Trajectory Matters

I wasn’t expecting an ethics lesson when I turned on the Winter Olympics, but one jumped out at me anyway. And, weird as it may seem, it came from the sport of Curling. You know, where they aim a squashed round rock with a handle at a target down a bowling alley made of ice, and score points for stopping it in the right place.

What I learned is that the aim at the beginning makes most of the difference. The guy who launches the stone must be precise because once it is on its way, only minor changes can be made in direction and pace. The guys with the brooms can sweep all they want to, but once the direction is set, and the speed is determined, the effects they can have on the stone are pretty minor.

As I watched, I couldn’t help but think that the same is true with a life. So much of where we end up results from the way we were pushed at the start, and the direction our lives took from the beginning. And that’s where ethics come in.

Call them values, or convictions, or worldview or whatever you want, but the fact remains that the trajectory of our lives generally is set by the things we either accept or reject in our formative years.

Of course, there will always be wonderful stories of those whose lives are radically changed through personal effort or outside benevolence. But who we are, and how we view life, labor, truth, and other people will for the most part be the fruit of the lessons and convictions gained early on.

This means that parenting is one of the most essential tasks this life offers. Sadly however, those – especially women – who decide to forego careers to stay at home and raise the kids are often marginalized today. As success and accomplishment in life are more and more measured by the things money can buy, or the power of position, those who stay home to “start the rock” down the alley are thought to be either wasting their lives or unfit for a “real job.” And while this perspective is both demeaning and dunder-headed, the real tragedy is that parenting is being undervalued, under resourced, and largely undermined. Those who are, in reality, addicted to their own significance in placing their welfare above that of their children, are turning too often to surrogate parents, or choosing to be absentee parents to latch-key kids.

Here’s the deal. When kids don’t receive a consistent and coherent ethical system from their parents, they will be susceptible to anyone who will give it to them. They will pick up pieces here and there, from media, peers, and the current entertainment scene. And as impressionable youth, they will be drawn to values and attitudes that fuel their selfishness while diluting any sense of morality. When you see them with those ear buds on, and the music pumping, think of all Miley Cyrus is teaching them.

Trajectory matters. And the start and first few steps along the path matter most. It is essential that parents be parents, and not peers. They must teach, train, and discipline their kids. They must nourish and nurture them with truth, modeling it in valuing honesty, humility, courage, hard work, and a willingness to stand alone for what is right.

It works best when parents look outside themselves to ground their worldview. That is where God comes in. Sure, you can scoff and throw out the very idea of a supernatural being who sovereignly and graciously superintends this world, revealing his ways and will through the Bible. Largely, our society has done just that and, ironically, one need only look at popular culture today to understand just how tragic that choice was.

When we throw away our accountability to, and ultimate reliance on God we end up adrift on the sea of pragmatic, self-centered hedonism. The tragedy is we’re paying dearly for our pleasure, and the currency is our children.

Happiness is Hard Work

In the past few months I have watched in anguish as four very good friends of mine, good people all, have ended their marriages in divorce. These two couples started out fine. They brought children into this world, and raised them well. They had successful careers, enjoyed life’s pleasures, were faithful church folks, and collected great friends. But in the end what they lacked was friendship in their marriage. They built their relationships on attraction and excitement, and when life hit, little by little, they realized  they really hated more about each other than they liked. In their union they had failed to move past love to find deep, soul-renewing friendship.

Unfortunately, this is an all too common occurrence in our time. The pervasive societal sentiment that sexuality is the primary texture of happy living has eclipsed the reality that shared commitment to lasting values is the only sure foundation for marriage.

There is an old saying among church leaders that “what you win them by is what you win the to.” It means the reason people come to your church is going the be the reason they stay. If they are attracted to hype and glitz and flattery, then you’ll have to keep it up to keep them coming. On the other hand, if they come desperate and hungry to meet a holy God through the teaching of the Bible and the caring fellowship of God’s family, then that will have to be your ongoing strategy.

