Living Free from the Wiles of this World to Sojourn as God Sees Fit

Today I read about the 1st time mourning was mentioned in the Bible. Abraham’s wife died & he mourned & wept for her. He interrupts his grief, however, to secure a place for proper burial.

Abraham states something that’s quite noteworthy as he makes a request of the Hittite elders:

“Here I am, a stranger & foreigner among you. Please sell me a piece of land so I can give my wife a proper burial.”

As a nomad in a foreign land,

the land God promised to become The Promised Land,

Abraham owned no land.

Now, on the day of his deepest grief, a transaction is made to posses land to bury in, but not large enough to live upon.

As I ponder the transaction, it seems that there is something quite significant:

👉🏽This was the first piece of The Promised Land & it was secured as a place for death!

👉🏽Abraham was promised the land that he was about to purchase, but He didn’t presume on God’s timing.

As a sojourner who knew that his end date might come before seeing the promise fulfilled, he secured a place for burial.

Peter quotes Abraham when he proclaims, “Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires…”

We’re all temporary strangers passing through a world that is waging war against us. The things of this earth (house, car, clothing career) are temporary. What is steadfast & sure is that death is the fate of all.

It made me wonder:

Would my life look different if I remembered my status as a resident alien, knowing that my end date could happen at any given moment?

Like Abraham, I’ve secured my place for eternity, but unlike Abraham, it cost me nothing but belief in Jesus who conquered death so that we might too!

Abraham was promised the land, but he didn’t live in captive wait for it to happen. He lived his life as a foreigner, waiting for God to make good on His promise.

Father, like Abraham, we say, “Here I am, a stranger & foreigner” in the world You created. Let us not be so closely tied to the things of this earth that we’re not free to sojourn as You see fit. Remind us that when our place in eternity is secure, we need not spend too much time, talent or treasures on the things of this passing earth.

#OneYearBible

January 10th One Year Bible Readings

GENESIS 23:1-24:51

MATTHEW 8:1-17

PSALM 9:13-20

PROVERBS 3:1-6

The Dangers of Settling Near Sodom

I read a verse today that made me think of an old AC/DC song. Jesus warns, “The highway to hell is broad & its gate is wide for many choose that way.”

The dumb song continued to play like a movie score in my head as I read about the coming destruction of Sodom & Gomorrah.

The families & flocks of Abram & his nephew Lot grew too big to reside together so Abram let Lot choose the land he’d like. When Lot took a long look at the fertile plains & saw a well watered land like the garden of the Lord, he made his choice. He moved his tents to settle near Sodom.

The land may have LOOKED like the garden of the Lord, but it was a visual counterfeit, for it was filled with extremely wicked people.

Fast forward & now you find 2 angels inside Sodom warning Lot to leave before fire & brimstone rain down to destroy the wicked city.

When the men of Sodom heard of the arrival of these new “men”, they storm Lot’s door, demanding him to bring out the men so they can have sex with them!😳

The angels blind the men & exhort Lot to hurry, but even amidst such flagrant sin right at his very doorstep,  “Lot still hesitated”🙄

The angels literally seized his family by the hands & rushed them outside the city. When exhorted to head for the mountains, however, Lot begs to go to a NEARBY city for safety.

Y’all, I think the highway to hell is filled with cities like Sodom that offer bright & beautiful things that are a shiny counterfeit of the real thing.

There is great danger in settling near Sodom. We may not agree with what’s happening around us, but if we camp there long enough, sin will come knocking on our door.

Settling near Sodom can look different for everyone…but the idea is settling for less than what God intended.

Is there an area I’ve chosen to settle?

Relationships, movies, music, food, finances, taxes…the highway to hell will ALWAYS seem more appealing.

The gateway to life is narrow & the road is difficult, that’s why we need a Shepherd who knows The Way.

Father, reveal any area where we’ve settled near Sodom. Seize us by the hand & escort us to the mountain of Your Presence. Help us to trust You completely so unlike Lot’s wife, we don’t look longingly back.

#OneYearBible

January 8th One Year Bible Readings

GENESIS 18:16-19:38MATTHEW 6:25-7:14PSALM 8:1-9PROVERBS 2:6-15

Reminder: You are Currently Living at Least One of the Prayers You Used to Pray

I’m currently on day 49 of praying through Gods promises for something in particular. I can’t share the details, but on day 40 I received word about this situation that took the very breath out of my lungs. It didn’t feel like an answer to my prayers & in fact felt like a ricochet in the opposite direction!

I wrestled that day with the frustration of this reoccurring thought: What’s the point in prayer if all that comes is nothing, or even worse, the opposite of my heart’s desire?

It’s still a tender place as I type…I wish I could fix things, but alas, I’m not God & that’s a good thing!

Matthew 6 talks about prayer, telling us what NOT to do, then giving us a template to follow.

Right before He gives us the framework of the Lord’s prayer, Jesus inserts a quick reminder that should comfort all of our hearts. He promises,

“…your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!” Then He says, “Pray like this…”

If you grew up in a church like mine, you might have the verses memorized.

Today, however, as I read them, I was reminded how prayer is far more about our relationship with the Father than about the prayers themselves.

When we say,” Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name”, we remind ourselves Who we worship, Who created us & Who sits above all circumstances of life on earth!

When we proclaim, “May your kingdom come & your will be done”, we remind ourselves that His will & His Way are far better than what I can fathom or imagine as an outcome to my plea.

When we cry, “give us today the food we need”, we are reminded to trust Jehovah Jireh, the faithful Provider of all that we truly need.

When we ask for forgiveness we are reminded to extend that same grace, mercy, love & forgiveness to those who have sinned against us!

And lastly, when we cry out for rescue from temptations & the evil one, it reminds us of the fallen world in which we live, & our desperate need for a Savior!

Father, thank you that we are currently living at least one of the prayers we used to pray & that You know exactly what we need EVEN before we ask! We love You & offer our prayers to You, trusting You with the outcome of our heart’s cry. 

#OneYearBible

January 7th One Year Bible Readings

GENESIS 16:1-18:15

MATTHEW 6:1-24

PSALM 7:1-17

PROVERBS 2:1-5