http://www.frankfortyotb.blogspot.com/
Check out the church site too!
http://www.frankfortpresbychurch.com/
General Apology
After a long hiatus, I'm back. I'm so sorry that I've neglected you so much. I'll have questions starting next week. For now, I'm going to try to get back in the habit of reading and reflecting.
I'm going to guess I'm not the only one who is struggling to keep up. I'm not sure exactly what happened to me. Maybe you don't know what happened with you either. (Of course, maybe I'm in the minority and the rest of you have been able to stay on schedule, in which case you can just skip down to the reflection at the bottom :0).
I'm probably not the only one who wants to finish up this "Year of the Bible" on a high note. I want to make a new commitment for the last 65 days of our journey through the "Year of the Bible." (Can you believe we only have 65 days left?!)
So, I'm going to plan some sort of mini-recommitment ceremony for us to use during worship. I'll post it here to and you can do it on your own if you happen to attend another church. Do whatever you have to in order to finish strong!! What we are doing is not easy--I was actually pretty impressed at the number of people who signed up to do this in the first place. I don't want us to look back and have regrets that we just let our enthusiasm fade away. Let's fight the good fight and finish the race; let's keep the faith (2 Tim 4:7).
Reflection of the Day
It's interesting to read the passion story NOT at Easter time. It seems a little out of place to read it now, at the end of October instead of during Lent.
Generally, when I blog or preach or teach, I try to find a part of the Scripture that is new, something maybe we haven't thought about before. I enjoy the challenge to dig a little deeper into a text and move past what it says on the surface.
But as I read through John 18 today, I can't seem to get past Peter's denial. Usually, I'd like to ignore the obvious and get to something more noticeable and easy to miss. But today, I can't get past the obvious.
Peter denies Jesus three time: verses 17, 25, and 27. I can't imagine what it must have felt like to be Peter as the rooster crowed. I can't imagine what it must have felt like to be Peter and have everyone around him know of his denials. Word must have spread quickly among the crowds . . . almost as quickly as Peter's guilt did, I would guess.
I said before I can't imagine what it must have felt like to be Peter. But the more I think about it, the more I realize I know exactly how Peter felt. I know the dread he must have been feeling when he heard the rooster crow and remembered the warning Jesus gave him. I know because I have been in Peter's shoes. I have sinned; I have denied God. Maybe I was a little more subtle about it than Peter, but I deny Jesus more often than I'd like to admit--whether it's by my actions or words or priorities.
I don't think I'm the only one who knows what it's like to be in Peter's shoes. There might not be a rooster crowing to be a sign for us, but we've all denied Jesus and immediately regretted it. It's probably even happened to us rather publicly, just like Peter. We've done something wrong and everyone knows it.
So what comes next? John 18 ends in the middle of Peter's story. We have to stay tuned to see Peter's repentance in the rest of the story.
But that doesn't mean you should put off repenting until Peter does. Now is your chance to repent; now is your chance to receive the forgiveness that God died to give to you. If you'd like, you can use the prayer written below as part of your repenting process.
Lord, I have denied You. There are things I have said and done that have not only hurt others but also have hurt You. My priorities are skewed to make myself more important, instead of making You important. Some of my sins have been public for all the world to see and some are sins that I keep to myself, silently struggling over them. Publicly and privately, I have been disobedient and defiant. And I am sorry. Grant me Your forgiveness once again and strengthen my will that I might have the power to resist sin the next time it comes knocking at my door. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Showing posts with label prayer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label prayer. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Taking a Break
I've said it before and I'll say it again. Wednesdays are busy, busy, busy! So, let's get to it!
Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Tues, Feb. 24- What are the appointed festivals of the Lord, which you to proclaim as sacred assemblies?
Leviticus 23: The Sabbath, The Passover and Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Festival of Weeks, Festival of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and The Festival of Tabernacles.
And here's the question of the day:
Weds, Feb. 25- How many years is the Year of Jubilee?
