Congratulations!

You did it! You made it through a week of readings, more or less! I've heard from some of you who are ahead of the game and some who have a little catching up to do and some of you who are right on schedule. No matter where you are in the schedule, congratulations! You are well on your way to developing what I think is a habit of a highly effective Christian!


So, here's yesterday's question and answer:
Wed, Jan. 7: What 5 animals does Abram use in the covenant with God? (Gen 15)
Genesis 15:9 9 So the LORD said to him, "Bring me a heifer, a goat and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon."

And here's today's question:
Thurs, Jan. 8: How does Matthew tell us that we are to pray? (Matt 6)

And here's today's reflection:
What's in a Name?
Genesis 16:13-14 3 She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: "You are the God who sees me," for she said, "I have now seen the One who sees me." 14 That is why the well was called Beer Lahai Roi; it is still there, between Kadesh and Bered.

I think names are interesting and come with a lot of power. A good name can take you places, but if you get a dud, it's a curse for the rest of your life. I have friend who is expecting her first baby and she and her husband have been keeping a blog and posting pictures of her belly as it grows ever bigger. On the side of their blog they have posted a poll about whether it's a good idea to give their son a name that would make his initials "C.O.W." See what I mean about names being both interesting and powerful? They have the power to make or break his entire life in one little decision like a name. (Well, maybe I'm exaggerating, but you get the picture.)

When I think about names changes in the Bible, one of the first to spring to mind is Abram and Sarai in Genesis 17. But you've probably heard a million sermons on this topic, and besides, I'm looking for things I didn't notice previously. So my eyes wandered back up to Genesis 16 to the end of the angel of the Lord's conversation with Hagar, Sarai's servant who ran away after she became pregnant by Abram.

Hagar was running away because Sarai was jealous that Hagar was pregnant. And she began to treat her very badly. Hagar thought she only had one option--to run. So off she runs to the desert and stops near a spring. The angel of the Lord comes to her and reassures her. Now, we don't read anything about her crying out to the Lord in anger or despair. We don't read anything about her praying feverishly (though it doesn't mean she didn't!).

Whether she prayed or not, God SAW her in her distress and sent an angel to her. God SAW the pain she was in and acted. Even when she thought no one else was paying attention and that no one really cared what happened to her, God SAW what she was going through. Though she might have thought she was completely alone, God SAW everything.

So, Hagar names the spring (or well) "Beer Lahai Roi." Names are especially important in the Bibles; so much meaning is attached to them. Names are for more than keeping track of lineage. Names are for marking special occasions. I wish I had thought of this. There are many places in my life that I would like to go back and rename because of something that happened there. Places like "first place I understood what the crucifixion was all about" or "place where I first prayed out loud" or "place where I first felt God's presence." What are some places you would rename?

Have a great day!
Allison

Getting Down to Business

Good morning! Let's get down to business!

Today's question of the day:
Tues, Jan. 6: Fill in the blanks: “You are the _____ of the earth. . . . You are the _____ of the world.” (Matt 5) (Bonus--this the Bible Study text for tomorrow!)


And here's yesterday's question and answer:
Mon, Jan. 5: What does the rainbow after the flood symbolize? (Gen 9)
Genesis 9:12-16 12 And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: 13 I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14 Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, 15 I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. 16 Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth."


And here's today's reflection. . .

Thou Shalt Not Lie

Genesis 12:11-13 11 As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, "I know what a beautiful woman you are. 12 When the Egyptians see you, they will say, 'This is his wife.' Then they will kill me but will let you live. 13 Say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you."

If the only thing you knew about Abram was from the second half of Gen. 12, you'd think he was shallow, insecure, and cowardly. Not exactly the great hero of the faith we usually think of him as, right? He and Sarai conspire to lie to the government about being married; then she is "drafted" into serve for the Pharaoh, and Abram is well-taken care of by the Pharaoh because he is her "brother." They lie, thinking they are doing the the right thing--protecting themselves.

Now you know how the story ends--God afflicts the Pharaoh who figures out what's going on and he kicks them out. You'd think Abram and Sarai would learn their lessons, right? Well, I don't want to spoil your reading for Gen. 20, but let's just say this isn't the last time they lie to the governement.

Now, I could reflect a little on the role of faith in our daily living, since Abram and Sarai had just begun their great journey of faith. I could probably even come up with a good little reflection on sexual ethics, based on what Sarai ended up doing because of their decision. Instead, I found this little reflection about lies that I think is right on the mark.

"I was raised to keep all the family secrets and present myself in such a way that people would be either envious or approving. But keeping up a façade like that takes so much energy.
"When my friend Pammy was going through chemotherapy, and I asked her if the dress I was wearing made me look fat, I was making a fuss about the dumbest things, and Pammy looked at me and said, "Annie, you just don't have that kind of time." It was so profound, it was like I was in a cartoon and somebody conked me over the head. I got it. Pammy died seven years ago.

"But I still live by her words: You don't have time to live a lie. You don't have time to get the world to approve of you. You only have the time to become the person you dream of being. You only have the time to clean out your mean and ugly spots, areas that drag you down and hurt other people. You only have the time to accept yourself as you are and start getting a little bit healthier so you can be who God needs you to be.

"In a way, it's exhilarating to say, "This is really who I am, and I'm not going to pretend just because I have the sneaking suspicion I'm not good enough." God meets you where you are."
-Mary Ann O'Roark, an interview with Anne Lamott, reprinted from Clarity magazine.
(www.homiletics.com)

Abram and Sarai didn't need to lie. God would have met them right where they were at their point of need, just like God is ready to meet you at YOUR point of need. You don't have time to live a lie, to hide your weaknesses. Paul tells us, in 2 Cor 12:9, 'But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."' And Paul goes on to say, "Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." So, boast in your weakness, cling to God, and watch His power over you become perfect.



Have a great day!
Allison