The same principle is true for marriage. What attracts us to someone had better be real, and lasting, or we will find ourselves no longer interested in walking life with them. Those who have been married for decades understand it is no longer merely physical attraction or the excitement of having your own person that makes their relationships satisfying. They will tell you it is their shared commitment to core values that has brought them past infatuation, through the valley of testing, and finally into the land of deep trust, respect, deeply satisfying love, and radical friendship. They will tell you they have truly become one. As one seasoned husband explained it “I’m really not sure where I end and she begins. We just seem to think, feel, and live as one person. It’s amazing, and it’s great.”

But, it certainly doesn’t come easily. By that I don’t mean marriage is painful, or an inevitably growing series of male/female battles. I mean that achieving (not finding!) happiness is hard work. But it is satisfying, enjoyable, and productive hard work. It is labor for the purpose of great personal reward. It is diligence focused in the direction of nourishing and nurturing another person at the expense of yourself, even as you realize that sacrifice is the only option available if you’re to achieve the euphoria God intended for marriage.

The current decay of marriage in our society probably stems from two basic things. First, marriage itself has become a casual relationship to be tried if you want, and discarded if it doesn’t work out. It’s disposable nature means you don’t really have to prepare for it, or work hard at it. Second, those who do want their marriages to work often are blind to the demands it makes on husband and wife.

Good marriages are made of good people. When we stop being good, even for “good” reasons, our marriages plummet rapidly. But to be good to another person means thinking more of them than we do of ourselves. It will demand hard work to grow in areas of personal weakness, while learning to sacrifice for our spouse’s wellbeing.

But beyond everything else a good marriage demands that a man and a woman are fundamentally committed to bedrock core values that actually sustain life and give it meaning. And this commitment must be the fuel that drives them away from selfishness and into sacrificial love for one another. Only in this way will the lasting bonds of friendship be forged. Happiness is there for the finding but only for those who are willing to give their lives to do so.

The Value of Today's Choices

While the proverbial advice to “take each day as it comes” has some validity, it also masks the dangerous assumption that the choices we make today won’t have consequential carry-over tomorrow. In fact, while it is both harmful and a waste of time to worry about the unknowns of the future, it is always wise to consider what effect my decisions today will have on the options available to me later.

It is a common parenting tool to tell your kids as they are leaving the home to “make good choices.” We all understand that choices have consequences, and because we love our kids we hope and pray and teach and train for the purpose of raising children who can lead healthy, happy, and productive lives. But too often we don’t realize ourselves that each bad decision severely reduces the number of good decisions available to us.

Take, for example, the decision to lie. Once the lie leaves us, we only have two available options, and both of them are painful. First, we can continue down the path of intentional deceit that will most probably mean more lies, leading to even more lies. We will find ourselves trapped on the road of duplicity, forced to admit that we are liars, and consigned to keeping track of the minute, made-up details of our story.

The only other choice that follows a lie is to repent, admit we lied, and suffer the consequences. Either way, the choice to lie leaves us without any good choices left. And yet, we continue to use deceit intentionally, and watch as our national leaders turn lying into a daily business practice.  The reason? Our national ethical foundation that once conceived of honesty as a cardinal virtue now considers pragmatism acceptable, with all its ugliness, as long as the outcome feeds our selfishness.

But the consequences of our choices are not always immediately seen. In marriages it is often the case that incremental isolation and indifference, intentionally played out in miniscule choices every day, take the couple down the path of incivility and conflict further and faster than any one skirmish might suggest. Then, one day they wake to the fact that they hate each other, and now they only have hard choices in front of them. Usually they choose what appears to be the least painful and head for divorce. But, as study after study, and plain old common experience have shown, divorce is a solution that only exacerbates the problem. Divorce, like a brick thrown in a pond, extends and deepens the ripples of pain outward, affecting children, friends, family, businesses, and beyond. The only other choice is humility, repentance, forgiveness, and reformation of hearts that have become hardened through the deceitfulness of incremental selfishness. In this case, the best option is still very hard.

The ugly truth is this: every decision you and I make today will, in some way, determine the number of good decisions available to us tomorrow. Choosing an ethic today that values love, sacrificial service, honesty, self-control, humility and generosity will mean greater opportunities to love, serve, and be loved tomorrow. In my world, all that is just another way of denying my natural, self-serving tendencies, identifying as a follower of Jesus Christ, and then setting my mind and heart to follow him closely.

