Verse of the Day 1/13

Through the Bible - Genesis 33-34, Matthew 11:20-30

 

Good morning,

Most of you, at least from my generation would remember the theme song form the show "Green Acres" and the choice between the fresh air of the country and Time Square of New York City.  Sometimes we come to crossroads in our lives, for any number of reasons where we'll have to make a choice for ourselves and our families of where we'll go.  I've been reading in Genesis the last few days and have done some thinking about Abraham and Lot and their choices.

 

Abraham was born, raised, and married in Ur which was the New York City of the day, the center of culture, power and wealth.  If you question this you can google the "ziggurat of Ur".  It was excavated in the early 1900's, buried in sand in modern Iraq.  The couse of the Euphrates river had changed leaving it dry and uninhabitable.  The desert sands buried it for centuries.

For today's verse we'll go to Hebrews 11 which tells of Abraham's faith.  To leave the big city to go wherever God would lead him.

 Heb 11:8 It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. 9 And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise.   NLT

Abraham obeyed God and left Ur, taking up residence in tents.  He followed God faithfully.  Lot went with him, but as time went on he was drawn back to the city.  He first pitched his tent near the city and when we catch up with him later, he's "sitting in the gate" having  landed and settled in Sodom.  You know the rest of the story. 

 

If you haven't just read it, take some time over the next few days and read of Abraham (Abram) and Lot.  Look at their choices and what resulted from them.  Lot ended up having to flee Sodom but still settled on a "little city".  Abraham continuted to go where God lead him.  God would make him the father of many nations and  one of the patriarchs of our faith.

 

The decisions and choices we make here and now will affect future generations positively or negatively.  Abraham's way, the better way, is to follow God, to persevere in the faith.

 

Deut 7:9 "Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments;   NKJV

Abraham, along with the rest of his spiritual descendants, those listed in Hebrews 11 and fellow Christians today wait "for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God." Heb.11:10   God may lead us anywhere from the plains to the big city, but the city that we should desire is our eternal city, the city of God.

Blessings,
Mike

mikevw@bellsouth.net
mikesvotd.blogspot.com

 

Heb 11:8-13

Faithful Abraham
(Gen 15:1-6; 21:1-7)

8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; 10 for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

11 By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude — innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.    NKJV