We come to a passage where the concept of a father’s blessing and its importance is a little outside of our understanding in our culture. Therefore it is important for us to explore what it meant in that time and culture so that we have a better understanding of what is going on. Then we are able to see the things God wants us to see through this passage and see how that applies to us today.
Read Genesis 27:1-29
So let’s first answer that question about what is the father’s blessing. From Tim Keller’s study guide on Genesis, first, we can see in verse 4 when Isaac states “before I die” and verses 28-29 that the blessing is something like a last-will and testament. He is giving the son authority in the family after he dies. Secondly, the Bible regards the father’s words as having a genuine power of their own, beyond anything like what we know in a “last will”. Thirdly, the Bible seems to expect that the patriarchs would have prophetic foresight on their deathbeds. The blessing thus seems not to be legal action (e.g. “you will rule your brothers”) or deep affirmation and ordination (e.g. “you will live by the sword”) but rather a kind of accurate foretelling.
As we read this story, we see that Jacob and his mother Rebekah are acting in a very deceptive and deceiving way. How can a blessing from Isaac be just given away like that and how does God honor this type of action. This does not make sense at all to modern readers. Since Jacob came so fraudulently, wouldn’t the agreement be null and void. This is where we have to come back to God’s mercy, grace and sovereignty. We have to understand that the Biblical blessing cannot be reduced to just a legal action nor to just a magical ‘word of power’ or something of that nature. It is a very complex composite of legal action and deep mental shaping and prophetic insight into the future. Isaac’s blessing of Jacob is therefore something that really could not be revoked. It was partially the prophetic insight that he received, and it was partly the deep symbolic affirmation and shaping act. The power of the blessing is real and substantial and comes from God (27:7). It immediately goes into effect. Such a moment cannot be revoked.
It is significant that the New Testament calls us to “bless” others (cf. Romans12:14). This is not using the term in the sentimental way it is often used today. “To be a blessing” usually means our actions bring someone comfort or joy. “To bless” verbally is a ministry to others which has some of the elements of these patriarchal death-bed blessings. To bless means to offer deep insight into what a person needs to be and can be, and then to offer powerful words and gestures affirming and encouraging them to become that.
So take some time and ask are you “blessing” others around you. Who do you think God is putting in your life to bless?
Monday, November 1, 2010
Friday, October 29, 2010
God Reminds Us
Read Genesis 26
All of us need to be reminded of things sometimes. Whether it be what youth group events are coming up this week; what we ate for breakfast; or where we left our textbook, cell-phone, or brain, all of us forget and need to be told again of what has already been said or done. I think that the best reminder that I’ve ever gotten is whenever I am reminded by God that He loves me. What stood out for me in this passage is the fact that God reminds Isaac of His faithfulness. Abraham has just passed away and a lot of God’s promises to him are not fulfilled in his lifetime; thus, it is totally understandable and probably true that Isaac was a little worried about God’s fulfillment of his promises. So, immediately following Abraham’s death, as Isaac considers going down to Egypt, as Abraham did, to escape a famine, God reminds him: “Do not go down to Egypt; dwell in the land of which is shall tell you. Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you and will bless you, for to you and your offspring I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath that I swore to Abraham your father. I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and will give to your offspring all these lands. And in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.” (Those are some pretty legit promises) Furthermore, God not only reminds Isaac once, but twice. Now that’s when you know that someone is serious about something: when they say it twice. And when we know that the almighty God is serious about multiplying our offspring like stars (that’s a lot of kids) and blessing ALL the nations of the earth BECAUSE OF your kids (that sounds awesome), that’s a pretty cool thought.
So how is God reminding you of His promises today? Do you know what He has promised you? If not, check out some of these passages (keeping in mind that this does not mean that your life will just be poops and giggles):
Jeremiah 29:11
John 16:23-24
James 5:16
Job 22:27
John 14:13-14
Matthew 6:6
How can you be encouraged by His promises for you? Have you been drifting away from His promises by sinning or even unintentionally drifting away from Him? I know that it’s really easy to drift away from God’s promises for us and try to find our worth and happiness in the things of this earth. But I encourage you to reflect on how you can find hope and joy in God’s promises for you. And pray. Because as the aforementioned passages show—God always listens.