When we let the biblical ethos set our ethical foundation, and choose righteousness, regardless of the temporal consequences, we will find that today’s good choices open up more good opportunities to lead lives of significance and contentment. You can only take each day as it comes if you have a coherent ethical foundation able to cope well with every eventuality.

Pragmatism simply won’t work long term. As a nation, and as individuals, we must demand better than that. If we are to live lives that matter, that make a positive, lasting difference, we simply must believe and stand for what is right, all the time. What we choose today will determine tomorrow’s opportunities. Now, let’s go out make some good choices.

The Ethics of Feeling Good

The academic study of ethics is about as practical as you can get, unless it becomes merely academic. Ethics is the study of cultural norms, of standards of behavior, and ultimately, of right and wrong. Down through history smart folks like Aristotle, and Plato, and the guys who formed groups like the Stoics and Gnostics put together systems of thought designed to give authoritative foundation to their particular brand of ethical conduct. Once formed, these systems of thought, or better, these worldviews, became the rules by which life was best lived.

Today most of us wouldn’t recognize an academic system of ethics if asked to pick one out of a line up. That doesn’t mean, however, that we all don’t have an ethical foundation. What it does mean is that we’re probably just comfortable being somewhat inconsistent in the way we think about right and wrong.

Take, for example, what you might tell a young child about honesty. I choose to believe that, all other things being equal, we would want a parent to instill in the child the belief that lies are wrong and telling the truth is right. I still believe that most people feel that way, and do so because they have a basic conviction that truth is right and deceit is wrong, generally.

But, while we may hold to this broad conviction, there are often times when we violate our general ethical position in order to pursue what we believe is a better state. At points we come to believe that lying will bring about a better experience than will telling the truth. And, increasingly as a society, we are okay with that. We are okay holding to opposite truth claims at the same time. While believing truth is right and deceit is wrong, we can also believe that deceit can be “right for me” at certain times.

What is really going on here? Simply this. We are fast becoming a pragmatic society that grounds its ethical convictions, not on a well thought out, consistent and cohesive set of moral principles, but on how this or that makes us feel in the moment. We might call this “dynamic personalism.” That is, the dynamic that moves our attitudes and actions is nothing more than personal preference, in the moment.

It hit me as I watched 25 minutes of the Grammys several nights ago that, if art imitates life, we are in big trouble. There is no denying that what was portrayed on stage through pyrotechnics, music, lyrics, costumes, and all manner of gyrations was a bold and brash return to animalistic thinking and behavior meant to erase the line between culture and chaos. Yes, I turned it off. But even now what I witnessed continues to turn my attention to the deeper tragedy that those who designed, produced, sponsored, performed and appreciated that spectacle have intentionally thrown off ethical restraint in favor of an ethic whose only standard is that feeling good is good, and all other standards are illegitimate.

So, am I a prude? Am I way behind the times, still in bondage to an ethic composed of antiquated moral standards? Yes, I guess so. But here’s the deal. I possess a paradigm, grounded in an authority outside of my personal whims and wishes, that defines right and wrong. Consequently, I can critique other systems according to my standards. But those whose systems are grounded only on the idea that nothing is really wrong, nothing is truly immoral, cannot critique my worldview for to do so would undermine their thinking. If nothing is ethically wrong, then my views can’t be either.

Before those who enjoyed the ethos of the Grammys can point a disturbed finger at my assessment of them, they first have to define just what they think constitutes poor taste. Unfortunately for them, the show they just put on is exhibit “A” that they don’t have a clue. I only hope, in this case, that instead of art imitating life, life can intimidate art into being worthy of the artistic label once again.

Sacrifice and Success

If I seem a little grouchy there’s a reason. My wife and I have embarked on a 28-day food intake program (read: diet!) that has one simple, basic rule: If it tastes good, spit it out!

For four weeks we have to eliminate two of my favorites, coffee and wine. And that’s just the start! Giving up dairy isn’t that hard because I don’t really like ice cream, and there’s no need for cream without the coffee. But the list of things we can eat is only a bit longer than the number of columns my detractors have agreed with. Needless to say, it promises to be a long month.

