faith, so that it will be on the basis of God’s grace.” God’s promises come through faith. Like it was with Abraham – “our father in the eyes of God” – to all who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, God will “give life to the dead.” All who have faith in Jesus Christ will inherit eternal life and all of the other promises. Not through the Law, but through grace. As it was in the early church, may it be so for you and for me.

Prayer: Lord God, father of us all, thank you for opening wide the doors of your church. Long ago you established faith as the point of entry. Even so, today we can still try to limit access – sometimes very intentionally, sometimes in ways that we don’t always see or recognize. Lord, break down these barriers and open our eyes to other ways we can limit access to the body of Christ. Make us a people who see and treat all as they are: all created by you in your image, all worthy of a place at the table of grace. Amen.


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The Flawed and the Faulty

Reading: Romans 4:1-5

Romans 4:5 – “Faith is credited as righteousness… because they have faith in God who makes the ungodly righteous.”

Paul ends chapter 3 stating that through faith we “confirm the Law.” Here Paul is referring not to following the exact letter of the Law but to understanding the Law’s deeper purpose and meaning. We get a practical application of this in the Beatitudes, where Jesus dives deep and unpacks a handful of Laws. Moving into chapter 4, Paul centers in on the faith of Abraham, the founding father of the Jewish faith and the nation of Israel.

Paul reminds his readers that Abraham was declared righteous because of his faith. When Abram obeyed God’s open-ended call to “go,” he did so through a radical faith. God’s promises guided and empowered his decision to be obedient to the call of God. As Paul develops his line of thinking later in this chapter, he reminds his audience that Abram lived long before the Law was ever given to Moses and Israel. Therefore, Abram was declared righteous because of God’s grace, not because he kept the Law – just as the followers of Jesus are declared righteous through God’s grace.

We often think of those “pedestal people” as being perfect. A cursory glance reveals that Abram was anything but perfect. He doubted God and he took matters into his own hands. Remember Hagar and Ishmael? Remember sending them out into the desert to die? God isn’t looking for perfect people to work through. That’s because God didn’t make us that way. Instead, God uses imperfect people to accomplish God’s perfect plans and purposes. And like Abram, we are each called by God, flaws and all. God works in and through our flaws, responding to our faith with a grace that “makes the ungodly righteous.” For this transforming grace, we say, thanks be to God!

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for choosing us, the flawed and the faulty. Through your love and mercy and grace you redeem us, refining us for your purposes. Through your guidance and direction you help us to fulfill your call upon our lives. With great patience and steadfastness, you redirect, forgive, and transform us to be your vessels of faith. Thank you for these many gifts. Amen.


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Because You Obeyed

Reading: Genesis 22:15-18

Genesis 22:18 – “All the nations of the earth will be blessed because of your descendants, because you obeyed me.”

Photo credit: Aaron Burden

As we pick up the story from yesterday, a lot has happened in the text. Abraham and Isaac arrived at the place. Abraham built an altar and arranged the wood. He then tied up Isaac and laid him on the wood. Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son – his only son, the son he loved – raising the knife. It was then that the Lord’s messenger called out, acknowledging Abraham’s reverence for God. Looking up, he saw a ram stuck in the dense underbrush. God indeed provided the offering for the sacrifice.

Turning to today’s reading, the messenger speaks again. Because Abraham did not hold back his son, his only son, God will bless Abraham “richly” and will give him “countless descendants.” In addition, these descendants will “conquer their enemies’ cities.” With these words the messenger is reiterating the promises that God has already made to Abraham. Because Abraham was faithful, the promises remain in effect.

The same is true for us concerning God’s promises to us. The promises of presence and guidance, of comfort and strength, of hope and salvation – they remain our promises as long as we walk faithfully with God. But these promises are not ours alone. The saints before us laid claim to them and lived faithfully as they walked their journeys of faith. God speaks about the next step in Abraham’s story. In verse 18, God’s messenger says, “All the nations of the earth will be blessed because of your descendants, because you obeyed me.” There is a through line here. Because Abraham was obedient and faithful, his descendants will be obedient and faithful. Because they were obedient and faithful, all the people of the earth will be blessed. We are part of this through line. One day, may the Lord say to each of us, “Because you obeyed…”

Prayer: Lord God, we are thankful and we celebrate Abraham and the many other saints – some in the scriptures, some in our lives – who have given us examples of obedient and faithful living. Lord, use us in turn to pass along the faith to others, blessing the world. Amen.


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The Lord Provides

Reading: Genesis 22:1-8

Genesis 22:8 – “The lamb for the entirely burned offering? God will see to it, my son. The two of them walked on together.”

As a young man Abram heard God’s call to leave his home and family, going to the place that God “will show you.” Once there, God again spoke, promising him very, very numerous descendants in the land God brought him to. After taking the making of an heir into their own hands, God again spoke, renaming and telling Abraham and Sarah that they would indeed have a son – at 99 and 90, respectively.

Isaac is soon born to this very aged couple. With great heartache the heir Abram and Sarai schemed is sent away into the wilderness. And then, about a dozen or so years later, God says to Abraham, “Take your son, your only son whom you love, Isaac… Offer him up as an entirely burned offering.” Say what?!

As we read in verse 3, Abraham is faithful to God. With wood, fire, knife, and Isaac in tow, Abraham sets out for the mountain that God “will show you.” Leaving the servants at the base of that mountain, Abraham says to them, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will walk up there, worship, and then come back to you.” As God has done again and again in his life, Abraham expects God to provide again.