And here's the reflection of the day:
Let's say we take a break from both Acts and Leviticus. I really like how the Psalms are sprinkled throughout the schedule of readings. Psalms are such wonderful examples of prayers. Next time you need to write a prayer but aren't sure where to start, read through the Psalms and pick out phrases that are appropriate. The Psalms are a textbook for learning how to write your own prayers.
For example, Psalm 25 is a model of prayer and of living. So much these days our lives are focused on instant gratification and "me-me-me"-ness. It begins with an offering of his life to God, illustrating dependence on God and finding security and refuge in God--"To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul; in you I trust." The psalmist is not praying in order to get what he wants; instead, he is content to seek God's ways and paths.
The psalmist's prayer clearly reflects his knowledge of Israel's story, from Exodus 32-34, recalling God's faithfulness "from of old" (v 6). The psalmist is contemplating his current situation through the lens of God's faithfulness. Psalm 25, then, is both a prayer and a testimony to God's character. Even though he is currently in a tough spot, he has confidence in God's enduring faithfulness and provision--"Guard my life and rescue me; let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is in you" (v 19).
It seems appropriate that this Psalm is on our schedule for today--Ash Wednesday. It is traditionally used during both Advent and Lent. The psalmist's humble posture of penitence is clearly appropriate for the Christian church as we begin the journey toward Easter. The hope that assures us during Advent is the same hope which carries us through the painful Passion to the resurrection.
Actually, Psalm 25 seems to be appropriate for any season. Dependence on God is necessary at all times in all seasons of life.
Allison
Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Tues, Feb. 24- What are the appointed festivals of the Lord, which you to proclaim as sacred assemblies?
Leviticus 23: The Sabbath, The Passover and Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Festival of Weeks, Festival of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and The Festival of Tabernacles.
And here's the question of the day:
Weds, Feb. 25- How many years is the Year of Jubilee?
And here's the reflection of the day:
Let's say we take a break from both Acts and Leviticus. I really like how the Psalms are sprinkled throughout the schedule of readings. Psalms are such wonderful examples of prayers. Next time you need to write a prayer but aren't sure where to start, read through the Psalms and pick out phrases that are appropriate. The Psalms are a textbook for learning how to write your own prayers.
For example, Psalm 25 is a model of prayer and of living. So much these days our lives are focused on instant gratification and "me-me-me"-ness. It begins with an offering of his life to God, illustrating dependence on God and finding security and refuge in God--"To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul; in you I trust." The psalmist is not praying in order to get what he wants; instead, he is content to seek God's ways and paths.
The psalmist's prayer clearly reflects his knowledge of Israel's story, from Exodus 32-34, recalling God's faithfulness "from of old" (v 6). The psalmist is contemplating his current situation through the lens of God's faithfulness. Psalm 25, then, is both a prayer and a testimony to God's character. Even though he is currently in a tough spot, he has confidence in God's enduring faithfulness and provision--"Guard my life and rescue me; let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is in you" (v 19).
It seems appropriate that this Psalm is on our schedule for today--Ash Wednesday. It is traditionally used during both Advent and Lent. The psalmist's humble posture of penitence is clearly appropriate for the Christian church as we begin the journey toward Easter. The hope that assures us during Advent is the same hope which carries us through the painful Passion to the resurrection.
Actually, Psalm 25 seems to be appropriate for any season. Dependence on God is necessary at all times in all seasons of life.
Allison
Thursday, January 29, 2009
"'Cause You Had a Bad Day"
Good morning! (or afternoon or evening. . .) I'm glad you dropped by today!
Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Weds, Jan. 28: What does the fool say in his heart? (Ps 14)
Psalm 14:1 The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.
And here's the question of the day:
Thurs, Jan. 29: Jesus tells the disciple a story about a father and two sons. Which son did what the father wanted? (Matt 21)
And here's the reflection of the day:
"'Cause You Had a Bad Day"
On a recent season of "American Idol," they used a song by Daniel Powter to play when those who were voted off the show were leaving. (Here's the link if you'd like to see the video: http://new.music.yahoo.com/videos/--14168054) Part of the chorus is this: "You had a bad day, the camera don't lie, You're coming back down and you really don't mind, You had a bad day, You had a bad day." You know what a bad day is like: everything that can go wrong does go wrong and a foul mood descends over you and beats your spirit down to a pulp. That's what this song is about. And as I was reading the little episode of Jesus and the fig tree, that's the song that popped into my mind! (Matt 21:18-22)
It seems like Jesus was having a bad day when He ran into that poor, unsuspecting little fig tree. He was hungry and it had no figs. So He made it wither, never to bear fruit again.
