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Take a look with us this week at ABRAHAM…the original "Finishing Well FRIEND"… Trusting your holidays were a blessing! But I learned long ago that "where there's a blessing, there's also a testing"! Our BLESSING was having our daughter's family in from Romania so both of our kids' families could be together. Our TESTING was we all got Covid a few days before Christmas. But God is good all the time…and all the time God is good! So we're thankful for every moment, every box of Kleenex, every bottle of Gatorade, and every shot of NyQuil! I have a feeling this year of 2025 will be filled with both "blessings and testings" from the Lord. And we need to be ready for both! I'd like to start with a different style of our devotional writing this week. It'll be a one shot rather than five segments covering Monday through Friday. I'm beginning a new Bible reading program like many of you probably are this year. And it just hit me this week that our poster boy for "Finishing Well" would most likely be Abraham. His life is covered in Genesis chapters 12-25 & was filled with "blessing and testing", as we just mentioned. So for this week, I'd like to take a look from 30k feet & then an "up close and personal" observation of the early stages of his 100 year journey with God from age 75 to 175. I know what you're thinking. That Abe got started a little late in life, but sometimes, that's when our greatest sense of calling comes from God! So here we go… The OVERVIEW... In chapter 12, Abraham receives a call from God along with a promised blessing. He sets out following God, but has a fearful moment and lies about his wife to protect his life. Maybe not the best start, but at least he's kicking up the sand from his sandals and on the move! In chapter 13, he has to be PRAGMATIC & realize it's time to separate from his nephew Lot when things get rowdy amongst their herdsmen. I'm guessing it was a kind way to say "this desert isn't big enough for the both of us"! But in chapter 14, Abe has a COMPASSIONATE moment where he goes to rescue Lot, who's been captured and carried off. Abraham takes all the able-bodied souls he has and it's an incredible victory where not a person is lost and everything is recovered! But the defining moment happens as he's coming home, and a Jesustype appearance of a priest named "Melchizedek" comes on the scene to congratulate Abraham with the victory that God had given him. Abraham DEFINES HIS FAITH by tithing, giving 10% of all he had to this priest, in honor of God who enabled the rescue. Abraham did not claim that it was his military prowess that saved the day, but rather he agreed with the priest and gave the glory (& a tithe) to God! Chapter 15 is where I'd like to focus & we'll come back to that in a moment, because that's when the covenant was established between God and Abraham. But for the sake of the overview, let's quickly touch on the following chapters first. Chapter 16 is all about the IMPETUOUS decision of Abraham's wife, Sarah to allow her handmaid to "have a child" through her husband, Abraham. He agreed, but talk about "buyers remorse" after the fact! Even during Hagar's pregnancy there was resentment Sarah for her, and if you wonder how that all ended up, just watch the news on developments in the Middle East! In chapter 17, God formalizes the COVENANT with Abraham, introducing the sign of circumcision, which was then demanded of all little boys when they're eight days old, although this happened for Abraham in his mid 70s. I love John Ortberg's writing where he says, perhaps Abraham might have asked God about circumcision, and suggested, "couldn't it be just a secret handshake instead"? Now, for what it's worth, the decision to involve Hagar in their "ancestry.com" was AFTER the covenant of Genesis 15, but BEFORE the sign of circumcision. Not that there's a major significance in this sequence, but I've always been fascinated in God's timing & order. In chapter 18, THREE VISITORS came from heaven to inform Abraham that Sarah will be having a baby within a year. That brought a chuckle or two, seeing that Abraham was 99 and Sarah was 90. But the three visitors also came to let them know that things weren't good in SODOM & GOMORRAH. Abraham does his best negotiating God down to 10 righteous souls, if they could be found, & He would spare the city. Chapter 19 reveals how sinful the place was and how much Lot, Abraham's nephew, had been caught up in it. Only 3 of the 6 in his family make it out alive. So the place is torched, both of Lot's sons-in-law don't take him serious, and his wife disobeys by turning around to watch the fireworks and turns into a pillar of salt! Chapter 20 involves Abraham lying again about Sarah to save his life & he learns there are CONSEQUENCES for us & other people when we walk in fear, rather than trust. Chapter 21 is the birth of Isaac, the son of promise, and Sarah is incredibly happy, at least or a while. When the mocking of Isaac by Ishmael, Hagar's son, comes to the surface, Sarah goes over the edge