All of us need to be reminded of things sometimes. Whether it be what youth group events are coming up this week; what we ate for breakfast; or where we left our textbook, cell-phone, or brain, all of us forget and need to be told again of what has already been said or done. I think that the best reminder that I’ve ever gotten is whenever I am reminded by God that He loves me. What stood out for me in this passage is the fact that God reminds Isaac of His faithfulness. Abraham has just passed away and a lot of God’s promises to him are not fulfilled in his lifetime; thus, it is totally understandable and probably true that Isaac was a little worried about God’s fulfillment of his promises. So, immediately following Abraham’s death, as Isaac considers going down to Egypt, as Abraham did, to escape a famine, God reminds him: “Do not go down to Egypt; dwell in the land of which is shall tell you. Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you and will bless you, for to you and your offspring I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath that I swore to Abraham your father. I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and will give to your offspring all these lands. And in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.” (Those are some pretty legit promises) Furthermore, God not only reminds Isaac once, but twice. Now that’s when you know that someone is serious about something: when they say it twice. And when we know that the almighty God is serious about multiplying our offspring like stars (that’s a lot of kids) and blessing ALL the nations of the earth BECAUSE OF your kids (that sounds awesome), that’s a pretty cool thought.
So how is God reminding you of His promises today? Do you know what He has promised you? If not, check out some of these passages (keeping in mind that this does not mean that your life will just be poops and giggles):
Jeremiah 29:11
John 16:23-24
James 5:16
Job 22:27
John 14:13-14
Matthew 6:6
How can you be encouraged by His promises for you? Have you been drifting away from His promises by sinning or even unintentionally drifting away from Him? I know that it’s really easy to drift away from God’s promises for us and try to find our worth and happiness in the things of this earth. But I encourage you to reflect on how you can find hope and joy in God’s promises for you. And pray. Because as the aforementioned passages show—God always listens.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Black Sheep in the Family
Read Genesis 25:19-34
In every family there is, inevitably, one individual who needs that extra bit of grace. You probably can picture them right now; the “out there” uncle, the “different” cousin, or maybe even the “unique” brother or sister. I guess it should be no surprise then that things were the same thousands of years ago either. When you hear the name Esau today you never picture the ideal of God’s chosen people, and yet he was the firstborn that should’ve inherited the rights and the blessing. So why didn’t he? Does God have something against red hairy babies, or hunters? Did God have it in for Esau even before he was born? It would almost seem like that from the prophecy about Jacob and Esau. We have to remember though that God is Just and, unlike us, not bound by time.
Esau, one could say, “had it made” for him, he was the first son and rightful heir of Isaac, being the outdoorsman, he was probably the stronger of the twins, he was the better looking twin with his ruddy complexion, and he was also his father’s favorite, Esau actually had everything going for him and threw it all away, for a bowl of lentil stew because he was hungry one day after hunting. When looking at it this way it seems that Esau was down-right ungrateful for everything he had; so much so that he did not value his own inheritance and threw it away for almost nothing. So really, God did not doom Esau to being the disinherited older brother, but rather God blessed Esau in almost every aspect and Esau from the depths of his folly rejects God’s blessing.
Granted this whole deception and manipulation by Jacob is not exactly a shining example of his character either. He is definitely a product of his own jealousy as a younger brother. However, this is our first introduction to the man who will one day be known as Israel and the father of the chosen people, and the ancestor of the Messiah. Why are we first introduced to him as the cunning younger brother whose very name means deception? I think it’s because God is a God who can change our circumstances and even our character as we draw closer to him. This is important to remember this year as we are Seeking Wholeness and being Good News to the Broken. We are also the Broken that are being transformed continually by the Good News
Ask God to help you remember his constant grace towards you in your brokenness as you continue to draw closer to him and seek his will.
In every family there is, inevitably, one individual who needs that extra bit of grace. You probably can picture them right now; the “out there” uncle, the “different” cousin, or maybe even the “unique” brother or sister. I guess it should be no surprise then that things were the same thousands of years ago either. When you hear the name Esau today you never picture the ideal of God’s chosen people, and yet he was the firstborn that should’ve inherited the rights and the blessing. So why didn’t he? Does God have something against red hairy babies, or hunters? Did God have it in for Esau even before he was born? It would almost seem like that from the prophecy about Jacob and Esau. We have to remember though that God is Just and, unlike us, not bound by time.