Seems pretty shocking, doesn't it? Nonsensical even. We know there's a reason for everything Jesus says and does, but this is likely to stump us for a while. But friends, this is where the beauty of the Year of the Bible comes in. The answer to what is going on in this little passage isn't found in the passage; it's found in the verses surrounding the text. And since we are reading it straight through each book of the Bible, we have all the pieces we need to finish putting this puzzle together. So let's get to it!
This isn't the first display of Jesus', umm, shall we say "spiritedness," in Matthew 21, is it? Starting in verse 10, Jesus "cleanses" the temple, driving out "all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves." Jesus does this not because he is upset by the business itself (animals for sacrifice during worship were mandated)--really it's the location of the business that bothered him. They brought commerce into the house of worship, making the house of prayer a "den of robbers" (cf Jer 7:9-11). They have ruined the sanctity of the temple, and this is a foreshadowing that God's judgment on Israel will include the destruction of the temple.
Verse 22 is the link between these two passages: "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." Those who had been frequenting the temple, and engaging in business with the money changers, were short on faith in God which is a prerequisite of effective prayer. They had more faith in the sacrifices they were making than in the God they were sacrificing to. In the withered fig tree passage, Jesus says, ". . . if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to the mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done" (v21).
So Jesus and the withered tree in verse 19 is really trying to tell us two things: first, it implicitly represents the judgment of God's unfruitful (unfaithful) people; and second, at the same time, it represents the power of prayer. Jesus is using the tree as an example, a lesson for the disciples (and us!) to learn. It actually has nothing to do with being hungry or having a bad day. It was about what Jesus was always about: teaching people who God is and what faith is about. Consequently, this is what we should always be about: getting to know God better and sharing what we know with others.
When it comes to faith and prayer, it's important to remember four things (well, I'm sure there's more than four but these are the four I'm going to mention :0) . . .
1. Just because we pray with great frequency and fervor doesn't mean we're going to get a "Yes" from God. All of our prayers should be subject to Matthew 26:39 where Jesus himself says, "Not my will but thine be done."
2. You don't need to have perfect faith for your prayers to be acceptable to God. Faith grows step by step, sometimes over a lifetime.
3. Ordinary Christians can move mountains. You may think it's the Billy Grahams or Joel Osteens or Joyce Meyers of the world who move mountains; but it's not just them. It's the rest of us too. When we are brought to our knees by impossible circumstances and find the strength to persevere through prayer, we can do things we never thought we could--for with God, all things are possible! (Matt 19:26).
4. And finally, "And if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing" (I Cor 13:2).
Does that make sense? Leave me a comment and let me know!
Allison
PS Mark's gospel also contains this story but in a slightly different order within the chapter. Five bonus points (like the points on "Whose Line is It Anyway?"!) if you read and compare and contrast Matthew's version with Mark's in 11:12-25. Does the interpretation seem the same?
PPS I would like to thank Douglas R.A. Hare and his commentary on the gospel of Matthew for his help in figuring all this out!
Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Weds, Jan. 28: What does the fool say in his heart? (Ps 14)
Psalm 14:1 The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.
And here's the question of the day:
Thurs, Jan. 29: Jesus tells the disciple a story about a father and two sons. Which son did what the father wanted? (Matt 21)
And here's the reflection of the day:
"'Cause You Had a Bad Day"
On a recent season of "American Idol," they used a song by Daniel Powter to play when those who were voted off the show were leaving. (Here's the link if you'd like to see the video: http://new.music.yahoo.com/videos/--14168054) Part of the chorus is this: "You had a bad day, the camera don't lie, You're coming back down and you really don't mind, You had a bad day, You had a bad day." You know what a bad day is like: everything that can go wrong does go wrong and a foul mood descends over you and beats your spirit down to a pulp. That's what this song is about. And as I was reading the little episode of Jesus and the fig tree, that's the song that popped into my mind! (Matt 21:18-22)
It seems like Jesus was having a bad day when He ran into that poor, unsuspecting little fig tree. He was hungry and it had no figs. So He made it wither, never to bear fruit again.