So why would otherwise reasonable people like us engage in something that won’t be easy, and certainly will demand long-term self-control? It’s simple. We have decided that the benefit outweighs the pain. We have committed ourselves to the proposition that a month of self-denial will yield better health, better medical numbers, and the ability to wear most all the clothes hanging in our closets. And as an added bonus, we’re trusting that four weeks of doing right will replace old eating habits with new ones that are better in the long fun.

Underlying all this are two ethical values that are often forgotten, or denied.  Most worthwhile things come at a cost, and if we put off that cost long enough, it can become overwhelming. The ethical principles at play here are incrementalism and delayed gratification.

Incrementalism is the slow march of compromise that ends up in tragedy. It is the process by which we become morbidly obese even though no one ever wants to be 50 pounds overweight. No one really wants to grow out of their favorite clothes. It just happens because we allow small compromises, small indulgences to become habitual without realizing the tragic consequences. This same process is happening in myriad ways in our society from economics and education to entertainment and its sense of what is morally acceptable.

Delayed gratification is the principle that I have to put off indulging myself now in order to have a more satisfying experience later. It is the only way to overcome the effects of incrementalism. At some point, we have to stop the madness, no matter how insignificant any single action may seem. We simply have to acknowledge that our appetites have taken control over our reason, and we have to learn to say “no” to ourselves. We have to take the pain now, change our thinking, adopt a better set of habits, and walk in a different direction.

As I listen to the news and read about the struggles we are facing as a nation it is clear that, collectively, our society has “incrementaled” itself into a kind of lazy, sloppy, functional obesity. We’ve become a nation of entitled adolescents, and I fear we are close to losing any sense of self-discipline. To right the ship we’ll have to make some hard commitments, trim some fat, say “no” to unhealthy economic and social appetites, and just generally grit our teeth and take the pain. If we keep living the way we are, we’ll keep getting what we’ve got, and while much is good in America, we’re drifting toward economic and moral tragedy with smiles on our faces. The best things in life are found on the other side of morality, courage, and self-control. Let’s pray we haven’t forgotten how to be a nation of mature adults who are willing to sacrifice now in order to create an honorable future for our children. Now excuse me as I go have my breakfast of tree bark and filtered water.

The Well: January 27-31

The Well: January 27 – 31, 2014

January 27: Genesis 37, 38

The story now returns to the line of promise that now belongs to the sons of Jacob. Now the blessing of God will not flow through a single man, but through a nation. The story of Joseph and his brothers (chapters 37-50) comprises the final section of the Genesis. In these chapters we will see the amazing sovereignty of God as he works to bring about rescue for those he has called to carry his name. Along the way we can’t help but notice that Joseph – about whom nothing bad is described – stands as our first preview of the “he” who will one day to save his people from their sins.

Like the future Messiah, Joseph is despised by his own. His dreams, while depicting the truth that lies ahead for him, bring scorn and jealousy from the brothers. Eventually, they sell him and he is brought to Egypt. In an interesting parallel, the Messiah will be taken to Egypt shortly after his birth in order to escape death at the hands of Herod (see: Matthew 2:13ff). The crisis in the story comes as the brothers assure their father that the son he loves has been killed. Jacob’s mourning sets the stage for great surprise and rejoicing when the son, thought dead, is found to be alive.

As the story progresses we find that it centers in on two sons: Joseph, and Judah. Events from their lives are played out for the reader. Which son will arise to carry on the promise of the he? If we are reading this for the first time we are sure it will be Joseph, especially since chapter 38 presents Judah in a bad light.

Note: While we might naturally expect the blessing to flow through the firstborn, it is clear that Reuben’s actions with Jacob’s concubine (Genesis 35:22), and the treachery of the next in line – Simeon and Levi – have effectively disqualified them. Judah is next in line, and his life is juxtaposed with that of righteous Joseph as the story plays out.

The story of Judah and Tamar will sound strange to our contemporary minds. The principle of levirate marriage demanded that a brother raise up a child with his deceased brother’s wife in order to prolong his brother’s name and heritage. Onan refused to comply and paid with for it with his life.

