SOAP 01/17/2015; Genesis 25:8

Today's reading: Genesis 25

S) "⁸ Abraham breathed his last and died in a ripe old age, an old man and satisfied with life; and he was gathered to his people."

Genesis 25:8 (NASB)

O) This seems to be the goal in life. Death is an inevitability. Everyone dies (with 2 biblical exceptions, and excluding the Rapture). When people are about to die in movies, they seldom make exclamations like, "But I'm going to live forever!" No, more often, we hear pleas like, "But, I'm not ready to die!" This is because most people realize that death will eventually come for us all. The question then, is whether or not it seems death came "early," for a person. When a man dies at 25 years old, strangers will pity the fact that he died at a relatively young age. When a man dies at 95 years old, strangers might still feel sad for his survivors, but not so much about the "when he died" part. A real key to peace about death, though, is whether or not we're ready to die. This is why people make "bucket lists" about the things they want to accomplish. So, in Abraham's case, we see both things at work. He was a "ripe old age," and also "satisfied," when he died. However, like so many verses throughout the Bible, this one isn't really about Abraham so much as it is about God. If we dissect who Abraham is, what his life was like, and how he lived, then we start to see the translation of this verse - how it goes from being about Abraham's life, to being about who God is. Abraham, the father of faith, the first of the covenant; he believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness. It's worth noting, that he wasn't the first to believe God. Adam believed God (certainly once he was ejected from Eden). Enoch believed God, and certainly Noah did as well. But, Abraham received God's eternal covenant, becoming the beginning of God's people. He was unwavering in his faith in God, and the convictions of his beliefs. He wasn't perfect, but he was faithful and righteous and obedient (you might even say it was in that order). Sure, he was one hundred seventy five years old when he did, but that wasn't even a long time, by some Old Testament standards. That was not why his old age was "ripe." No, he was ripe to die because of his relationship with the LORD. He was satisfied with his life because of his relationship with the LORD. It wasn't just because of what God had done for him, but because of who he knew God to be. He believed God because he knew God, and so he was credited with righteousness, and so he was at peace with God, and so he was ready to die.

A) Even as a Christian, with a strong conviction about my doctrinal beliefs, and sound biblical theology, I don't want to die. At least, not right now. Today, I am a few days past thirty-three years old. My children are all less than ten years old. I'm in my twelfth year of marriage. I don't want to die. And yet, if I did die, anyone who knows me would say that I died satisfied with my life. I'm not holding onto any unforgiveness, and my submission to the will of God is complete (although exact obedience still requires grace, and I thank God daily for the mercy I need). But, I fully want what God wants. I do not mean to make this sound like I have it all figured out. I don't want to die (plus, I haven't fulfilled the other "old age" part of being "ripe"), but I am not afraid to die. That is a huge dividing line. I am not afraid to die because I know who God is. I believe in Him, and I believe Him, and I am made righteous through my faith in Jesus Christ. Because of that, I am at peace with God, and my salvation is sealed with the Holy Spirit within me. All of this gives me the confidence that my Lord can do what He will with my life, and I know it will be good - even if it means my death. When I am gathered to my people, I will be ripe for His harvest, satisfied with life. And who knows, I may even get to be old.

P) Father, it is pure joy to know You. It is only through grace, that I see You like I do, and even that is dimly lit. Open my eyes to see clearly, each and every time I open the Bible. I want to continually know You better and better. Father, Your grace has given me innumerable reasons to worship and give thanks. I am quite satisfied with my life. I don't want to die any time soon, but it's not my will but Your will, that I want to see done. Have Your way with my life, and what remains of it here on earth. When I die, be glorified even through my death, that others will see that my satisfaction and readiness to die were born of pure joy in knowing You. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 01/16/2015; Genesis 23:15-16

Today's reading: Genesis 23

S) "¹⁵ 'My lord, listen to me; a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver, what is that between me and you? So bury your dead.' ¹⁶ Abraham listened to Ephron; and Abraham weighed out for Ephron the silver which he had named in the hearing of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, commercial standard."

