ANYTHING BUT THAT!

When Roy taught high school and our girls were growing up, summer break was a time of great anticipation, a time everyone looked forward to…well almost everyone. I saw summer break differently than my family. My husband knew better than to utter the two words that would land him in the death pits of slavery. But after our girls finished second and fifth grades, they didn’t understand that saying, “I’m b-o-r-e-d,” would drive mommy to desperation. When they first declared their dull existence, I went easy on them. I restricted their TV watching to one hour a day and created a little game by which they could “purchase” more time by earning monopoly bucks through chores and reading. That worked for two summers. But the third summer…well, let’s just say all our memories are crystal clear. Their schedule went as follows. SHOWER HOUR: one hour for breakfast, clothing and primping (they were in that middle school mirror mode). FLOWER HOUR: one hour of weeding flower beds and garden, harvesting, cleaning vegetables, etc. BODY POWER HOUR: one hour of outdoor activity (for middle school girls, this was sweaty torture). BRAIN POWER HOUR: reading, library (this did NOT include computer games). And their all-time favorite – SCOUR HOUR: one hour a day of cleaning the house! Oh yes, for five hours every day, five days a week, they were mine. And guess what? The other hours of their day, they never said they were bored or asked me to suggest an activity. Why? Because they were afraid I might think of another “HOUR” to add! (As you can see by the pic above, they have recovered from the trauma of that summer.)

When our kids ask and ask and ask, sometimes we finally give them an answer. Then they say, “Oh no! Anything but that!” I wonder if Abram felt that way after he badgered God and then received the covenant of circumcision…

Gen. 17:1-2 – “When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, ‘I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless. I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.’”

• Most of us hate waiting, and Abram had waited twenty-four years on Canaan’s soil. God finally tells him to DO something: “Walk blamelessly before God.” Yikes! Couldn’t we start with, “Don’t bite your fingernails?” The next time you get tired of waiting, remember the waiting may be preparation for the responsibility to come.

Gen. 17:3-8 – “Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, ‘As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called AbramB[exalted father]; your name will be Abraham,C[father of many] for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. The whole land of Canaan, where you are now an alien, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God.’”

• God outlines in detail His part of the Covenant, Abram’s part (vs. 9-14) and even Sarai’s part (vs. 15-16). Imagine for just a moment that you’re Abraham, hearing these promises about you and your family in God’s grand plan. Realize that you, like Abraham, are part of God’s bigger plan.

1. God changed Abram’s name – his very essence – from exalted father to father of many.
2. God promised kings and nations to spring from Abraham’s seed.
3. God promised this covenant would be everlasting – extending to Abraham’s descendants.
4. God promised the land of Canaan to Abraham and his descendants forever.

Gen. 17:9-14 – “Then God said to Abraham, ‘As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come. This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you. For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner--those who are not your offspring. Whether born in your household or bought with your money, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant. Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.’”

• Isn’t every human tendency to DO something instead of standing idly by and waiting? After waiting for twenty-four years, no matter how frightening, how painful, how embarrassing, how shameful to their culture – Abraham was ready to obey, when God gave him the directive. If God had instructed Abram to be circumcised twenty-four years ago, would he have been ready to obey then? Only God knows when our hearts are ready to submit to the blessings He longs to bestow on us.

Lord, Your timing is always perfect, though I seldom like it or understand it in the moment. Thank You for waiting, and for making me wait, until my heart is ready to receive all Your blessings – no matter what the cost.

BLAME GAME – ROUND #2

Why do I feel better when it’s not my fault? No matter what “IT” is, my sigh of relief is palpable when I discover someone else is to blame. How awful is that? How common is that? As parents, we run the gamut of great decisions and colossal mistakes. When our kids grow up, we can say with gusto, “I’ll pay for the first ten counseling sessions because I’ve undoubtedly screwed you up.” Well, one of our early parental blunders happened when we assigned blame incorrectly. Trina, our oldest and strong-willed child, was a precocious four-year-old at the time. Emily, the toe-headed princess who was often big sister’s partner in crime, was two. Papa Roy discovered that his grandfather’s antique pocket-watch had been taken from his desk drawer. Now, who do you think might have done such a thing? The Andrews’ parental unit assigned blame to the elder daughter. Amid Trina’s repeated and tearful denials, Emily stood by somberly, while Daddy reached for the paddle. “I won’t spank you hard if you’ll just tell me where you put the watch,” he said. “But I didn’t!” came the reply, and POP! Paddle to butt cheeks, and the fight was over. Well, not quite. A siren-like whine erupted from the little blonde in the corner. “I took it, Daddy! It was so pretty, and Casey (the barn cat) and I were swinging and it fell in the gwass.” Ugh. (The picture above was a common sight in those days - Trina with her puppy and Emily with the barn cat - swinging back and forth, as the cat and dog glared at each other)

Four-year-old butt cheeks do not forget an unjust spanking, and to this day, the Andrews’ parental unit is reminded of the undue punishment dished out on that dark day in Muncie, Indiana. Blame can be a hurtful thing – sometimes physically, sometimes emotionally, sometimes spiritually….