Judah is portrayed as a man of his time, neither exceedingly wicked nor uncompromisingly righteous. The point of the story is to show that Judah (who will eventually be chosen as the tribe from which Messiah will come) is undeserving of such honor. Nothing about the coming of Messiah cant be accounted for on the basis of human merit. Salvation will be – from first to last – a gracious act of an almighty God.

Note: When Matthew writes his genealogy of Jesus, he does not shy away from this chapter in Judah’s live, but brings it out prominently (see: Matthew 1:3). Such truth is not the stuff of myth, and speaks powerfully to the authenticity of Matthew’s portrayal of Messiah.

Prayer: Father, I thank you for rescuing me, for bringing me into your family even though I didn’t deserve it. Help me to live for you, and not my own selfishness, that your glory might be reflected in all I say and do, for Jesus’ sake, Amen.

January 28: Genesis 39, 40

The scene now shifts back to Joseph, and the immorality of Judah is seen in great contrast to that of Joseph. Both Judah and Joseph are put into situations with foreign women. Judah takes one as a wife. Joseph resists the advances of Potiphar’s wife.

The story of Joseph’s righteousness in the face of sexual temptation is widely recognized as one of the greatest “types” of the Messiah. He resists temptation courageously, as will Jesus at the beginning of his ministry. The ability to resist temptation sets the course for both men’s success in later life.

Key to Joseph’s courage is his recognition that his sin would ultimately be against God (vs. 9). All sin is an arrow shot at the heart of God for it represents willful rebellion against the law of God. Joseph recognizes this, and willingly suffers the human consequences of obeying God. He is falsely charged, found guilty, and sentenced to prison which, for a foreigner was actually a sentence of death. Again, the parallels with Messiah are apparent.

But, the Lord was with Joseph. Here we see the core of God’s promise. It is not that he will remove all adversity from our lives, but that he will be “with us in blessing” in the midst of those circumstances. The choice is ours: will adversity draw us closer to God, or will we use it as an excuse to run from him. Obviously, the best choice is the former.

In prison Joseph is put in a position to interpret dreams, which eventually leads to his introduction to Pharaoh and his induction into the ruling class. Had he remained in Potiphar’s house, this would never have happened. God was working all things for good for the plan he had for Joseph.

Prayer:  Father, my life is in your hands, and I ask you to increase my faith that I might trust you in every situation, counting on your faithfulness to keep the promises you have made to me in Christ Jesus my Savior, for it is in his name that I pray, Amen.

January 30: Genesis 41, 42

Sometimes we may wonder if God has forgotten about us when the plans we have don’t seem to go anywhere. But just imagine being Joseph, in prison for two years! During those two years we can might suspect that his faith in God would have languished, even been overwhelmed with bitterness. But such is not the case.

When the time comes for Joseph to stand before Pharaoh his first words speak to his faith in God. God will interpret the dream, and Joseph appears as God’s faithful servant.

Pharaoh’s dream is now the third time Joseph has been privy to the future through a God-given ability to interpret dreams. First there was his own dreams, then those of the baker and cupbearer, and now the dreams of the King of the land. This sequence underscores the fact that God has placed his hand on Joseph, and intends to do great things through him.

Today we no longer expect or need to hear from God through extraordinary means. We have an “even more sure prophetic word” (see: 2 Peter 1:19) and it is the Bible. Before God’s Word was written down, God communicated in many ways including dreams. All of these were under the strict control of God, and in each case it was absolutely understood as coming from God, and therefore, was 100% accurate and authoritative. Today we give this standing to the Bible alone.

Joseph’s prophecy that years of plenty will be followed by years of severe drought comes true and Egypt is set up to become even more prosperous because of him. Joseph is given a position of great authority from which he will eventually “save” his brothers.

The sons of Jacob are greatly affected by the drought and must travel to Egypt to sustain themselves. Their reunion with Joseph presents him with the opportunity to test them several times to see if their actions toward him were just the first step in further wickedness, or whether they have become men of more righteous character. These tests may see strange to the modern mind, but to Joseph they were necessary in order to find out the true character of his family.