with her resentment for the whole situation. God then encourages Abraham to appease Sarah (happy wife/happy life) & let the handmaiden and Abraham's son leave because God will bless and take care of them. And he does. Chapter 22 is the TESTING of Abraham to see if he's willing to sacrifice his son at God's request. It is another "defining moment" to say the least, & Abraham comes through with flying colors. God's commentary on Abraham's obedience is, "Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from Me your son, your only son." An interesting side note to that story is found in Hebrews 11, where the Bible says, Abraham believed God to the point that he even thought God would RAISE ISAAC FROM THE DEAD for the blessing & inheritance to be through him! Our friend Abraham has come a long, long way! In chapter 23, Sarah dies and Abraham insists on PAYING FULL PRICE for the cave where they both one day will be buried. His integrity still shines thru, even as he goes through the grief of losing the love of his life. In chapter 24, Abraham senses his years and sends his servant to find a wife for his son Isaac. It's a beautiful story of praying before courtship and God answers the prayer to the "T"! I wouldn't have guessed that a "prayerful prerequisite" would've been for the young lady to be distinguished by offering to "water the camels", but you can never underestimate the impact of hospitality & guest services! Rebekah is providentially found, and brought home to become Isaac's wife. In chapter 25, Abraham dies at a ripe old age and is buried by both Isaac and Ishmael as the sons come back together. The crazy thing is Abe had remarried. And it appears after Sarah passed away, he had the time and energy to produce 6 sons, whom he gave generous gifts to before he died. However, Isaac got the full inheritance, in case you were wondering how that played out, given that those things are sensitive & tricky issues most times in families. What a life Abraham had! What blessings & what challenges he went through! What faith he had, and what faithfulness God showed to him! The EARLY VIEW... Notice, if you will, what happened before we return to chapter 15, which was one of many "defining moments". The call of God in chapter 12 is very CLEAR & PROFOUND. God said, "I'll make you into a great nation and give you a great name. Any who bless you, I will bless & anyone who curses you, I will curse". In other words, "Abraham I've got your back"! And God says one of the most comprehensive things at the end of verse 3, "I will bless ALL THE NATIONS in the world through you". Not "in addition to you". Not "around you". But "through you". The application for us as the church today, is to realize God STILL wants to reach & bless the world & He chooses to do it THROUGH His people! Those other defining moments of Abraham are his having to SEPARATE from Lot, and then turn right around & "RISK A RESCUE". And the moment, in chapter 14 of Abraham choosing to TITHE without being told to, is incredible! It shows the true heart of faith, character, & humble appreciation that Abraham has for the God who has called & saved him! But let's take a closer look at chapter 15 from which we will derive some "POINTS we can reflect on" the rest of the week. The UP CLOSE VIEW... Chapter 15 is a MAJOR turning point for Abraham. He moves from "following & trusting" to a deeper & more formal sense of "KNOWING God". It's in this chapter thot the "covenant" is experienced as he enters into a "holy agreement" with God. It begins with God, AFFIRMING Abraham, telling him as he tells everyone, "not to be afraid"! He ASSURES him that He is his shield and very great reward. Here's where it gets interesting, because Abraham boldly enters into this relationship with a very honest QUESTION. He respectfully addressed God as the "Sovereign Lord", and openly asks "who will get his estate since he has no children? He assumes it might be Eliezer of Damascus, but God immediately shuts that idea down. Abraham is assured that he will have a son "from HIS OWN BODY" to leave the inheritance to & for the blessing to pass through. He takes Abraham outside and has him look up at the STARS to get the biggest & best illustration he could ever imagine . God told Abraham his DESCENDANTS will be "as numerous as the stars in the sky". Abe could've just said "this is too much for me to handle. I can't get my head around it." But remember, Abraham has had an ENCOUNTER with God. He has been a part of the "greatest rescue mission" he could ever imagine, bringing 100% of Lot's family & flocks back safely! He's had a SUPERNATURAL visit from a guy named Melchizedek, immediately after the rescue on the "victory lap home", who reminded him that GOD made that rescue possible! Abraham now has "skin in the game", because his response to that was to "give a 10th of all he had". Please notice God DID NOT ASK for a tithe at that point, but rather, Abraham WILLINGLY offered it. So the "wheels of faith" are turning in Abe's heart! He's able to trust God more because he sees the extent