Freedom For Today

Take a moment to read the entire chapter of Genesis 27 before reading the devotional below.

Parts of today’s story may not make sense to a modern reader, but I think we can all relate to family dysfunction and secret scheming. You might wonder why a blessing is so important, or why Isaac couldn’t just give both of his sons blessings. We need to realize that these blessings are deeply spiritual, like a prophetic message directly from God. Isaac is speaking what is spiritually true in that moment, and as a result Jacob is able to sneak his way in and position himself to be in the right place at the right time.

It’s an interesting dynamic between Isaac and Rebekah — she clearly has a favorite son and she’s willing to lie to her husband to get Jacob the blessing. She lies to Isaac again in the last verse of this chapter, giving an excuse for why she is sending Jacob out of town for a while. This may be God’s chosen family, but they aren’t always the best example of how to behave.

Here’s your freedom for today:

God’s blessings fall on us even when we sin.

Sometimes we believe that our sin keeps us from getting God’s blessings. But that’s a fundamental misunderstanding of who God is, and that logic also suggests that we earn the blessings we get. God’s blessings are his to give, and even when we sin as Jacob did God still blesses us. When we are free from sin, we do walk an easier road and certainly less harm will come to us. However, you do not have the power to end all of God’s blessings in your life.

Take a moment to read the entire chapter of Genesis 26 before reading the devotional below.

Well, like father like son… In today’s chapter, Isaac tries to pull the “She’s my sister” stunt that Abraham tried twice. At this point, I’m getting mad about it. Just as we know from the second time Abraham used this half-truth (and in Isaac’s case full-blown lie), the motive was self-preservation. Isaac doesn’t want to get killed, so he puts Rebekah at risk of getting sexually exploited. I am genuinely so angry about this situation, and while God does not share his feelings in this passage he’s generally on the side of the oppressed. Fortunately, Rebekah is not harmed and Isaac makes peace with the neighbors.

God is directly connected to Isaac and talks to him just as he did with Abraham. God reminds Isaac of his promise to give him many descendants. Isaac digs some wells and stakes his claim to the land God has promised. Other nations can see God’s power in Isaac’s life, and they want to stay on his good side. These treaties won’t last forever, but for now the Philistines fear the Lord.

Here’s your freedom for today:

God’s favor opens many doors.

As we read the history in the book of Genesis, we see clearly that God decides where his favor is going to rest. He protects Noah, walks with Abraham, and guides Isaac. He gives them victory and particularly in this time when nations are rising up, God’s evident power is feared by others. God opens and closes doors in our lives, and we have seasons of great prosperity along with seasons of challenge and hardship. Through it all, God is involved and leading. In times of struggle, it can be hard to see God’s goodness. In times of victory, it can be easy to give ourselves a pat on the back and ignore God’s role. Do you believe God has favor for you today?

Take a moment to read the entire chapter of Genesis 25 before reading the devotional below.

Abraham’s life looks a lot like the cultures around him, with concubines that were never approved by God. We can’t tell from this passage what God thinks about all this, and if we only looked at Genesis we might think that God is just fine with a swinging lifestyle. (Spoiler alert: he’s not). Other passages in the Old and New Testament paint a picture of monogamy, including Song of Solomon, Hosea, Proverbs 31, and 1 Timothy 3. In these passages we see God’s intention for a husband and wife, and Abraham was not in touch with God’s design.

In today’s passage Isaac has two sons, Jacob and Esau. Jacob will be renamed Israel in the coming chapters, and that is where we get the name Israel as a nation of the Jewish people. These two brothers did not get along, and Esau takes the physical and spiritual implications of his inheritance as a firstborn son lightly when Jacob demands them in exchange for some soup. Not a great plan.

Here’s your freedom for today:

Hang on to God’s good gifts for you.

Impulsive decisions rarely lead to freedom, and Esau learns the hard way that the gift God gave him in the role of firstborn son is something he should have treasured. When we feel desperate, we often think short-term: what’s good for me in this moment? God’s operating on an eternal timeline, so instant gratification rarely leads to eternal rewards. Don’t take for granted all that God has given to you — hold on tight and treasure every good thing.

Take a moment to read the entire chapter of Genesis 24 before reading the devotional below.

Today’s chapter is long, but it is repetitive as the first half tells us what happened and the second half is the re-telling of what happened. Don’t miss the details in the stories — it’s really cool! First, Abraham is looking for a wife for Isaac. Perhaps he’s started to realize that he should be wary of getting too close to the people groups around him, so he sends a servant back to his homeland to find a wife. The servant is a bit overwhelmed by the task and prays that God would help him find the right woman. Before he even finishes praying, God sends the sign he was asking for!

After he tells the woman what God did, she takes him back to her family where he tells the whole story. (And I do NOT recommend this as a normal way to meet women…) The woman, Rebekah, and her family are very excited to hear from Abraham’s servant and also clearly believe that this meeting was directed by God. They return to Abraham’s home and present her to Isaac.

Here’s your freedom for today:

God directs your path.

Often, I have prayers that seem like God takes forever to answer. But there are other times when God is taking action before I even get the words out of my mouth. Ultimately, I think that has more to do with how connected I am to God’s plan than to changes in his speed. God is deliberate and he knows what he’s doing. He’s directing you (even sometimes when you think your plan is your own idea). What prayers is God leading you to pray today?

Take a moment to read the entire chapter of Genesis 23 before reading the devotional below.

Today we mourn the death of Sarah, Abraham’s wife, who lived to be 127 years old. Abraham seeks a proper burial for her and finds some allies in the people groups around him. I was struck by the mention of the Hittites, as they become enemies of the Jewish people down the road. (Check out all the Bible references to the Hittites here.)

It’s not clear from this passage whether or not God is okay with Abraham’s alliances with the Hittites or the Philistines or any of the other nation-states around him. God brought him into this land and promised it to him, but through the later books of Deuteronomy and Joshua we see that God giving Abraham land means driving the current nations out of it. God’s going to destroy those nations, so is he okay with Abraham making friends at this time in history?

Here’s your freedom for today:

God cares who your friends are.

Who are you in alliances with? What groups do you identify with, and have you asked God what he thinks about your associations? Sometimes God brings us into new places, and when he does it is not a given that he wants us to form relationships with anyone in our path. Some groups are not honoring to God, and some may directly lead us away from God. Jewish history is full of poor alliances and bad influences that lead God’s people away from him over and over. When you make friends, be sure they are ones you can keep for eternity. If not, perhaps they’re not the best idea in the first place.