Prayer: Gracious Heavenly Father, may my character reflect your grace to me as I face the challenges and opportunities you put in my path. And when the day is done, may I put my head on the pillow and be able to say that I was obedient to you call on my life today, through the strength that my Savior provides, Amen.

January 31: Genesis 43, 44

The continuing severity of the famine once again puts Joseph’s brothers in need of what Egypt has … grain. But the stipulation that they must bring Benjamin, the brother Joseph has never seen, puts their ability to return to Egypt at risk. Jacob believes he has already lost one son, and the thought of losing Benjamin is heart-breaking.

Once again Judah is brought to the forefront of the story. Judah declares that he will be a “pledge” for his younger brother, taking on himself the full responsibility for his safe return.

Here we also see the faith of a mature Jacob. He entrusts all things into the hands of God recognizing that it will be by the mercy of God that the brothers return unharmed with the needed food. The schemer has become the trusting God-fearer.

Once again Joseph believes he must test his brothers. The story of the cup in chapter 44 once again puts Joseph and Judah in the spotlight. When Joseph’s men find the cup in Benjamin’s sack, it is Judah who steps forth to plead the brother’s case. He offers to become a “substitute” for Benjamin in the hands of the Egyptians.

As Judah is called to passionately intercede for his brother’s life we recognize that Joseph has put Benjamin in the same situation that he was in so many years before. The life of Benjamin is seemingly in the hands of his brothers, and they have failed to protect him. While the reader recognizes that Joseph is merely testing the brothers, the fact remains that the test is necessary to see whether or not the brothers will consider Benjamin’s life in the same cavalier manner that they did Joseph’s so many years ago.

The chapter ends with a question that provides the end of Judah’s intercession. How can the brothers, and especially Judah, return to an aging, fragile Jacob without the boy? The crisis has come to a climax, and the setting is now right for Joseph to disclose himself, and begin a reconciliation with his family that will ultimately mean the rescue of his brothers, and their families, so that the future nation of Israel may become a reality.

Prayer: Father, thank you for reminding me from the story of Joseph and Judah that there are others for whom I am responsible in this world. I pray your blessing and protection on those who are in my life, asking that you would be the Shepherd of their souls, drawing them closer and closer to you today, through Jesus the Great Shepherd of the sheep, Amen.

January 31: Genesis 45, 46

In these chapters we reach the first great climax of the redemptive drama that has played out between Joseph and his brothers. No longer able to conceal his emotion, and now convinced that his brothers have grown to be honorable men, Joseph reveals himself to them.

At this point in the story we might have expected Joseph to extract retribution for the way his brothers had treated him, But in yet another parallel with the future Messiah, he forgives those who treated him badly. He declares that, in the end, it was God’s doing to send him before them into Egypt in order to preserve their lives (stated 3 times in vs. 5-8). Rather than vengeance, Joseph proposes deliverance and sends the brothers home to bring back their families, and their father, to live in the prosperity of Egypt.

The example of Joseph’s righteous actions toward those who wronged him stands as poignant example of how Jesus would act, and would call his followers to respond in similar situations. In Matthew 6:9-13 Jesus will instruct his followers to pray for God’s forgiveness “as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Similarly, Paul will instruct the Ephesian church family to “be kind, tenderhearted, forgiving one another even as God, for Christ’s sake, has forgiven you.” Forgiveness is seen early on in the biblical record to be a sign that the heart is set on God and not reveling in the selfishness and bitterness of pride.

Chapter 46 describes how the people of Jacob (Israel) came to be in Egypt. As Moses is writing to the children of Israel during their time of wandering, this is very important. The point is clear: just as God was caring for Jacob’s family, delivering them from famine and death by bringing them to Egypt, so also God will deliver Israel from Egypt, and from the deprivation of the wilderness and bring them safely to the land he has promised.