Gen. 16:1-4a – “Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar; so she said to Abram, ‘The LORD has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family through her.’ Abram agreed to what Sarai said. So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian maidservant Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. He slept with Hagar, and she conceived.”

• Sarai blamed God for her barrenness, and I suppose the Creator of Life is ultimately responsible. The deeper issue is Sarai’s impatience with God’s promise and her busy-body solution. Have you ever wondered if Sarai offered Hagar to discover if it was her womb or Abram’s seed that was barren? Shame on me for considering such a diabolical plot. We don’t know Sarai’s heart at the beginning of the process, but when she discovered there was no one left to blame but her own barren womb, she became an emotional time-bomb.

Gen. 16:4b-6 – “When [Hagar] knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress. Then Sarai said to Abram, ‘You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my servant in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the LORD judge between you and me.’ ‘Your servant is in your hands,’ Abram said. ‘Do with her whatever you think best.’ Then Sarai mistreated Hagar; so she fled from her.”

• Hurt people hurt people. Sarai was hurting, and she blamed the one she loved most. Though it was Hagar who acted pridefully toward her mistress, Sarai aimed her venom at Abram…and called on the LORD to agree with her! Unfortunately, Abram’s wisdom seems to have gone on vacation, and he caves to his wife’s fury.

Gen. 16:7-9 – “The angel of the LORD found Hagar near a spring in the desert; it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur. And he said, ‘Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?’ ‘I'm running away from my mistress Sarai,’ she answered. Then the angel of the LORD told her, ‘Go back to your mistress and submit to her.’”

• Hagar blames Sarai with no mention of her own snarky attitude. When we enter “fight or flight” mode, though we are in a heightened physical response state, our emotions can override our five senses by making them extremely selective. We begin to see, feel, hear, taste and smell only those things that our emotions tell us are true.

Gen. 16:10-14 – “The angel added [the LORD’S words], ‘I will so increase your descendants that they will be too numerous to count.’ The angel of the LORD also said to [Hagar]: ‘You are now with child and you will have a son. You shall name him Ishmael, for the LORD has heard of your misery. He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone's hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers.’ She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: ‘You are the God who sees me,’ for she said, ‘I have now seen the One who sees me.’ That is why the well was called Beer Lahai Roi; it is still there, between Kadesh and Bered. So Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram gave the name Ishmael to the son she had borne. Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael.”

• Blame stops when we finally realize God SEES us and our circumstances thoroughly. When God asked for Hagar’s explanation, He wasn’t seeking information. He was checking her heart – and it was ugly. When the penetrating gaze of God’s inspection sees through our blame-shifting, who can ever find fault again? Why accuse? God already sees – me and everyone else. So Hagar returned to bear Abram a son because she had full confidence that God was watching. Not only did she realize SHE couldn’t get away with blame before God (the only place it matters), but neither could anyone else!

Lord, I am utterly naked before You, exposed completely, not a shadow of blame to hide behind. My life, my attitude, my heart are ultimately my choices – no one’s fault but my own. I bear them before You and ask you to help me keep them free of blame before You and others.

BY WORD OR PROMISE

How much importance do you place on keeping your word? Would you sacrifice your health to fulfill a promise? Would you give up important family time to carry out a job commitment? When you look a person in the eye and say, “I’ll be there,” do they believe you? Or do they ask for proof? As I read God’s Word today, the thought occurred to me: What if no one believed anyone at their word? What if everyone asked for proof? What if my husband comes home and asks, “What’s for dinner?” I say, “Hot dogs and Mac’n’Cheese.” What if he said, “Prove it”? After I slapped him into next week, I’d scramble for the hotdog wrapper and Kraft blue box and show him the proof. Then he’d get to cook supper. What if with every question and answer we had to take an oath? “Cross my heart and hope to die, stick a needle in my eye…” I don’t know about you, but I’m not getting anywhere near my eye with a needle – I don’t care how certain I am about a statement or promise. Well, here’s one more question for you. If God tells you the same thing over and over again, do you really need Him to prove it? My doubt says I do. Abram’s doubt said, “Prove it.” Our humanness has a very hard time BELIEVING God’s divine promises.

Gen. 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.’ 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?’ And Abram said, ‘You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.’ Then the word of the LORD came to him: ‘This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir.’ 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.’ Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.” (emphasis added)

• Sometimes, when God speaks, it’s simply hard to believe what He’s saying. Abram is involved in a common discourse.

1. God promises
2. Human replies with a “BUT I have a doubt…”
3. God answers the doubt (using an object lesson)
4. Human makes a decision – low and behold, Abram believes God! Woohoo! And God graciously considers Abram in right-standing with Him.