Genesis 23:15-16 (NASB)

O) This whole passage, starting back at v.4, seems like a case of who-can-be-the-nicest. Sarah had died, and Abraham was seeking a suitable burial place. He came to the sons of Heth, ready to buy her a grave. In v.6 and v.11, Ephron tries to give Abraham a plot of land for free, making v.15 his third attempt. Finally, Abraham basically ignores the offer, but hears the price, and determines to pay it. The exact reasons are not stated in this passage, but if we refer back to Genesis 14:22-24, we see a glimpse of why he may have refused again. Whatever the reason, though, we see an example of Abraham following his convictions thoroughly, without wavering.

A) People can have the best intentions, including myself. Hindsight is 20/20. There have been times, when looking back, that I can see where I clearly failed to follow through with my convictions about something. The intent of the people involved may not even be in question. In the example above, Abraham didn't argue or try to convince the people that he was right and they were wrong, he simply stuck to his convictions. Whether it's breaking a fast, or being patient as I wait on the LORD, whatever it is, I need to be faithful and obedient, thoroughly following my convictions. I don't have to argue or be rude, I just need to be unwavering.

P) Father, You are so good to Your servant, in the ways that You lead me, discipline me, teach me, and love me. Thank You for the mercy You have shown me when I fail to be obedient and faithful in my convictions. Thank You for the grace You have shown me when You convict me in the first place. Please continue to discipline me, to shape me into the obedient man You desire. I want to be used by You, as effectively as possible. I want to be unwavering in my integrity and devotion to Your will. I know there will always be evil temptations to sin, by compromising a point of conviction, but I also know that sometimes people have the best intentions at heart, even if their actions would subvert Your plan for me. In those moments, Lord, please guide me to remain peaceful to others while I am faithful to You. Give me wisdom to balance obedience to You with grace to them. Let Your will be done, and be glorified in my life. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 01/15/2015; Genesis 22:13-14

Today's reading: Genesis 22

S) "¹³ Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram and offered him up for a burnt offering in the place of his son. ¹⁴ Abraham called the name of that place The Lord Will Provide, as it is said to this day, 'In the mount of the Lord it will be provided.'"

Genesis 22:13-14 (NASB)

O) The topic of Abraham's sacrifice of Isaac is quite deep. There are topics of omniscience and sovereignty, obedience and sacrifice (obviously), and often times it can seem like there are as many questions as answers. One thing that is abundantly clear, though, is that God provides. When the angel called Abraham, and stopped the sacrifice, the rest of the situation didn't simply evaporate. Abraham didn't suddenly awaken from a dream. There was still a sacrifice to be made, and God provided the sacrifice. There are allegories here, too. The ram caught in the thicket is a foreshadow of God providing the ultimate sacrifice for sins, Jesus Christ, who is His own son, the propitiation for the sins of the world. Jesus also bore thorns around his own head, similar to the way the ram was caught. As He did throughout the Old Testament, God addressed a current need while also pointing forward to the gospel.

A) The example of faith and obedience that Abraham showed is admirable. I should strive for that level of faith and obedience. While I doubt God will ever ask me to sacrifice my children literally, there can often be areas that God asks me to trust Him. In a figurative way, God has asked me to let things die, letting go of my desire to control and accomplish and prove. He always provides, so that His will may be done. I need to be patient, and ready, and obedient when He provides. He always provides. Throughout my life, I have waited upon the Lord to provide, financially, emotionally, healthfully, etc.. I have not always responded in faithful obedience, though. I have often squandered, neglected, or otherwise taken for granted these things when He provided. When I am waiting and praying, I need to be preparing. I need to prepare myself to glorify God when He does provide. He always provides.

P) Father, be glorified in my life. Be glorified in the provision You give me. Let me not be wasteful, ungrateful, or selfish about Your provision. Your glory is at stake. Even now, as I pray and wait for a tax return, I want to be ready to obey when I receive that money. Open my eyes to see and my ears to hear, and impress upon my heart the things You want me to accomplish with that provision. Be glorified in what I do with what You give me. Forgive me for my disobedience, and in grace, discipline me to be obedient now. Let Your will be done. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 01/14/2015; Genesis 21:9-11

Today's reading: Genesis 21

S) "⁹ Now Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, mocking. ¹⁰ Therefore she said to Abraham, 'Drive out this maid and her son, for the son of this maid shall not be an heir with my son Isaac.' ¹¹ The matter distressed Abraham greatly because of his son."