Seems pretty shocking, doesn't it? Nonsensical even. We know there's a reason for everything Jesus says and does, but this is likely to stump us for a while. But friends, this is where the beauty of the Year of the Bible comes in. The answer to what is going on in this little passage isn't found in the passage; it's found in the verses surrounding the text. And since we are reading it straight through each book of the Bible, we have all the pieces we need to finish putting this puzzle together. So let's get to it!
This isn't the first display of Jesus', umm, shall we say "spiritedness," in Matthew 21, is it? Starting in verse 10, Jesus "cleanses" the temple, driving out "all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves." Jesus does this not because he is upset by the business itself (animals for sacrifice during worship were mandated)--really it's the location of the business that bothered him. They brought commerce into the house of worship, making the house of prayer a "den of robbers" (cf Jer 7:9-11). They have ruined the sanctity of the temple, and this is a foreshadowing that God's judgment on Israel will include the destruction of the temple.
Verse 22 is the link between these two passages: "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." Those who had been frequenting the temple, and engaging in business with the money changers, were short on faith in God which is a prerequisite of effective prayer. They had more faith in the sacrifices they were making than in the God they were sacrificing to. In the withered fig tree passage, Jesus says, ". . . if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to the mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done" (v21).
So Jesus and the withered tree in verse 19 is really trying to tell us two things: first, it implicitly represents the judgment of God's unfruitful (unfaithful) people; and second, at the same time, it represents the power of prayer. Jesus is using the tree as an example, a lesson for the disciples (and us!) to learn. It actually has nothing to do with being hungry or having a bad day. It was about what Jesus was always about: teaching people who God is and what faith is about. Consequently, this is what we should always be about: getting to know God better and sharing what we know with others.
When it comes to faith and prayer, it's important to remember four things (well, I'm sure there's more than four but these are the four I'm going to mention :0) . . .
1. Just because we pray with great frequency and fervor doesn't mean we're going to get a "Yes" from God. All of our prayers should be subject to Matthew 26:39 where Jesus himself says, "Not my will but thine be done."
2. You don't need to have perfect faith for your prayers to be acceptable to God. Faith grows step by step, sometimes over a lifetime.
3. Ordinary Christians can move mountains. You may think it's the Billy Grahams or Joel Osteens or Joyce Meyers of the world who move mountains; but it's not just them. It's the rest of us too. When we are brought to our knees by impossible circumstances and find the strength to persevere through prayer, we can do things we never thought we could--for with God, all things are possible! (Matt 19:26).
4. And finally, "And if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing" (I Cor 13:2).
Does that make sense? Leave me a comment and let me know!
Allison
PS Mark's gospel also contains this story but in a slightly different order within the chapter. Five bonus points (like the points on "Whose Line is It Anyway?"!) if you read and compare and contrast Matthew's version with Mark's in 11:12-25. Does the interpretation seem the same?
PPS I would like to thank Douglas R.A. Hare and his commentary on the gospel of Matthew for his help in figuring all this out!
Friday, January 9, 2009
Happy Friday!
Whew! It is chilly this morning! No dilly-dallying for me and Rocky as we went for our (brief!) morning walk. I hope you're bundled up and staying warm! It sounds like more snow is coming tonight, so be careful!
Yesterday's question and answer:
Thurs, Jan. 8: How does Matthew tell us that we are to pray? (Matt 6)
Matthew 6:5-6 5 "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Matthew 6:7-8 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
Matthew 6:9-13 9 "This, then, is how you should pray: "'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.'"
