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Genesis 21:1-7 – Promise, with a Capitol “R” – Don’t Blink

I suppose, the daily walk of faith is all about the promises of my Father, God – bringing His Word and my humanity – into ”R”elationship - Does that make sense?  And I suppose that promises, can often take longer than we might like, for them to be fulfilled. 

When I consider Abraham’s daily Walk of Faith and compare it with my own – I keep finding out how very similar they are and how imperfect they are – while the Father God – continues to work his promises, in various ways and in His own time, through the years – bringing His Word and my humanity – into Relationship – with a capitol “R”. 

…. Walking…  Genesis 21:2 – Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him. (Genesis 17:21; 18:10-14)

A lot can happen in 100 years!  I mean, consider just a few of the highlights from the last one hundred years,… DON’T BLINK!

The Panama Canal was completed cutting travel time between California and the East Coast in half – The first long-distance telephone service was established between New York and San Francisco – Henry Ford’s innovations in automobile assembly brought the price of a Model T down to $290.00 from an original cost of $850, in 1908 – Charles Lindbergh piloted the Spirit of St. Louis on a solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean, landing in Paris, France 33 hours after taking off from New York – the Stock Market crash of the 1920′s sparked the Great Depression, the Xth Summer Olympiad was held in Los Angeles in 1932 – The Federal Housing Administration was established creating a form of mortgage insurance for homeowners – the Golden Gate Bridge opened in San Francisco – Pearl Harbor was attacked and the United States entered World War II in 1941 – World War II ended and a post-war economic boom began – The Korean War began with North Korea and later Chinese troops opposed United Nations forces – The de Havilland Comet, a British-built plan became the first jet airliner – The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed above 500 for the first time in the 1950′s – in the 1960′s The United States began a slow but steady escalation of troops in Vietnam, a small Southeast Asian nation.  The Vietnam war sparked impassioned opposition and unrest – The Beatles came to New York – Former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, widely admired for her style and grace married Aristotle Onassis, a wealthy Greek businessman – NASA’s Apollo 11 mission landed on the moon – The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed above 1,000 for the first time in the 1970′s – The United States of America celebrated 200 Years in 1976 – The United States Men’s Hockey Team, not thought to be a serious contender, upset the Soviet Union and Finland to win the Gold Medal at the Lake Placid Winter Games – A former actor, head of the Screen Actor’s Guild and Governor of California, Ronald Reagan began a new job as the 40th President of the United States in 1981 – 52 years after hosting the Xth Olympiad Los Angeles puts on the Games of the XXXIIIth Olympiad – Christopher Reeve starred in the last of four Superman movies – Superman IV: The Quest for Peace in 1987 – The First Persian Gulf War erupted after Iraq invaded neighboring Kuwait, and ended with a U.S.-led coalition victory. – After 3 decades of laughs, comedian Johnny Carson ended his thirty year run as the host of The Tonight Show – The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed above 5,000 for the first time in 1995 – Senator John Glenn, Jr., the first American to orbit the earth, takes another ride into space, in his 77th year – aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery on a 9 day flight, becoming the oldest person to fly in outer space – The new millennium 2000-2001 is celebrated and a global sigh of relief is felt as “Y2K” fears of a mass computer meltdown vanish – 9.11.01 – The Second Persian Gulf War began as U.S.-led forces launched into battle – …….

Now, consider that in the first 100 years of Abraham’s life - many of those years were spent walking through each day by faith, however imperfect, - but faith none-the-less – in a promise, that he had received – from God – the Father – the Creator! — that his wife Sarah would give birth to a son – and that God would bless every nation through Abraham’s descendants!  For sure, Abraham saw many things happen during those first 100 years of his life – wars, among nations and between family members, poverty, riches, the rise and fall of political and military leaders – and while we are never told that Abraham or anyone else during his time, ever journeyed into outer-space – and while that is surely a major highlight from our last 100 years – still among the highlights from Abraham’s first 100 years, must have been, the visits he received from the Lord God and from the angels! from “outer-space,” as it were    I suppose, that our last 100 years, pale in comparison – don’t they? 

I mean, everything that happened in those first 100 years of Abraham’s life led up to this text!

Genesis 21:1-7

The Birth of Issac:  Now the LORD was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what he had promised.  Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him.  Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore him.  When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God commanded him.  Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.  Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.”  And she added, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children?  Yet, I have borne him a son in his old age.”

Everything that had happened in those 100 years was in preparation, in one way or another, for this day! – while, nothing quite explains it – except, that GOD does it!  Consider that biologically it was considered improbable if not impossible for Sarah to be having a child at the age she and her husband were! – while, theologically it is improbable – NO, impossible! for God to fail in delivering on a promise!

I suppose, what is amazing about this story is that God is at work here – in a life of faith, however imperfect – bringing into “R”elationship, with a capitol “R” – His Word and our humanity.  I mean, Abraham and Sarah – much like you and me – bring to the promises of God – only our helplessness, imperfection, our sinful nature, our tired, weary and sometimes worn faith – while, God brings 100′s and 1000′s of years of involvement in His world – creating and resurrecting promises among us, that ultimately fulfill what He began -  resurrecting for us, over and again, the promises of our imperfect faith – often, just when we are in the middle of giving up and giving in – lying face down on the ground in despair and sorrow.

In my daily walk of faith, help me Father to live beyond the improbable and the impossible – to live by your promises!  Use my faith, however imperfect to bring into “R”elationship, with a capitol “R” – Your Word and my humanity!  Amen

Don’t blink! 

May 13 2010 | Fathering Moments - The Daily Walk and Living in the Word | No Comments »

James – Salvation

The Book of James– passages specific to God’s Plan for Man’s – SALVATION

James 1

v. 12 – Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

v.21 – Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you which can save you. v.22 – Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says. v.23 – Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror. v.24 – and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.  v.25 – But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it – he will be blessed in what he does.

v.26 – If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.  v.27 – Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

James 2

v.5 – Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?  v.6 – But you have insulted the poor.  Is it not the rich who are exploiting you?  Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court?  v.7 – Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong?

v.12 – Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, v.13 – because judgement without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful.  Mercy triumphs over judgement!

Faith and Deeds

v.14 – What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds?  Can such faith save him?  v.15 – Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  v.16 – If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  v.17 – In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.  v.18 – But someone will say, “You have faith, I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.

v.19 – You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.  v.20 – You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? v.21 - Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? v.22 – You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. v.23 – And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend.

v.24 – You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. v.25 – In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? v.26 – As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

James 5

v.7 – Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. v.8 – You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. 9Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door! v.10 – Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. v.11 – As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

May 08 2010 | New Testament - Salvation | No Comments »