Esau, one could say, “had it made” for him, he was the first son and rightful heir of Isaac, being the outdoorsman, he was probably the stronger of the twins, he was the better looking twin with his ruddy complexion, and he was also his father’s favorite, Esau actually had everything going for him and threw it all away, for a bowl of lentil stew because he was hungry one day after hunting. When looking at it this way it seems that Esau was down-right ungrateful for everything he had; so much so that he did not value his own inheritance and threw it away for almost nothing. So really, God did not doom Esau to being the disinherited older brother, but rather God blessed Esau in almost every aspect and Esau from the depths of his folly rejects God’s blessing.
Granted this whole deception and manipulation by Jacob is not exactly a shining example of his character either. He is definitely a product of his own jealousy as a younger brother. However, this is our first introduction to the man who will one day be known as Israel and the father of the chosen people, and the ancestor of the Messiah. Why are we first introduced to him as the cunning younger brother whose very name means deception? I think it’s because God is a God who can change our circumstances and even our character as we draw closer to him. This is important to remember this year as we are Seeking Wholeness and being Good News to the Broken. We are also the Broken that are being transformed continually by the Good News
Ask God to help you remember his constant grace towards you in your brokenness as you continue to draw closer to him and seek his will.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
The Story of Ishmael
Read Genesis 25: 1-18
We now return to the story of Ishmael, but also the modern story of the silly Florida pastor who organized an “International Burn the Koran Day” on the eve of the 9/11 anniversary.
First of all, Abraham passed away at the ripe age of 175. Let us first assess the life of Abraham, this man of great faith. He was not a man of upstanding moral character. He did pass his wife off as only a sister to save his own skin, for example. Oh, and he did that twice! But he was a man of great faith, because the more he came to know God, he more he realized that this God does what He says. Because of that, Abraham grew to trust God more, which led up to the pinnacle of the testing of his faith - his sacrifice of Isaac. And now, in his death, he was buried by his loved sons, Isaac and Ishmael. We can presume that the reunion was amicable and not filled with animosity (otherwise, Ishmael would not have come).
I find it interesting that Genesis takes a pause to talk about Ishmael, probably because you’ll hear a lot more about Isaac in the succeeding chapters. As we all know, Ishmael was the father of the Arab peoples of today. Even though there were many tribes post-Ishmael, the last verse records that “they lived in hostility toward all their brothers”. Much later, Muhammed would unite these tribes by force. Unfortunately, Christians of post-9/11 often have interpreted that passage to mean that violence is natural for Muslims... as if violence were completely foreign to Christian understanding! Thus, we have the silly Florida pastor who equated Islam with evil. Be careful of how you read the Bible! Bad interpretations lead to atrocious witness, which has terrible consequences.
So what does the story of Ishmael teach us? Genesis begins to paint a picture of a world split into two categories: God’s people, and those who are not God’s people. This division will strengthen more and more as we proceed towards Joshua. Ishmael, of course, is outside of God’s chosen people. This does not mean he is evil, but rather that God will not be working out His blessings to the nations through him. Indeed, the rest of the Old Testament tells of God blessing the nations through Isaac’s descendants - the nation of Israel. Paul would later expand that to include all people who are spiritual descendants of Isaac - the Church.
If anything this behooves us to live according to the calling that Christ has set for us, because God has entrusted us to be vessels of blessing to be poured out to the nations, that they may come, drink, and find that God is indeed good! Have we, may I ask, been that place where people can do just that - to come, drink, and see that the Lord is good? How, may I ask, can we work together in partnership with the Holy Spirit in order that our youth group can be vessels of blessing?
We now return to the story of Ishmael, but also the modern story of the silly Florida pastor who organized an “International Burn the Koran Day” on the eve of the 9/11 anniversary.
First of all, Abraham passed away at the ripe age of 175. Let us first assess the life of Abraham, this man of great faith. He was not a man of upstanding moral character. He did pass his wife off as only a sister to save his own skin, for example. Oh, and he did that twice! But he was a man of great faith, because the more he came to know God, he more he realized that this God does what He says. Because of that, Abraham grew to trust God more, which led up to the pinnacle of the testing of his faith - his sacrifice of Isaac. And now, in his death, he was buried by his loved sons, Isaac and Ishmael. We can presume that the reunion was amicable and not filled with animosity (otherwise, Ishmael would not have come).