Gen. 15:7-8 – “He also said to him, ‘I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it.’ But Abram said, ‘O Sovereign LORD, how can I know that I will gain possession of it?’” (emphasis added)

• The healthy divine/human dialogue begins again:

1. God promises – “I brought you (Ab.) out of Ur…”
2. Abram hijacks the promise/doubt/answer/believe dialogue with a “prove it to me” reply.

SO BEGINS GOD’S ARDUOUS PROVE IT PROCESS:
Gen. 15:9 – “So the LORD said to him, ‘Bring me a heifer, a goat and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon.’”

• When we ask God to prove Himself, the process involves our sacrifice. A heifer would have born calves for Abram, a goat provided milk and a single ram would have bred many sheep in his flock. Each was three years old, prime production age. This was an expensive lesson.

Gen. 15:10-11 – “Abram brought all these to him, cut them in two and arranged the halves opposite each other; the birds, however, he did not cut in half. Then birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away.”

• In Scripture, birds sometimes represent satanic activity. These “birds of prey” attacking Abram’s attempt to discern God’s promise illustrate Satan’s repeated attempts to interfere with God’s communication to His people. If the father of lies can confuse the lines of divine communication, the resulting chaos can rob confirmation of God’s good promises and intentions for the future.

Gen. 15:12-16 – “As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him. Then the LORD said to him, ‘Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years. But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions. You, however, will go to your fathers in peace and be buried at a good old age. In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.’”

• God’s proof sometimes bears ugly truths that we could otherwise have been spared if we’d simply taken Him at His Word and lived life one step at a time.

Gen. 15:17-21 – “When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces. On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram and said, ‘To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates-- the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites.’”

• God’s promise was given the physical sign of a smoking pot and the Promised Land was for the first time given physical boundaries. In previous mention, God simply told Abram all the land he could see would be his, but when pressed to qualify His promise, God gave Abram the specifics he required in the fiery darkness of physical proof.

Lord, in those circumstances when my heart, like Abram’s, needs a special revelation of Your proof, have mercy on me. Let me participate in the process humbly and with discernment, realizing that in asking for that proof I may experience dark revelations or limitations I hadn’t expected. Remind me to remain thankful for Your proof – however it comes – and trust in Your grace and goodness to provide the best for me in every circumstance.

LIFE AND DEATH BY ASSOCIATION

I remember many sleepless nights, fretting over our children’s choice of friends. From toddler play time in the church nursery until they become adults in the workplace – our children’s associations form and shape the people they become. Perhaps the most important decision of a person’s life is his/her spouse, but as all married folks can attest, we don’t just marry a person. We marry a family. Yep, with that blushing bride or dashing groom come the in-laws…or the out-laws, depending on your particular circumstance. Imagine this scene. 1984, a young and bold Roy Andrews calls his grandfather in southern Indiana, an elderly and conservative WWII vet, to announce his impending marriage. “Pa, guess what? I’m getting married. Her name is Mesu Cooley.” Now, if you had fought against Japanese soldiers in WWII and lived a relatively secluded life in the hills of southern Indiana, would the name Mesu Cooley be of concern to you? Pa’s response? “She’s American, ain’t she?” You see, Pa was worried about his grandson’s associations. By the time the picture at the left was taken (two+ years later), I can assure you his first grandchild calmed any fears he might have had in the beginning.

Now, when my mother named me, she didn't for one moment consider Roy’s grandfather’s opinion. In fact, when my mother chose Maralasu as my legal name, she had no idea that my toddler pronunciation “Mesu” would be the nickname by which I’d become known. I’m guessing she also never imagined the crossed-eyed glances of substitute teachers, when they tried to pronounce my given name. When my mom chose my unique and intricate name, she did it because she loved me enough to give me something beautiful. We make choices everyday that unwittingly affect life down-the-road…sometimes wise, sometimes not so wise. Lot’s choice – not so wise. Abram – very wise.

Gen. 14:1-12 – “At this time Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Kedorlaomer king of Elam and Tidal king of Goiim went to war against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). All these latter kings joined forces in the Valley of Siddim (the Salt Sea). For twelve years they had been subject to Kedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled. In the fourteenth year, Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him went out and defeated the Rephaites in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzites in Ham, the Emites in Shaveh Kiriathaim and the Horites in the hill country of Seir, as far as El Paran near the desert. Then they turned back and went to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and they conquered the whole territory of the Amalekites, as well as the Amorites who were living in Hazazon Tamar. Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) marched out and drew up their battle lines in the Valley of Siddim against Kedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar and Arioch king of Ellasar--four kings against five. Now the Valley of Siddim was full of tar pits, and when the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some of the men fell into them and the rest fled to the hills. The four kings seized all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food; then they went away. They also carried off Abram's nephew Lot and his possessions, since he was living in Sodom.” (emphasis added)

• When Lot chose the beautiful green valley and bustling city life of Sodom, he didn’t check out the lease, didn’t check for liens on his deed. Sodom had been straining under the tyranny of Old King K for twelve years, and Lot got caught in the shackles of someone else’s fight.