of His gracious hand! In verse 6, a profound truth is unveiled. The Bible says that God "CREDITED Abraham's belief as RIGHTEOUSNESS". In other words, he wasn't righteous. He wasn't perfect. He wasn't blameless. But because he BELIEVED God, he was "CONSIDERED righteous" in God's eyes! This is a big part of the GOSPEL! As a matter of fact, without understanding this, you can miss the whole point of the CROSS! It's not about OUR perfection, but HIS! And it's not about our PERFORMANCE, but His! Praise God for the saving work of His Son Jesus, who gave His life for our sins, and calls for us to simply believe in Him, repent of our sins, acknowledge Him before others, and FOLLOW Him, just alike Abraham was invited to. Abe still had quite a few questions and would make a few more mistakes, just as we do. But his RELATIONSHIP was respectful and filled with faith & trust in the God who called him. And now the covenant is entered into as God continues to affirm that He is the One who BROUGHT Abraham out of his homeland in order to GIVE him possession of a new land! And Abraham responds just as a friend would, with another serious & respectful question, asking God, "how could he know this and be assured of getting possession of the land?" So here comes the animals for the sacrificial covenant. The life of the animals represent the serious side of this. It's a very sobering & solemn thing when an animal is sacrificed and Abraham brought the animals as God directed, and three of the five were cut into two pieces, facing each other. In time, Abe would fall into a deep sleep, and God would pass between the severed animals as a "smoking pot of fire". Fire always represents judgment in the Bible. God continues to affirm verbally what is about to happen, primarily how the Jewish people, of whom Abraham is the father, would be STRANGERS in a foreign country and enslaved for 400 years. I'm guessing you remember that country would be Egypt. God said He would punish that nation "who will have My people serve as slaves". And His people would return in the fourth generation because "the sin of the Amorites had not reached its full measure yet". OK we're gonna have to dig in on the significance of that a little more! But, for the sake of time, come back with me to the animals, as they were cut in two, as a part of the covenant. Notice what Abraham had to do to complete the process of the covenant. As the birds of prey (primarily buzzards and vultures) gathered around the dead animals, Abraham had to "shoo" them away. And now we get to the point. We have just begun the new year. We may not have made "resolutions", but I'm certain we have "re-established our PRIORITIES", at least privately, if not publicly. And actually, our spiritual battles of the New Year have already reengaged & we're discovering the devil still wants to "swoop down" on our new spiritual priorities, and take away the "sacredness of our commitments" to God. The devil's goal may not be to turn our HEARTS away from God, but he will probably be content if he can at least turn our ATTENTION away from Him! So what are you doing with the vultures and buzzards that COMPETE with our efforts & offerings for God? It will come as no surprise what has to happen, which is the same thing Abraham had to do long ago. We all need to "SHOO the birds" & tell the buzzards to "BUZZ OFF", as best we can! Why? So we can "finish well" in our journey of faith together! So what have we OFFERED to the Lord this year? And what do we need to "SHOO AWAY", that is attempting to "PREEMPT our devotion to the Lord"? For us "finishing well folks", health & wealth are always high on the list of what we're grateful for, and yet fearful of losing, since either or both can "dissipate & disappear" in a heartbeat! Abraham was truly a "finishing well" guy! Much like Moses, whose main ministry was from the age of 80 to 120, Abraham is just now kicking in at 75 and he'll be in aisle #13 at Kroger's picking up Pampers for Isaac & Depends for him & Sarah on the same shopping trip by his 100th birthday! He will have some struggles that we'll find out about before long. He struggles with being a "repeat offender" of lying to the government over his relationship with his wife. And oh my, did he and Sarah get caught in a "tangled web" with a surrogate parenting contract gone wrong with her handmaid, Hagar! But haven't we all had "a season of stupid" here or there? We've all had "moments of indiscretion" and then "repeat offenders". I know I sure have! So to bring this week to a start and the devotion to a close… What have you PRIORITIZED this year for God? And are you willing to FIGHT OFF the vultures to keep your offering "holy unto the Lord"? Here are my priorities______________ And here are the "buzzards" I'm trying to "shoo away"_____________________ Praying for you all this week! 🙏👊🙏👊 Guard what God has put on your heart to be reserved for Him! Sure love you guys. And may you have a great week as we commit to "finishing well with Jesus & one another"!
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