I find it interesting that Genesis takes a pause to talk about Ishmael, probably because you’ll hear a lot more about Isaac in the succeeding chapters. As we all know, Ishmael was the father of the Arab peoples of today. Even though there were many tribes post-Ishmael, the last verse records that “they lived in hostility toward all their brothers”. Much later, Muhammed would unite these tribes by force. Unfortunately, Christians of post-9/11 often have interpreted that passage to mean that violence is natural for Muslims... as if violence were completely foreign to Christian understanding! Thus, we have the silly Florida pastor who equated Islam with evil. Be careful of how you read the Bible! Bad interpretations lead to atrocious witness, which has terrible consequences.
So what does the story of Ishmael teach us? Genesis begins to paint a picture of a world split into two categories: God’s people, and those who are not God’s people. This division will strengthen more and more as we proceed towards Joshua. Ishmael, of course, is outside of God’s chosen people. This does not mean he is evil, but rather that God will not be working out His blessings to the nations through him. Indeed, the rest of the Old Testament tells of God blessing the nations through Isaac’s descendants - the nation of Israel. Paul would later expand that to include all people who are spiritual descendants of Isaac - the Church.
If anything this behooves us to live according to the calling that Christ has set for us, because God has entrusted us to be vessels of blessing to be poured out to the nations, that they may come, drink, and find that God is indeed good! Have we, may I ask, been that place where people can do just that - to come, drink, and see that the Lord is good? How, may I ask, can we work together in partnership with the Holy Spirit in order that our youth group can be vessels of blessing?
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
God the Provider
Throughout the book of Genesis, one of the strongest themes that we see is that God provides. His provision is seen in his mercy towards Noah and his family. In cooperation with His blessing, God provides for Abraham in so many ways. He protects Abraham when he’s in Egypt. He provides a sacrifice in place of Isaac. Over and over again, we see that God is the only provider and the people in Genesis interacted with Him in light of that reality. But what about us? For us today, we see God as either a supernatural vending machine, who dispenses good things whenever we ask, regardless of their benefit to us, or we see Him as someone who is incapable of providing for our needs, so we try and secure them on our own. Neither of those is the God who we see in Genesis, or throughout the pages of scripture.
Read Genesis 24:29-67
All over this passage we see the theme of God’s provision. Abraham’s servant is given a big task, find a wife for the favored son Isaac. Abraham, trusting that God would provide and not giving into the temptation to find Isaac a Canaanite wife, sends the servant back to his home country. Abraham publically puts his trust in God, and that trust is contagious, so much so, that when the servant gets back to Abraham’s hometown, he too puts his trust in the fact that God will provide. He asks God to provide a sign so that he can find the right woman for Isaac. And we see very clearly, that it was God who brought Rebekah to Isaac. The exact sign that the servant asks for, God provides.
So how does the servant respond? Really, how do all the people in this story respond to the reality of God’s provision? They worship. They bow down and give God the praise. The servant does it. Genesis 24:26-27. Not only does the servant worship and give God the credit, but Rebekah’s family does as well. Genesis 24:50 tells us, “Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, ‘The thing has come from the LORD; we cannot speak to you bad or good. Behold, Rebekah is before you; take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the LORD has spoken.” Its significant that what started with Abraham’s faith in God’s provision is so contagious to those around him.
Take a moment to reflect on your own understanding of God’s provision. Do you see God as a vending machine? Or do you act like He’s powerless to do what you ask Him to do. God is neither of those things. What are the things that God is asking you to trust Him with? Maybe promises He’s made and is in the process of fulfilling, and He’s asking you to trust Him. Ask God to help you trust in His provision, to give you confidence in the reality that He does provide, and praise Him for that. And like Abraham’s faith in God’s provision, be contagious. Let those around you know that your faith is in the God who provides.
Read Genesis 24:29-67
All over this passage we see the theme of God’s provision. Abraham’s servant is given a big task, find a wife for the favored son Isaac. Abraham, trusting that God would provide and not giving into the temptation to find Isaac a Canaanite wife, sends the servant back to his home country. Abraham publically puts his trust in God, and that trust is contagious, so much so, that when the servant gets back to Abraham’s hometown, he too puts his trust in the fact that God will provide. He asks God to provide a sign so that he can find the right woman for Isaac. And we see very clearly, that it was God who brought Rebekah to Isaac. The exact sign that the servant asks for, God provides.
