God's People: Abram
Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” ~ Genesis 12:1-3
Abram was Shem's great times seven grandson. And sometime in between Shem and Abram was the Tower of Babel.
God's creation had begun in a garden, and with sin, creation spread east of Eden. As the selfishness of sin continued, God pulled the reins in and brought creation back to a smaller size, managed by one family. But before too many generations, that family grew and spread and once again became embroiled in trying to compete with God. And so God, with Babel, sent creation scattered off near and far.
So when we meet Abram - already an old man - he is part of one of the many tribes that have sprung up after Babel.
And God at this point is still trying to save creation from themselves. With Abram, he finds a new way. This time, rather than destroy creation, God will save creation through this one man.
And the rest of Bible story will be the unfolding of this plan.
Many of us have a verse in scripture that we think is the most important. In the Old Testament (Hebrew Scriptures), this is mine. God is doing a new thing with Abram, and it is an important thing that I think we sometimes miss.
God isn't calling Abram to save only him and his family. God is calling Abram so that through him, the entire earth will be blessed.
All of it.
One man and his tribe will be the vehicle thought which all the other tribes of the world will benefit by God's blessing.
One tribe will be the yeast so that there is enough bread for all. One tribe will be the salt so that everything can be preserved. One tribe will be the light so that everyone will see.
This is the inheritance we get through Abram by way of Jesus. We are blessed so that others can be blessed. We are yeast, salt, and light.
We are part of God's salvation plan not simply for the evacuation of our souls after death. But that this world itself may be blessed - saved. So that the kingdom of God may reign not simply "then" but also now.
God's promise to Abraham will have twists and turns as we keep moving through the Hebrew Scriptures.
The promise to be a blessing will be forgotten by Abraham's people time and again.
But not by God. God will not forget. God will continue to remind them and us to be the blessing.
Prayer: Lord, bless us to be a blessing. Make us salt and light not to save ourselves, but to show your love for this world. Amen.
Abram was Shem's great times seven grandson. And sometime in between Shem and Abram was the Tower of Babel.
God's creation had begun in a garden, and with sin, creation spread east of Eden. As the selfishness of sin continued, God pulled the reins in and brought creation back to a smaller size, managed by one family. But before too many generations, that family grew and spread and once again became embroiled in trying to compete with God. And so God, with Babel, sent creation scattered off near and far.
So when we meet Abram - already an old man - he is part of one of the many tribes that have sprung up after Babel.
And God at this point is still trying to save creation from themselves. With Abram, he finds a new way. This time, rather than destroy creation, God will save creation through this one man.
And the rest of Bible story will be the unfolding of this plan.
Many of us have a verse in scripture that we think is the most important. In the Old Testament (Hebrew Scriptures), this is mine. God is doing a new thing with Abram, and it is an important thing that I think we sometimes miss.
God isn't calling Abram to save only him and his family. God is calling Abram so that through him, the entire earth will be blessed.
All of it.
One man and his tribe will be the vehicle thought which all the other tribes of the world will benefit by God's blessing.
One tribe will be the yeast so that there is enough bread for all. One tribe will be the salt so that everything can be preserved. One tribe will be the light so that everyone will see.
This is the inheritance we get through Abram by way of Jesus. We are blessed so that others can be blessed. We are yeast, salt, and light.
We are part of God's salvation plan not simply for the evacuation of our souls after death. But that this world itself may be blessed - saved. So that the kingdom of God may reign not simply "then" but also now.
God's promise to Abraham will have twists and turns as we keep moving through the Hebrew Scriptures.
The promise to be a blessing will be forgotten by Abraham's people time and again.
But not by God. God will not forget. God will continue to remind them and us to be the blessing.
Prayer: Lord, bless us to be a blessing. Make us salt and light not to save ourselves, but to show your love for this world. Amen.