Gen. 14:13-16 – “One who had escaped came and reported this to Abram the Hebrew. Now Abram was living near the great trees of Mamre the Amorite, a brother of Eshcol and Aner, all of whom were allied with Abram. When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he called out the 318 trained men born in his household and went in pursuit as far as Dan. During the night Abram divided his men to attack them and he routed them, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus. He recovered all the goods and brought back his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other people.”

• Abram’s alliances had been built on integrity and trust. So much so that even when the odds were stacked against them (318 men of Ab’s household against King K’s five king-alliance and their armies), his friends supported him and became a part of the Lord’s victory.

Gen. 14:17-24 – “After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley).

Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying, ‘Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.’ Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

The king of Sodom said to Abram, ‘Give me the people and keep the goods for yourself.’ But Abram said to the king of Sodom, ‘I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and have taken an oath that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the thong of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, “I made Abram rich.” I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share that belongs to the men who went with me--to Aner, Eshcol and Mamre. Let them have their share.’”

• Two kings came out to greet Abram after his victory. Melchizedek praised God and blessed Abram, and Abram offered a tithe to God’s representative on earth – a spiritual commitment, a bond uniting them not only with wealth but at heart. The king of Sodom met Abram with a demand and a bribe – a promise of wealth with a lifetime of strings. Thankfully, with godly insight, Abram cut him off.

Lord, I feel like I need hind-sight, near-sight and far-sight. It’s no wonder I walk into walls with all the directions I need to consider! Only by Your Spirit can I avoid some of the pitfalls and cut some of the strings. Help me to walk wisely in Your ways, listening for Your voice rather than jumping at the first sparkly thing that offers quick joy. Give me Your wisdom, Lord.

The Familiar Stranger

One of the greatest blessings about our move to the Northwest has been rubbing elbows with new and established authors. The gals in the picture are two new friends and new authors.

Christina Berry (right) has just sold the first copy of her debut novel, Familiar Stranger (Moody Publishers) to fellow author, Camille Eide. I'm planning to take a break from my biblical fiction reading to spend a cozy weekend with Christina's book. Listen to this cover copy:

Craig Littleton has decided to end his marriage with his wife, Denise. But an accident lands him in the ICU with fuzzy memories. As Denise helps him remember who he is, she uncovers some dark secrets. Will this trauma create a fresh start? Or has his deceit destroyed the life they built together?

Yikes! I gotta know about this Craig Littleton guy! The other fun thing about Christina is her transparent, godly heart. I asked if I could share with my blog family a few words from her e-mail about the day she received her first box of Familiar Stranger books on her doorstep. Here's how she described her feelings:

"What a rush of emotions to open that box from Moody! Truthfully, I was in shock for an hour or so. As I called a few family members and friends, the tears came, along with a deep gratitude to God. Whom am I that He would bless me with a book? An urge to offer some type of thanks sacrifice gripped me, but I've yet to decide what that will be. Seeing my parents cry at the dedication was also a high point. It took a decade of writing and 42 rejections to find the right time and place for The Familiar Stranger. [I'm] Praising God from Whom all blessings flow, Christina."

I feel so blessed that the Lord has surrounded me with amazing people like Christina Berry - talented, godly and real. If you have a chance for a little leisurely reading, curl up with The Familiar Stranger.

MAKING ROOM FOR MORE

I had set a terrible precedent for my children. From their earliest memory, they had two wardrobes – summer and winter – one hanging in the closet and one boxed in storage. It wasn’t because I bought them so many clothes. It was because we were blessed with truckloads of hand-me-downs. Our daughters had six generous girl cousins, and we were a pastor’s family in gracious churches. However, these great blessings caused immense closet constipation. So in their teen years, we instituted the “buy one, bury one” rule. For each new piece of clothing that was hung in the closet or laid in a drawer, one piece of clothing was withdrawn, pitched, dumped, scrapped. I thought this little arrangement was working well until our oldest daughter recently moved into an apartment of her own. Trina had been living with us for a little over a year, maintaining most of her wardrobe in her own room, but spilling some clothes into her sister’s closet, while Emily was at college. When Trina moved into her cute, little apartment, she had one closet. One closet. She stuffed her dresser drawers full and then hung the remaining shirts and dresses in her single closet. “Smashed” doesn’t begin to describe it. “Smooshed” can’t portray the sight. Three months later, Trina called in a panic. Her closet rod had plummeted to the floor, leaving her clothes in a pile, and the landlord refused to pay for the repair. Why? Yep. Too much weight on a rod held by only one brace. Her dad became Mrs. Fix-it, using five sturdy braces to hold the clothes rod. He left a bill on her counter - pictured above - and gave this advice, “Sometimes you’ve got to give up to get more….” Sounds like something God would tell Abram.

Gen. 13:1-4 – “So Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev, with his wife and everything he had, and Lot went with him. Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold. From the Negev he went from place to place until he came to Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had been earlier and where he had first built an altar. There Abram called on the name of the LORD.”