So how does the servant respond? Really, how do all the people in this story respond to the reality of God’s provision? They worship. They bow down and give God the praise. The servant does it. Genesis 24:26-27. Not only does the servant worship and give God the credit, but Rebekah’s family does as well. Genesis 24:50 tells us, “Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, ‘The thing has come from the LORD; we cannot speak to you bad or good. Behold, Rebekah is before you; take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the LORD has spoken.” Its significant that what started with Abraham’s faith in God’s provision is so contagious to those around him.
Take a moment to reflect on your own understanding of God’s provision. Do you see God as a vending machine? Or do you act like He’s powerless to do what you ask Him to do. God is neither of those things. What are the things that God is asking you to trust Him with? Maybe promises He’s made and is in the process of fulfilling, and He’s asking you to trust Him. Ask God to help you trust in His provision, to give you confidence in the reality that He does provide, and praise Him for that. And like Abraham’s faith in God’s provision, be contagious. Let those around you know that your faith is in the God who provides.
Monday, October 25, 2010
God Please Provide Me a Wife
Have you ever thought about what your future spouse will be like? Have you ever dreamed when that will be? Have you ever prayed for your future spouse? I remember being a 12 year old boy and the pastor’s wife came up to me and told me, you should start praying for your future wife right now. I said, “What? Are you serious? I just started liking girls, I should pray about the girl I am going to marry?” But she was very serious and told me the importance of praying then. I look back and understand the need to pray for a future spouse but I want to add something to that. You can pray for it, but realize God will provide in His timing and will provide for you. However, you have to continue to live faithfully and obediently until that time comes. So make the most of your singleness and see it as valuable. God has very special things he wants you to do and understand as a single person. Then in God’s timing, He will provide.
Read Genesis 24:1-28
I have truly been blessed that God has provided Annie in my life as a loving wife. I remember before Annie came into the picture though, there were times when I really wondered if God was going to provide for me. For a very long time, I wanted so badly to be married and to have a family. It was starting to be hard to trust in God’s goodness and His provision not finding that special woman that I would spend the rest of my life with in holy matrimony.
I remember my mom telling me the criteria for my future wife while I was still single. She said that 1st she must be Christian. Well – that was a given. She had to play piano. (I said, “ huh? why?”) Well, you are preparing to be a pastor so your wife must be able to play piano. (ah,….i guess so). Next, she had to be really dedicated to the church and love serving. Lastly, she had to be really organized because I was so unorganized. She said that was last but I also knew deep down she really wished that she would be Taiwanese.
My mom is the prayer warrior type that prays fervently, diligently and faithfully every day. So I knew she was praying these things for me and for my future wife. So fast-forward to me and my wife, Annie. Yes, she is a Christian. Next, she doesn’t just play piano but she is a piano professor at Washington University in St. Louis. Next, she used to be a deacon at her church as she was really dedicated and loved serving her church. Lastly, she is SUPER organized and detailed. And the unspoken lastly, she is very Taiwanese. God answered my mom’s prayers and went abundantly over them.
We just trust that God would provide and in his provision just as Abraham trusted that his servant would be led by God to provide a wife for Isaac. He knew that he could trust in God’s provision as their family lived faithfully following God and His desires.
Will you trust in God’s timing? In God’s provision? Will you live faithfully and follow His desires?
Read Genesis 24:1-28
I have truly been blessed that God has provided Annie in my life as a loving wife. I remember before Annie came into the picture though, there were times when I really wondered if God was going to provide for me. For a very long time, I wanted so badly to be married and to have a family. It was starting to be hard to trust in God’s goodness and His provision not finding that special woman that I would spend the rest of my life with in holy matrimony.
I remember my mom telling me the criteria for my future wife while I was still single. She said that 1st she must be Christian. Well – that was a given. She had to play piano. (I said, “ huh? why?”) Well, you are preparing to be a pastor so your wife must be able to play piano. (ah,….i guess so). Next, she had to be really dedicated to the church and love serving. Lastly, she had to be really organized because I was so unorganized. She said that was last but I also knew deep down she really wished that she would be Taiwanese.
My mom is the prayer warrior type that prays fervently, diligently and faithfully every day. So I knew she was praying these things for me and for my future wife. So fast-forward to me and my wife, Annie. Yes, she is a Christian. Next, she doesn’t just play piano but she is a piano professor at Washington University in St. Louis. Next, she used to be a deacon at her church as she was really dedicated and loved serving her church. Lastly, she is SUPER organized and detailed. And the unspoken lastly, she is very Taiwanese. God answered my mom’s prayers and went abundantly over them.
