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Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Today's Frontline Devotion February 7, 2009 Faith of Our Fathers |
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Frontline Devotion for Saturday, February 7, 2009 by Don Wernley
Genesis 15: 1-6 After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward." 2 But Abram said, "O Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?" 3 And Abram said, "You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir." 4 Then the word of the Lord came to him: "This man will not be your heir, but a son from our own body will be your heir." 5 He took him outside and said, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars-if indeed you can count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be." 6 Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
Looking at versus 1-5 you have to ask, "What's with Abram?" Back in chapter 12 the Lord tells Abram to leave his country and people and go to a new land where he will be made into a great nation. When Abram, his wife, Sarai, and his nephew, Lot arrive in Canaan the Lord tells Abram He will give this land to his offspring. After Lot and Abram separate, the Lord tells Abram that all the land he can see will be given to him and his offspring and that Abram's offspring will be as uncountable as the dust of the earth. When Lot is taken captive, the Lord assists Abram to win all of Lot's family and possessions back. So now, after this spectacular victory, Abram is still troubled and fearful. It is as if everything the Lord has told him is not sufficient. Everyday life, with all its complications, still preys on Abram's mind.
So the word of the Lord comes to Abram yet again. Taking Abram outside, he tells him that his offspring will come from his own body and they will be more numerous than the stars. This time, Abram gets it. Many commentaries note verse 6 as one of the most significant verses in the Bible. Abram believes the Lord and the Lord credits this belief as righteousness. Paul, in his letter to the Galatians 3:6-9, points to this episode as God justifying those through faith not works or observing the law. It is a foreshadowing of the Gospel.
We too are like Abram. Troubles come every day. As an old commercial once said, "Life comes at you fast." It's easy to buckle under the strain, lose our way, and allow the world's cares to dominate us. Why is our faith not as strong as the heroes of the Bible? Well, every Bible hero has feet of clay. They fret, worry, and wonder where God is. Even after verse 6, Abram still stumbles. But the Lord does not give up. Abram is a work in progress, just like us. Last Sunday, Pastor Dave advised us to first seek the Kingdom of God. One way to do that is prayer. Henri Nouwen in his book, "The Road to Peace", says that in our solitude we will hear two voices, those of the world and those of the Lord. And if we keep returning to our solitude the voice of the Lord will become stronger.
Find a little quiet time every day, preferably in the morning. Thank God for what he has done then give the Lord your fears, troubles, and concerns. As you move through the day, know you are not alone. God will speak to you in the voices of others, in a beautiful sunrise, and in stirring music. Look up at the starry night like Abram. See the countless stars, and know that God is with you.
We invite you to participate in a new ministry of "Frontline" by joining our online Bible study, "On the Road with Paul". The first lesson was posted yesterday at www.fritzfoltz.com. Subsequent lessons will be posted every Tuesday and Friday.
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All are welcome to join and share in our Devotional Ministry on the "Frontlines" of the world. Frontline Devotions are sent via email daily. Sign up by clicking on the box to the left. Pastor Dave welcomes feedback. Contact him at pastordave@goodshepherdonline.org. |
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