• Two things tell us Abram was restless/troubled: 1) He returned to a place of spiritual significance from his past; and 2) He called on the name of the LORD. Both are excellent paths toward a peaceful spirit.

Gen. 13:5-9 – “Now Lot, who was moving about with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. But the land could not support them while they stayed together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay together. And quarreling arose between Abram's herdsmen and the herdsmen of Lot. The Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land at that time. So Abram said to Lot, ‘Let's not have any quarreling between you and me, or between your herdsmen and mine, for we are brothers. Is not the whole land before you? Let's part company. If you go to the left, I'll go to the right; if you go to the right, I'll go to the left.’”

• Don’t miss the difficulty of this situation. Lot was the only blood relative still in Abram’s household (besides Sarai), his only living heir at this point. Yes, God had promised children, but where were they? And in this culture, to divide your wealth means dividing your strength and protection against invasion. This is a step of faith not only in God protecting relationship but in God protecting life and property.

Gen. 13:10-13 – “Lot looked up and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan was well watered, like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, toward Zoar. (This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east. The two men parted company: Abram lived in the land of Canaan, while Lot lived among the cities of the plain and pitched his tents near Sodom. Now the men of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the LORD.”

• Lot chose the best land but the worst influence on his soul. In giving up the outward splendor, Abram guarded his inner holiness. However, Abram was still restless, moving from place to place in the land of Canaan. Doing the right thing doesn’t always bring instant peace.

Gen. 13:14-18 – “The LORD said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, ‘Lift up your eyes from where you are and look north and south, east and west. All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever. I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted. Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you.’ So Abram moved his tents and went to live near the great trees of Mamre at Hebron, where he built an altar to the LORD.” (emphasis added)

• After the arguing shepherds were divided, after Lot took his bleating sheep and spitting camels to Sodom, FINALLY, the LORD’s voice echoed in the silence. Abram had waited a long time to hear it. He’d traveled a lot of miles, experienced a lot of conflict, and given up his nephew, Lot. That’s a lot of “lots.” Was it worth it? Look at the promise: Land in every direction, children more numerous than dust. And now Abram’s caravan has room for him to get off his camel and WALK through his Land!

Lord, I’ve been told many times that I can’t “out-give” You, that You never ask me to give up something without returning blessings tenfold – or even one hundred-fold. So why do I clutch so tightly to people, when it’s time to say good-bye? Why do I hold onto possessions, when I should let go of old treasures? Teach me the value of letting go in order to allow space for You to give more.

FEAR OF THE FINE

Has your life ever been too good? Have things ever gone so well that you’ve been afraid it couldn’t last? I was watching a chick-flick recently, and a woman who thought this very thing said, “My life is too perfect. Something terrible must happen to me sooner or later, so I’m not taking any chances.” She altered her daily routine, cutting out any activity involving risk. Jogging, oh no – too dangerous. What? It’s like when you get a new car, and you drive slower. What happens? You get rear-ended! Or you’re wearing white or khaki pants and eating bar-b-q ribs. Gotta be extra careful, right? What happens? You drop a rib on the pants because you’re over-thinking the pants! Sometimes we fear our way into a snafu. That’s understandable for an unbeliever or atheist, right? They can blame fate or karma or last night’s fortune cookie when something bad happens. But should those who believe in an all-powerful, all-knowing God fear an inevitable evil? Well, we shouldn’t, but sometimes God’s most faithful followers do. After sharing my testimony in 1996 at a women’s retreat, a sixty-five year-old woman asked to speak with me privately. “Why has nothing bad ever happened to me?” she asked and went on to recite the litany of blessing God had bestowed on her. Terror-stricken, she asked if God might be saving up some cataclysmic event for the end of her life. In shock that someone could live such a “charmed life,” I think I fumbled some half-coherent Bible verse and hoped for the Holy Spirit’s application. Now, many ministry years later, I would share a lesson my husband used when he coached sports teams. If we try “not to lose” instead of “playing to win,” defensive mode robs us of life’s gusto, zeal and confidence. We begin trying to fix things that aren’t broken, using our own creative solutions instead of letting the Creator calm our fears.

Gen. 12:10-13 – “Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe. As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, ‘I know what a beautiful woman you are. When the Egyptians see you, they will say, “This is his wife.” Then they will kill me but will let you live. Say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you.’” (emphasis added)

• Famine sent Abram to Egypt, but FEAR prompted Abram’s deceit before they ever arrived. “…as he was about to enter Egypt…” says Abram conceived the plot before he was confronted with any real danger. Living our lives clutching fiercely at God’s blessings can rob us of the miraculous ways God might choose to work on our behalf.

Gen. 12:14-16 – “When Abram came to Egypt, the Egyptians saw that she was a very beautiful woman. And when Pharaoh's officials saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh, and she was taken into his palace. He treated Abram well for her sake, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, menservants and maidservants, and camels.”