We just trust that God would provide and in his provision just as Abraham trusted that his servant would be led by God to provide a wife for Isaac. He knew that he could trust in God’s provision as their family lived faithfully following God and His desires.
Will you trust in God’s timing? In God’s provision? Will you live faithfully and follow His desires?
Friday, October 22, 2010
Indebted only to God
Read Genesis 23
I think we can all agree that we owe God. A lot. After all, Jesus did give up his rights to reign in heaven as the SON OF GOD and come to DIE for us SINNERS on this comparatively measly earth. And, even though Abraham didn’t know that God was going to send Jesus to save us and that we are forever indebted to God in that way, he still knew that he owed God his faith. God promised him all these great things and yet Abraham couldn’t and didn’t even see half of them it seemed in his lifetime. But Abraham, in response to God’s promises, “owed” God his faith because that’s all that God required of him.
So with that in mind, we come back to the story. Abraham’s beloved wife Sarah has just died and so (obviously) she needs a burial place. Yet, Abraham is still a nomad at this point, so he doesn’t have any land to bury his dead relatives. So he asks the people group that he is living with, the Hittites, if he can buy some land from them to bury his dead. They generously offer to give him their best land. At this point, Abraham could have easily taken them up on that offer and taken from the Hittites their best land. Yet, to do so would have signified that the land didn’t legally or officially belong to Abraham, because it would have a gift. Instead, Abraham insists on paying its full value and “ensure that [he] has full legal title to the burial plot” (ESV study notes). He did not want the Hittites to be able to claim that it was by their generosity that Abraham began settling in that land and eventually inherit the land of Canaan. He wanted all that honor and glory to go to God because it was all God’s promises and not human generosity that was going to make that happen.
So what does that mean for us? Have you been accepting “gifts” from this world and now feeling like you “owe” the world a favor by indulging in its desires? How has God been encouraging you to find your identity in his promises and not the things of this world? Lift up to God the ways that you have been compromising. Maybe you know God’s promises for your life but you have been relying on things of this world to attain that? Your thoughts and circumstances are unique so lift them up to God because He knows. And the amazing thing is He wants you to tell him what’s going on in your life (even though He knows it all already). So whatever you’ve been struggling to trust God with, lift that up to Him. After all, he is the only one who deserves every part of us.
I think we can all agree that we owe God. A lot. After all, Jesus did give up his rights to reign in heaven as the SON OF GOD and come to DIE for us SINNERS on this comparatively measly earth. And, even though Abraham didn’t know that God was going to send Jesus to save us and that we are forever indebted to God in that way, he still knew that he owed God his faith. God promised him all these great things and yet Abraham couldn’t and didn’t even see half of them it seemed in his lifetime. But Abraham, in response to God’s promises, “owed” God his faith because that’s all that God required of him.
So with that in mind, we come back to the story. Abraham’s beloved wife Sarah has just died and so (obviously) she needs a burial place. Yet, Abraham is still a nomad at this point, so he doesn’t have any land to bury his dead relatives. So he asks the people group that he is living with, the Hittites, if he can buy some land from them to bury his dead. They generously offer to give him their best land. At this point, Abraham could have easily taken them up on that offer and taken from the Hittites their best land. Yet, to do so would have signified that the land didn’t legally or officially belong to Abraham, because it would have a gift. Instead, Abraham insists on paying its full value and “ensure that [he] has full legal title to the burial plot” (ESV study notes). He did not want the Hittites to be able to claim that it was by their generosity that Abraham began settling in that land and eventually inherit the land of Canaan. He wanted all that honor and glory to go to God because it was all God’s promises and not human generosity that was going to make that happen.
So what does that mean for us? Have you been accepting “gifts” from this world and now feeling like you “owe” the world a favor by indulging in its desires? How has God been encouraging you to find your identity in his promises and not the things of this world? Lift up to God the ways that you have been compromising. Maybe you know God’s promises for your life but you have been relying on things of this world to attain that? Your thoughts and circumstances are unique so lift them up to God because He knows. And the amazing thing is He wants you to tell him what’s going on in your life (even though He knows it all already). So whatever you’ve been struggling to trust God with, lift that up to Him. After all, he is the only one who deserves every part of us.
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