And today's question of the day:
Fri, Jan 9: What does Sarah do when, as she eavesdrops, she overhears
God telling Abram that she will give birth to a son? (Gen 18)
And today's Scripture reflection:
Collective Bargaining (Gen 18)
This morning, in Genesis 18, we see Abraham doing a little collective bargaining on behalf of the people of Sodom. Even though THEY don't realize it, Abraham is doing ALL he can to save the both cities.
It all started when the Lord comes to visit Abraham, along with three mysterious strangers, and drops the "baby bomb" on Abraham and Sarah. And perhaps knowing God has great plans for him bolstered Abraham's courage. So when God mentions (rather casually, I think), "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous 21 that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know" (Genesis 18:20-21), Abraham speaks up tentatively at first, then with growing boldness, pleading that surely God will not "sweep away the righteous with the wicked" (Gen 18:23). Abraham bargains God down from 50 righteous to 10.
If you've read Genesis 19, you know the very unpleasant ending of this story. And I'm sure you have a lot of questions about the details of the story. (You can click on the comment box below this post and leave your questions there if you'd like.) But what I want to know is how do feel about Abraham's collective bargaining? God seems to allow Abraham to change his mind--how do you feel about that? Are you relieved? Does it make you a little anxious?
When faced with such an odd story like this, I think the best question to ask is, "Why is this story in the Bible? What does this have to do with the story of God and humans?" I think the answer to that question is that this is a story about sin. It is a story of the obedience of Abraham and the disobedience of humanity in general. If you look at it like this, Abraham seems to foreshadow Jesus Christ, the One who is perfectly faithful. Jesus intercedes on our behalf (more collective bargaining!) with God, taking the punishment for our sin on himself.
May your faith be as bold as Abraham's. May you pursue God with your prayer requests with the same tenacity as Abraham. And may you have a heart as big as Abraham for your neighbors and their welfare.
And may you have a productive day!
Allison
Yesterday's question and answer:
Thurs, Jan. 8: How does Matthew tell us that we are to pray? (Matt 6)
Matthew 6:5-6 5 "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Matthew 6:7-8 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
Matthew 6:9-13 9 "This, then, is how you should pray: "'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.'"
And today's question of the day:
Fri, Jan 9: What does Sarah do when, as she eavesdrops, she overhears
God telling Abram that she will give birth to a son? (Gen 18)
And today's Scripture reflection:
Collective Bargaining (Gen 18)
This morning, in Genesis 18, we see Abraham doing a little collective bargaining on behalf of the people of Sodom. Even though THEY don't realize it, Abraham is doing ALL he can to save the both cities.
It all started when the Lord comes to visit Abraham, along with three mysterious strangers, and drops the "baby bomb" on Abraham and Sarah. And perhaps knowing God has great plans for him bolstered Abraham's courage. So when God mentions (rather casually, I think), "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous 21 that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know" (Genesis 18:20-21), Abraham speaks up tentatively at first, then with growing boldness, pleading that surely God will not "sweep away the righteous with the wicked" (Gen 18:23). Abraham bargains God down from 50 righteous to 10.
If you've read Genesis 19, you know the very unpleasant ending of this story. And I'm sure you have a lot of questions about the details of the story. (You can click on the comment box below this post and leave your questions there if you'd like.) But what I want to know is how do feel about Abraham's collective bargaining? God seems to allow Abraham to change his mind--how do you feel about that? Are you relieved? Does it make you a little anxious?
When faced with such an odd story like this, I think the best question to ask is, "Why is this story in the Bible? What does this have to do with the story of God and humans?" I think the answer to that question is that this is a story about sin. It is a story of the obedience of Abraham and the disobedience of humanity in general. If you look at it like this, Abraham seems to foreshadow Jesus Christ, the One who is perfectly faithful. Jesus intercedes on our behalf (more collective bargaining!) with God, taking the punishment for our sin on himself.
May your faith be as bold as Abraham's. May you pursue God with your prayer requests with the same tenacity as Abraham. And may you have a heart as big as Abraham for your neighbors and their welfare.
And may you have a productive day!
Allison
Thursday, January 8, 2009
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
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
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