Genesis 21:9-11 (NASB)

O) Abraham and Sarah have their own son, now. They had just weaned Isaac, when Ishmael is seen mocking them. Ishmael, who was born to Abraham by Hagar, who was Sarah's maidservant. It is important to remember, that this was all because of impatience about a promise. Abraham knew God was going to bless his offspring, and give him an heir of his own. His wife offered Hagar to conceive an heir for Abraham. Their plan worked. It's important to note that their plan did not alter God's plan. But, it did create a lot of distress. This passage shows the ugliness and mess that we create, when we try to hurry God's plans.

A) God's grace is quite evident throughout this story. Still, all of the pain for everyone involved is quite clear too. This story is quite a reminder that I need to trust God to fulfill His word when He sees it is time. I cannot grow impatient, trying to facilitate what God has perfectly planned. Waiting upon my Lord is a discipline that I still lack, I think. When I pray, I should spend at least as much time listening and waiting, as I do talking. I can't be lazy and call it waiting upon Him, but I also cannot be arrogant and call it active. Thankfully, God is gracious when I am hasty.

P) Father, Your goodness cannot be defeated. Abraham and Sarah were trying to force their blessings into fruition, and it caused a lot of problems. I never want to make those mistakes, Father. I want to be obediently patient. But, I also don't want to be lazy or afraid, worrying that my actions might be messing something up. Remind me of Your prevailing grace, Lord. Thank You for the mercy that assures me of forgiveness, and the grace that assures me of Your love. Let Your will be done, when You determine it is time. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 01/13/2015; Genesis 20:6

Today's reading: Genesis 20

S) "⁶ Then God said to him in the dream, 'Yes, I know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, and I also kept you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her.'"

Genesis 20:6 (NASB)

O) Here Abraham has done it again, telling a king that Sarah is his sister. King Abimelech believes the lies, and takes Sarah to be his wife also. Then, God warns him in a dream that he is a dead man because of the marital infidelity. He pleads his case, and God listens and reveals His omniscience. This is how the grace of God works. He finds us in our mess, seeing our hopeless, helpless situations, and He offers an alternative. He offers escape. In fact, He offers to bless us beyond just the salvation we so desperately need (see vv.7, 17). All of this, for a king who likely did not even fear the LORD (see v.11). But that is the nature of grace, and of the God we serve. He comes to us, often when we don't even know we need Him, when we are unaware of the dangers that surround us.

A) In a lot of ways, I think this is how God convicts and warns His people, now. At least, this is how I often experience it. When I find myself in the whirlpool of temptation, at a crossroads of conviction and willful disobedience, I can hear the call of my God. He meets me, when I am at the brink, at the precipice of my self destructive errors, and He reminds me of my choice. There are times I fail, and times I overcome. In failure, He calls me back to the cross. In victory, He restores my strength. He is good to me throughout it all, before or after sin, He does not change. He offers escape, salvation, and even more blessings. All because He loves me, and wants to save me from the dangers I bring upon myself.

P) Father God, the grace and mercy You offer is incomparable. I stand amazed, to remember all of the times You have reached out to me when I am on the edge of sinning. Temptation is real, but so is Your grace. I kneel humbled by Your mercy, knowing full well all of the times I have closed my own ears to Your voice, ignoring Your glory for the sake of my own. Yet through it all, You do not change. Over and over, You offer this grace and mercy to me. On this side of temptation, I know that grace is greater than mercy. Remind me of that truth. When I face temptation, let Your voice be irresistible, and the knowledge of Your truth be inescapable. Remind me that Your glory is at stake, and that I'd rather have the grace. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 01/12/2015; Genesis 17:18-19

Today's reading: Genesis 17

S) "¹⁸ And Abraham said to God, 'Oh that Ishmael might live before You!' ¹⁹ But God said, 'No, but Sarah your wife will bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; and I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.'"