• Our fears can prove very valid, and God gave us intelligence and forethought to avoid danger before it happens. On the other hand, Satan loves to affirm our fears and feed them by bringing about the very circumstance that keeps us awake at night. Was Abram’s plot good planning or a failure to trust God? It’s a walk on the spiritual tightrope to decipher that truth. Perhaps the more important lesson is this: Regardless of Abram’s decision, God was always more interested in their relationship and the PROCESS of building faith than in Abram making a SINGLE right decision.

Gen. 12:17-20 – “But the LORD inflicted serious diseases on Pharaoh and his household because of Abram's wife Sarai. So Pharaoh summoned Abram. ‘What have you done to me?’ he said. ‘Why didn't you tell me she was your wife? Why did you say, “She is my sister,” so that I took her to be my wife? Now then, here is your wife. Take her and go!’ Then Pharaoh gave orders about Abram to his men, and they sent him on his way, with his wife and everything he had.”

• Sometimes – not always, but sometimes – God rescues us when our fears plummet us into bad decisions. God returns us to a place of “FINE” living. But consider Abram’s new state of “FINE.” He now has even more “FINE” to protect, and his name is “Mud” in the palace of the world’s most powerful leader. Furthermore, because he has not overcome this particular fear, it’s even more difficult to believe God can protect “FINE” the next time (as I examine in the "SHEEP GOING DEEP" section of the e-devotional. If you'd like to sign-up for the mailing, just drop me a line at himesu@comcast.net ).

Lord, in Your remarkable grace, You sometimes rescue me from myself and then give me the chance to relearn the hard lessons. When life is going well, I want it to stay that way. I like FINE. Help me to like You more than I like FINE. Help me to want You, to trust You more than I want peace or pomp. Help me to trust in Your goodness, when life seems too good or when danger seems imminent. Through Your strength, I will not live in fear but by faith.

COULD YOU REPEAT THAT?

To the right, you'll notice Roy and Mesu Andrews saying, "Huh?" after just having learned they would be parents. That's me with a parenting book in hand. Why is it that we can’t just accept good news the first time we hear it? With shocked awe, we say, “You’re kidding me!” or “Nuh-uh!” A woman who thinks she might be pregnant buys three pregnancy tests at the drugstore – must see three pink plus signs – before she calls the doctor to make the appointment to be told for the fourth time that, “Yes, indeed, Fertile Myrtle, you are pregnant.” In such cases, repeating oneself is generally thought to be a joyous occasion; however, there are other circumstances in which repetition is tiresome. My husband happens to be one of the most patient people on earth. I’m not kidding, not exaggerating, not poking fun. I’ve watched him take a deep breath and deal with a kind, calm tone in situations that would have sent me wildly into a crowd and landed my picture on the post office wall. But his patience dries up when you ask him to repeat himself. It’s the cardinal sin. One “huh?” and you’re dead meat. A single, “What did you say, honey?” and you’re headed for the obit’s. I’m better off to sit in complete silence than ask for a repeat. After a few moments of awkward non-rebuttal, he figures out that I haven’t heard him and usually repeats the statement a little louder and clearer. It’s a flawed system, but it works. I’m just thankful he didn’t adopt the “I love you once policy” that some men hold dear. You know, the “I told you ‘I love you’ on our wedding day, and you should consider that status unchanged until further notice” approach. A one-time notification is seldom enough to convince a human being of any truth. God knew that, and He spoke to Abram repeatedly, reinforcing his promise several times in several ways…

Gen. 12:1-3 – “The LORD had said to Abram, ‘Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.’” (emphasis added)

• If God appeared to you and said, “I have something great to give you, some great ministry to do through you, some great blessing to bestow on you,” would you believe Him? Has it ever occurred to you that by the simple fact that God fashioned you uniquely in your mother’s womb, gave you distinctive personality traits and exclusive life experiences, you have become a one-of-a-kind treasure to Him? He does have a plan and purpose and blessing crafted specifically for YOU. Now, what are you willing to sacrifice to receive it?

Gen. 12:4-7 – “So Abram left, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran. He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there. Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. The LORD appeared to Abram and said, ‘To your offspring I will give this land.’ So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.” (emphasis added)

• The Lord appeared again to Abram. Notice, He didn’t appear immediately, when Abram arrived in Canaan. Abram toured the countryside and found that his Promised Land was already inhabited. Did he perhaps doubt God at that point? Maybe he thought he’d heard the LORD wrong, read the pink plus sign on the little stick wrong…. So God appeared and clarified – gave a little more information. God seldom gives us the full picture, only bite-by-bite pieces that we can digest in the moment.

Gen. 12:8-9 – “From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD. Then Abram set out and continued toward the Negev.”

• After more wandering, Abram felt the need to worship the LORD again. He built an altar to Him…but God was silent. No reassuring answer this time, no clarification, no repetition. Why? The fact is, God repeats Himself, but doesn’t always do it when we think He should. God is God, and we must acknowledge that we cannot force His hand…or His mouth to speak.

