Sunday, January 8, 2017

Sunday, January 8th: Genesis 20-22; Matthew 6:19-34 ~ Emma

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Genesis 20-22, Matthew 6:1934

What stood out to me in today's reading, in both the Old and New Testament, was God's promises.

In the New Testament reading, God promise to take care of us. We don't have to worry about anything, because "if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, He will certainly care for you." (v. 30)

In the Old Testament reading, we see that God follows through with what He promises. Genesis 21:1-2 tells of Isaac being born to Abraham and Sarah. In 21:18, God promises that He will make a great nation from Ishmael, and in vs 20, Ishmael is already "a skillful archer". In chapter 22, God told Abraham to sacrifice his only son, even though He had promised to make a great nation out of Abraham. Abraham trusted God and did what He asked him to do. God saved Isaac after seeing that Abraham feared God, another step to when He fulfills His promise later through giving Isaac descendants.

The Lord keeps His promises. We only need to trust in Him.

"Yahweh-Yireh (which means "the Lord will provide.")....On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided." - Genesis 22:14

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year PassageGenesis 23-24, Matthew 7

3 comments:

Jody said...

God's promises and His fulfillment of them really stood out for me as well! He is always faithful!

Tammy said...

What I find amazing is that God's faithfulness to us does not rely on our faithfulness to Him. Abraham sins, the exact same way he sinned 25 years earlier, by giving his wife to a foreigner's harem and lying about his relationship with her. Sarah sins by going along with this plan (submission does not apply when a husband asks his wife to sin, our ultimate loyalty has to be to God). In this case, an unbeliever was more righteous than two believers. How embarrassing and what a poor witness for God. And yet, God claims them as His own and calls Abraham a prophet. He doesn't disassociate Himself from Abraham, He remains faithful to him. Not only that, but He remains faithful to His promise of the miracle promised child. This was the worst time for Abraham to have pulled this stunt. There could be no doubt about who Isaac's father was in order for the Messianic line to be clear.

So thankful for God's faithfulness!

kjad said...

Genesis 22:14 is one of my favourite verses! God will always provide!