Genesis 17:18-19 (NASB)

O) God had just announced to Abram, that he will now be called Abraham, because he is going to be the father of many nations through his wife. Abraham is incredulous, since he is almost one hundred years old and Sarai (to be Sarah) is ninety years old. Abraham knew that God would give him and heir of his own, he believed that, but he wasn't patient and tried to take matters into his own hands (when Sarah gave her maidservant Hagar to Abraham, and Ishmael was born). So now here, Abraham is essentially asking God to use his mistake. I think Abraham knew that fathering Ishmael was outside of God's plan, because Abraham showed a lack of patience. Abraham was asking God to tell him that the mistake was okay. He was asking God to take what was broken, and make it better. God refuses, though. This is the grace of God. He is not interested in making our mistakes turn out okay. He is interested in newness. God's plan was for Abraham to father a nation of people to God Himself, through his wife Sarah. No impatient mistake, no forced events, no human will was going to alter God's plan.

A) I'm not sure God always works this way, but I sure do see it a lot. I make a mistake, and all I am asking is for God to take the results of my mistake, and make them a little less painful. Instead, He chooses to heal me, and gives me something new in His perfect grace. Perhaps the best summary of this lesson, is to say that when I make a mistake, and I am praying, I need to listen and believe. I need to believe fully, and pray faithfully, for God's perfect will to be done. If I find myself, after sinning, thinking that I have ruined everything that God has for me, then I am not listening to God, I think. God does not want to glue together, all of the pieces of a broken vase. I think He is more interested in giving me a new vase. This is the grace that drives me to worship and obedience.

P) Father, Your grace is so deep, and so complete, that I sometimes lack the words to describe it. You are so good to me, and the only way I can explain it, is to say that You want to be good to me. You choose to give me grace because You love me. That is an overwhelming concept. All I want is for Your will to be done, Father God. Have Your way with me. When I make mistakes, give me the faith to believe that You will not be persuaded by my failures. Open my eyes and ears, to know Your will, and give me the strength to do Your will. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 01/11/2015; Genesis 16:9

Today's reading: Genesis 16

S) "⁹ Then the angel of the Lord said to her, 'Return to your mistress, and submit yourself to her authority.'"

Genesis 16:9 (NASB)

O) Hagar was in a real, tough situation. Her mistress, who more or less owned her, told her to go in to Abram and sleep with him because Sarai couldn't conceive (see v.2). Then, when Hagar gets pregnant, which was Sarai's initial plan (see v.3), she's in hot water and she is despised by Sarai (see v.5). So, without any real means of defense, she chooses to flee. In a lot of other contexts, this would be esteemed as noble and wise. In this context, though, God had another plan. So, the angel of the LORD commands Hagar to return. Not even to return and fight back against oppression, or to seek some kind of justice. She is commanded to return and submit herself to Sarai who hates her.

A) Disclaimer: every situation is different. I highlighted this verse as Instruction, not because I believe people who work or live in difficult circumstances should remain in those difficult circumstances, but because obedience to the LORD trumps all circumstances. We are not always privy to God's plan and vision for His kingdom. Sometimes, we are given a simple and unexplained command. Sometimes, the leading of the Holy Spirit seems impossibly hard. What I need to remember, though, is that everything according to God's will is perfect. Everything according to His will is trustworthy. His will is not simply good, or better, but it is best. Obeying my Lord is not always easy, it's seldom convenient, but it's always best. In situations when I can't see what good my obedience would do, I need to remember that I do not get to see the whole picture, the full impact, or the complete plans. What's more, is that I don't need to see all of that, as it pertains to me. There is a mountain of evidence, through thousands of years, that show the will of the Lord my GOD as trustworthy and best.

P) Father, this is Your story, and Your kingdom. My glory is worthless and meaningless, but Your glory is worth everything, and it has true meaning. Your glory is at stake in my obedience. When I obey Your commands, even this blind kind, which comes with little details about why or how, that kind of obedience is sometimes the best kind of worship to You. It can bring You the most glory. If it is not Your will to reveal the full impact my obedience might have in Your kingdom, then I pray and ask that You would remind me, at least, that it is still Your call to make. It is Your kingdom, and I just live here, I just work here. I don't own my life, because I couldn't purchase my life. My debt was too great to free myself, and You purchased my life with the blood of Your only begotten Son. Because of that, I concede that my life is Yours to plan and command. I choose blind obedience, because I trust Your will is best. I choose to obey, even with pain and suffering, because it is Your glory at stake, and Your kingdom calls. Let Your will be done on earth, through my life. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.