As Abraham and Isaac ascend the mountain, the boys asks, “But where is the lamb for the entirely burned offering?” The wood, the fire, the knife – they’re all here. Where is the lamb? Oh yes, Isaac, the lamb. Abraham says to his son, “God will see to it, my son. The two of them walked on together.” With great faith, Abraham trusts in his God, believing that the Lord will provide. Set up as a test, Abraham’s faith is stronger than this test. May it be so for you and for me when we have the choice to doubt or to trust in the Lord. May it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, you are the God that provides. You were there for Abraham. You will be there for Isaac. You were there for Isaiah when you said, “The LORD will guide you continually and provide for you, even in parched places. He will rescue your bones. You will be like a watered garden, like a spring of water that won’t run dry” (Isaiah 58:11.) You offer us the same promises when we walk forward in faith. Lead and guide us on our walk today, O God. Amen.


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Faithful Actions

Reading: James 2:14-24

James 2:24 – “So you see that a person is shown to be righteous through faithful actions and not through faith alone.”

As we come to a close reading scripture and applying is to John Wesley’s “Three Simple Rules,” we turn to James 2. This short passage works well to illustrate how doing no harm, doing good, and staying in love with God should work together in the life of a believer.

Our passage begins with a question: What good is it to say you’re a Christian if you don’t act like one? To claim to have faith does nothing. James points to wishing well someone in need without meeting those needs. You are, then, in fact, doing harm to the image of Christ.

As he continues, James argues that one cannot separate faith from your actions. Yes, he says, to believe is good. But our faith cannot stop there. It must flavor or impact all areas of our lives. James cites Abraham as an example of one whose faith was “made complete” by his actions. Nearly sacrificing his only son Isaac, Abraham’s obedience to God through faithful actions brought him to the place of righteousness. To faithfully follow God’s word, nudges, whispers… leads us to do good for the image of Christ.

Woven into Abraham’s example is one who stays in love with God. Abraham listened to the voice of God. He chose to worship God alone – elevating his love of God over his love for his own son. In summary, James writes, “So you see that a person is shown to be righteous through faithful actions and not through faith alone.” May this be what the world sees through our faith as well.

Prayer: Lord God, interweave into our lives these three practical pieces of faith. Guard us against doing harm and lead us to do good. Fuel both of these practices through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. May our love for you arch over all we say, do, and think, drawing others into the great love that you have for us all. Amen.


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Heed the Teachings

Reading: Luke 16:19-31

Luke 16:31 – “If they didn’t listen to Moses and the Prophets, then neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.”

Our parable for today comes just after a clash between Jesus and the Pharisees. In verse 14 this group of religious leaders is identified as “money-lovers.” Jesus told them that their worldly wealth is “deeply offensive to God.” After reminding them that they have Moses and the Prophets and now the good news, Jesus launches into today’s parable. It is clear who the rich man really is.

There is a rich man, finely dressed, who feasts “luxuriously” every day. Outside his gate is a poor man, Lazarus, who longs for crumbs from the rich man’s table. Lazarus dies and is carried to Abraham’s side in heaven. The rich man dies and now suffers torment in the flames. Their places in life are reversed in the afterlife. The rich man now longs – for a drop of water to cool his tongue. But it is not possible, says Abraham. A great crevasse separates heaven from hell.

The torment of hell is so great that the rich man finally thinks of someone other than self. He begs Abraham to send Lazarus to warn his brothers. Apparently they are as self-centered as he was in life. They too have ignored the call of the great commands and more. Abraham reminds the rich man that his brothers have the Law and Prophets. Alas, he knows they’ve ignored them just as he did. The rich man again asks that Lazarus be sent. Then they’ll change hearts and lives. No, Abraham says, “If they didn’t listen to Moses and the Prophets, then neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.” How true.

May we heed the teachings in the Bible and the example set by Jesus, he who rose from the dead.

Prayer: Lord God, wealth is not all that can drag us away from loving you and loving neighbor. We can love power or status or titles or beauty or… more than you, which, in turn, means more than others. Lord, remind us again and again of the danger of placing anything above you. The harm, the cost, the outcome – all detrimental to our relationships with you and with those around us. Heal our brokenness. Break our selfishness. Lead us to find wholeness and contentment in you alone. Amen.


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Heirs in the Spirit

Reading: Galatians 3-4

Galatians 3:3 – “After you started with the Spirit, are you now finishing up with your own effort?”

Chapters 3 and 4 focus on the works of the Law versus the Spirit and on slaves versus heirs. Paul begins chapter 3 with a great line: “You irrational Galatians!” Paul is clearly frustrated. But it is a frustrated with a laugh involved. Their choice is so hard to believe, it makes one chuckle. After receiving the Holy Spirit through faith in Jesus Christ, the Galatians have changed courses. Paul asks, “After you started with the Spirit, are you now finishing up with your own effort?” Perhaps we too smile because we’ve done something similar again and again – tackling a problem or an issue on our own instead of first turning to the Lord.

Paul reminds the Galatians that Abraham was credited as righteous because of his faith. He then reminds them that they were redeemed by Jesus Christ so that they too could receive Abraham’s promise. Through Jesus they’ve been made family: brothers and sisters with Christ. Baptized into Christ, now clothed in Christ, the Galatians are now part of the family of God. Moving on, Paul clarifies.

Paul reminds the Galatians that prior to knowing Christ, they were enslaved by the things (or gods) of this world. Now freed, Paul wonders how they can go back to that. He longs to be with them. He is “at a loss about you.” Paul then turns to another analogy: Abraham’s two sons. One was conceived and born “the normal way” to a slave woman. This “son” remains enslaved to the Law. The other son was born to a free woman, conceived through the promise. This is the line that the Galatians stand in: born into Christ, freed from the Law, living under the Spirit. This is the line that we stand in as fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Thanks be to God.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for our adoption into your family. Born outside the biological line, we are incorporated in by the Spirit. We’ve been made one in Christ, one with each other. Thank you, Jesus. Amen.