Lord, Your gracious communication with me is exactly that – gracious – given to me because You desire a relationship with an undeserving, yet forgiven creature of Your design. Thank You for Your voice. I cherish the still, small whispers when they come. When they don’t come, give me the grace and courage to believe You will speak at some point in a way I can hear You.

STARTING SLOW, FINISHING STRONG

Now, what coach could scream at a face like that?

I’m a slow reactor. I don’t jump when someone leaps out from a corner and says, “Boo!” It’s frustrated my girls for years. I touch a hot iron, and when the smoke begins to rise, I think, “Hmmm, I should take my finger off that iron.” I eat three bites of something green and slimy before I realize I don’t really like cooked spinach. Get the picture?

Well, my maternal instincts were no different. It took a few years before my “Mama Bear” claws grew to full length – but when they did…they were razor sharp. It happened when our oldest daughter, Trina, was a freshman in summer volleyball. League rules stated every kid played equal time. Trina’s coach missed that line in her contract and decided to play everyone except my daughter and one other girl in the tournament. I was livid and went to the ladies’ room to cool down after the first game – which happened to be in the girls’ locker room. I was sitting in the stall – minding my own business – when I heard my daughter’s coach screaming in the locker room at a couple of girls about their pathetic attitudes, how they should be team-players and stop moping about sitting the bench. I walked out of the stall and saw my daughter and the other “bench-warmer” in tears. Boing! Out came the Mama-bear claws! I ripped that coach to shreds with every ounce of pent up maternal instinct. It was ugly. But here’s the worst part. I was so upset, shaking so badly, crying uncontrollably – I had to walk off my anger, and I missed the rest of the tournament games! I don’t even know if Trina got to play. So what started as a righteous cause, ended as an abandoned rescue because my emotions got the better of me. I started slow, peaked, and finished weak. Ugh. But our Heavenly Father doesn’t have issues of delayed reactions and pent up emotion. He works patiently with His children and their children’s children to complete the plan He ordained. First, He created. Then, He began anew. Now, He waits patiently with purpose….

Gen. 11:10-26 – “This is the account of Shem. Two years after the flood, when Shem was 100 years old, he became the father of Arphaxad. And after he became the father of Arphaxad, Shem lived 500 years and had other sons and daughters. When Arphaxad had lived 35 years, he became the father of Shelah. And after he became the father of Shelah, Arphaxad lived 403 years and had other sons and daughters. When Shelah had lived 30 years, he became the father of Eber. And after he became the father of Eber, Shelah lived 403 years and had other sons and daughters. When Eber had lived 34 years, he became the father of Peleg. And after he became the father of Peleg, Eber lived 430 years and had other sons and daughters. When Peleg had lived 30 years, he became the father of Reu. And after he became the father of Reu, Peleg lived 209 years and had other sons and daughters. When Reu had lived 32 years, he became the father of Serug. And after he became the father of Serug, Reu lived 207 years and had other sons and daughters. When Serug had lived 30 years, he became the father of Nahor. And after he became the father of Nahor, Serug lived 200 years and had other sons and daughters. When Nahor had lived 29 years, he became the father of Terah. And after he became the father of Terah, Nahor lived 119 years and had other sons and daughters. After Terah had lived 70 years, he became the father of Abram, Nahor and Haran.” (emphasis added)

• We know from Gen. 10:25 that Peleg was named such because “in his time the earth was divided” – so Babel occurred approximately 101 years after the flood. The total of all bold numbers indicate 292 years between the flood and Abram’s birth. I’ve never been a math gal, so all this is leading to a point. Though God didn’t seem to have fellowship with humankind at Babel, he hadn’t given up. He was patient in His plan of redemption. But the waiting wasn’t pleasant. Humankind remained distant from their Creator, and the life spans from Shem to Abram decreased. Shem lived 500 years, but Abram’s grandfather, Nahor, lived only 119. Imagine the despair of every generation seeing many of their own children die before them. Imagine the looming feeling of doom. The world may have seemed far from God and hopeless, but God was systematically moving toward Abram – the man through whom a nation would bless the world.

Gen. 11:27-32 – “This is the account of Terah. Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor and Haran. And Haran became the father of Lot. While his father Terah was still alive, Haran died in Ur of the Chaldeans, in the land of his birth. Abram and Nahor both married. The name of Abram's wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor's wife was Milcah; she was the daughter of Haran, the father of both Milcah and Iscah. Now Sarai was barren; she had no children. Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. But when they came to Haran, they settled there. Terah lived 205 years, and he died in Haran.”

• Gotta think ancient Mid-eastern culture here. No airplanes. No McDonalds. No police protection. Terah’s youngest son, Haran, died and left three children – Lot, Milcah and Iscah. Milcah was evidently old enough to marry Abram’s brother, Nahor (her uncle – ick…think ancient Mid-eastern culture, remember). Who knows what happened to the other sister, Iscah, but Papaw Terah flies the Ur coop with Son Abram, daughter-in-law, Sarai, and grandson, Lot. The whole caravan is all revved up to go to Canaan, but they run out of steam by the time they reach Haran (the city name is spelled differently in Hebrew than Terah’s dead son’s name). Ask yourself. What drove Terah from Ur in the first place? Why not take Nahor and Milcah? Why didn’t he take his other grand-daughter, Iscah, too? What family issues boiled beneath the surface? Sounds like a bad soap opera, doesn’t it? But my point is that Abram, the man God chose to bring His Covenant Promise to the world, came from a complex, mixed up family.