It is interesting to note that, according to 46:27 we find that the clan of Jacob numbered 70 persons when they all settled in Egypt. Many years later, as Moses was sent by God to deliver the Israelites from Pharaoh and lead them to Canaan scholars estimate they numbered almost 1 million. The promise of a nation from the descendants of Abraham came to fulfillment during their sojourn in Egypt. This reminds us that, as in the case of Joseph himself, times of adversity can often be times when God is doing the greatest things in our lives, by his grace, and for his glory.

Prayer: Lord, I trust you with my life, and though there are circumstances around me that I don’t always like, I know that you always have my best in mind. You always do what is best and right, and I acknowledge that obeying you is always my best option. Help me to obey you Lord, out of delight today, through the power of Christ my Savior, Amen.

The Well: January 20-24

January 20: Genesis 27, 28

The story of God's promise now shifts from Isaac to his second son, Jacob. That God often chooses to work through those society would least suspect becomes a theme throughout the Bible. Judah, Joseph, David, and Gideon are just a few examples.

As the spotlight passes from Isaac to Jacob it is not without intrigue. God has already said that Jacob, not Esau, would be the leader of the family. Yet, Isaac was partial to his rugged hunter son Esau. Nearing death, Isaac decides to pass along the clan leadership to Esau, and by so doing puts the plan of God at risk. Esau has married foreign women, and at this point the readers must wonder: has Satan finally derailed the promise of God?

The story of Jacob's treachery again emphasizes the absolute control God has over history. As it unfolds we find that all four members of the family act sinfully and yet, the plan of God emerges unscathed, right on schedule, just as God said.

Once again we see that the plan of God will never be derailed, either by the opposition of his enemies or the disobedience of his people.

Once the deed is done, Rebekah ends the chapter with a strong declaration that her Jacob not marry a local Hittite woman and she sends him away to her people.

Chapter 28 sets things in motion that will occupy the following chapters. Isaac, like his father before him, instructs his son on finding a wife from their people. In contrast, Esau marries another foreigner. God meets Jacob on the way and establishes the covenant with 

him.  The next few chapters will bring all of these elements together.

Prayer:  Dear Heavenly Father, thinking through the story of Jacob's deceitfulness I am amazed and humbled at your sovereign ways. Despite the wickedness of my own heart, and the brokenness of this world, your love will never fail. Thank you for your love Lord! In Jesus Name, Amen.

January 21: Genesis 29, 30

As Jacob enters the household of Laban the story takes an interesting turn. Jacob the schemer and liar becomes the victim of Laban's schemes and lies. At the end of seven years it is Leah that becomes his wife, and he has to pledge another seven in order to gain the hand of his beloved Rachel. 

Once again we see barrenness in the promised line. First Sarah, then Rebekah, and now Rachel are unable to bear children. And, like Sarah before her, Rachel refuses to wait on God and offers her maid to Jacob.

The issue of polygamy in the Old Testament is a difficult one. What we know for sure is that, from the beginning, God's plan for marriage was a life-long covenantal relationship between one woman and one man.

However, polygamy soon became the cultural norm

 (see: Genesis 4:23). The fact that the line of promise fell into polygamy, and that God worked through it does not mean God changed his standard. It does demonstrate that God is able to bring about his desires even in the face of our compromises and sinful acts. However, our sinfulness is never without dire consequences. The stories of polygamy in the Bible are also stories of strife and despair.

Chapter 30 demonstrates that, like Abraham and Isaac before him, Jacob is greatly blessed by God while in adverse circumstances. Laban, like Abimelech, represents both crises and blessing in the life of Jacob. We now see Jacob taking the place God had promised. He is blessed by God, ready to return to the land of Canaan.

Prayer:  Father, my greatest need is to trust you, and to follow your ways. Open my eyes to my own sin, keep me from pride, and grant me the joy of knowing forgiveness full and free, through Jesus Christ my Lord, Amen.

January 22: Genesis 31, 32

It has become apparent that Jacob can no longer dwell with Laban. In describing the situation to his wives, Jacob reminds them that their story is more than just that of an ordinary family. They have been chosen by God to carry forward the covenant promises.

Yet, all is not righteous in Jacob's household. Rachel, the wife of his love, is determined to bring her father's idolatrous practices with her. Here we see a nuanced reference to the potential problems all Israel will face when idolatry is allowed to enter their community.