Lord, there’s a lot of family baggage that could impede my progress on life’s journey. My heart bears scars that can distort my view of Your map. Open the eyes of my heart to see Your way clearly. I don’t want to stop before I reach the fullness of blessing You have planned for me. Lord, I want to finish strong, regardless of family obligation or strongholds. The only way I can do that is through Your strength – not mine.

How has God shown Himself faithful in bringing YOU out of a tough family situation?

A COMFORTABLE BABEL

Instead of a picture, I've got a YouTube video I'd like you to see...the perfect picture of "Babel"...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuMdIxKnqz8.

A four-year-old sucks his thumb and cuddles a satin-edged baby blanket. A teen cherishes her grandmother’s antique ring. A father and son bursts with pride to restore a 1957 Chevy. Why do we hold so tightly to the familiar and clutch at the old and frayed for comfort? My husband is not overly sentimental, but practical. He wears clothes until they literally fall from his body in shreds. When we were newlyweds, I made the near-fatal mistake of throwing away one of my husband’s holey t-shirts. Notice I said hol-EY, not HOLY. But you would have thought by his reaction that the silly piece of tattered poly/cotton blend was holy! By the time he realized it was gone, it was truly gone – irrevocably buried in some landfill – but I had learned my lesson. I would never again throw away my husband’s shirts. No matter how frayed or faded they became, I’d leave those ceremonial decisions up to him. Unfortunately, when my mother came to stay with our girls for a week, I forgot to inform her of our non-discard pact. Another shirt got tossed during her servant-minded laundry day, and this T-shirt was a keepsake (as they all seemed to be). So the next time Mom stayed with the girls, I explained about the “no throw away rule.” She apologized to Roy for her previous “oops” and we left for our next trip with full confidence that all Roy’s shirts would be safe in the loving hands of his penitent mother-in-law. When we arrived home, as expected, all shirts were present and accounted for…with one exception. The one T-shirt that was literally falling apart at the seams (the whole shirt was worn-sheer) sported a brand new neckline. Mom had cut off the frayed collar and purchased new material, sewing a bright yellow collar on this old T-shirt. Oh my. Roy was – speechless. But the shirt lived on, the collar extending its drawer-life another 5 years or so before it found its way to the happy-shirt-shack-in-the landfill. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with liking comfort or hanging onto familiar things…unless they stand in the way of our moving forward with God. That’s when it became a problem for Noah and all our ancestors….

Gen. 11:1-4 – “Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. As men moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there. They said to each other, ‘Come, let's make bricks and bake them thoroughly.’ They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. Then they said, ‘Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth.’” (emphasis added)

• Being at peace isn’t wrong. Progress and intelligence isn’t wrong. However, feeling satisfied and smart can lead to SELF-SATISFACTION and SELF-FOCUS, and that isn’t just wrong, it’s SIN. When Noah and his family left the ark, God said, “…fill the earth.” (9:1) Notice that Noah’s descendants wanted to build themselves a city for their own names so they could do the exact opposite of God’s command – NOT SCATTER over the face of the earth. Comfort and self-seeking leads us in the direct opposite direction of God’s command to move and fill the earth with His presence.

Gen. 11:5-7 – “But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower that the men were building. The LORD said, ‘If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.’”

• Think about it. Did the LORD need to come down because He couldn’t see from heaven? Duh, no. He came down so humankind could watch Him assess their sin. Evidently, there was no human being alive God wished to confide in, fellowship with – as he once had with Adam and Noah. It’s as though He had to break into their world to remind them He was there.

Gen. 11:8-9 – “So the LORD scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel--because there the LORD confused the language of the whole world. From there the LORD scattered them over the face of the whole earth.”

• Humankind tried to thwart God’s good plan by settling into their selfish desires. But God WILL have His way on this earth, and in His perfect wisdom, He allows each human being to make his/her own choices to become an obedient or rebellious part of that plan. My job is simply to focus on God and let His plan work its way through me.

Lord, sometimes I get more concerned with knowing the plan that knowing You. Maybe that’s why the comfort of my familiar ways is so appealing, and the unknown path toward You is so frightening. Give me the courage to keep my eyes on You, not the plan – on becoming more familiar with my Heavenly Father, not self-focus and self-satisfaction. Your plan has never been to harm me or to make me uncomfortable just to see me squirm. You call me to move, to stretch, to grow in order to fulfill a plan beyond my small-sightedness. Give me the courage, the desire, to seek You when discomfort comes. Give me the discipline and grace to seek You when I’m comfortable.