The strife between Jacob and Laban is finally settled with the covenant enacted at Mizpah. Though often seen today in a positive way, the agreement was actually a threat. Both men called upon God to make sure the other one didn't break the covenant and bring revenge.

But Jacob's problems are just beginning. Esau, his older brother from whom he had stolen the blessing, is waiting. Jacob, ever the schemer, devises a plan he hopes will soften his brother's heart.

As the night passes, Jacob cries out to God in what is the first glimpse of a changed heart. Will the schemer now become one whose faith lays hold on God in trust? It will take a wrestling match to find out for sure.

After sending his family to a place of safety, Jacob is alone. A man, later understood to be God himself (a pre-incarnate appearance of God the Son), comes and wrestles with him. It is clear that Jacob has been "wrestling" with God in his own strength for some time. This time he is beaten, and will bear the consequence of his loss the rest of his life. But now we see a significant shift in Jacob. Now he will use his strength to "hang on to God until he is blessed." 

As was true of his grandfather, Jacob receives a new name, Israel. Having seen God face to face Jacob is now ready to trust him, and lead as his family becomes a nation.

Prayer: Father, help me to be like Jacob, to use my strength to "hang on to you" so that your blessings rather than my schemes will be my focus. Have your way in my life, Lord, by your grace and for your glory, through Jesus, Amen.

January 23: Genesis 33, 34

In Jacob's meeting with Esau we find the first evidence of God's covenantal blessing on Jacob. We certainly would have expected Esau to hold a grudge and meet his brother with a plan for revenge. Jacob sends gifts and messages ahead to Esau hoping to head off any conflict. 

But Esau's heart has changed. God is behind the scenes here, working out his covenant promises to Jacob. God is now his protector, going before him.

The chapter ends with Jacob and his clan safely back in Canaan, settling in Shechem, the fertile land lying between Mt. Ebal and Mt. Gerizim.  Like Abraham, he now buys a piece of land, and can claim some ownership in the region long ago promised to his forefather. But residency here will mean dealing with the neighboring idolatrous clans.

The story of Dinah and the men of Shechem, while seemingly out of place on its own, is important when we realize that Moses is writing this to a people who will one day follow Jacob's lead and settle in Canaan. It points out 1) the danger to Israel posed by the surrounding clans, and 2) the necessity to rid the land of such peoples (as God will command under Joshua).

This story also points out that the legacy of treachery that began with Jacob has only multiplied in his sons. It is significant that Simeon and Levi are the ones responsible for the slaughter of the men of Shechem. This will play into the reason Judah, the 4th born son, is chosen as the tribe from which David, and Messiah will come. Reuben, Simeon, and Levi are all disqualified through their treachery (see: Genesis 35:22). 

The slaughter will make it impossible for Jacob to remain on the land he has purchased, and once again we will see him leaving to find a home.

Prayer: Lord, today there will be challenges and opportunities in my life. Father, help me be prepared to face them righteously, to carry your Name with me, and be pleasing to you in all I say and do, for Jesus' sake, Amen.

January 24: Genesis 35, 36

Following God's command, Jacob left Shechem and travelled north to Bethel. Before leaving he commands all those of his clan to surrender up their idols. He has seen the danger of allowing idolatry to enter his family and determines to leave them behind. In great contrast, he builds an altar of sacrifice to God.

As they travel we see that, once again, God is going before them. He keeps the various waring bands from harming Jacob as he travels through their territory. 

Arriving at Bethel God once again appears to Jacob, re-establishing the covenant promises first made to Abraham. Once again God declares that he will now be Israel, and from him will come a people that will live on the promised land. 

Here we see the promises of Genesis 12:1-3 passed along to Abraham's offspring, just as God promised. 

The following chapter shows the descendants of Esau, Jacob's brother. The declaration in Genesis 3:15 about the "enmity" between the line of promise and the line of rebellion is now displayed. We saw it between Isaac and Ishmael, and now we see it as Esau leaves Canaan to begin the nation that will one day be Edom, an enemy of Israel down through the years. 

A note about genealogies: While these lists of families and kings may seem unimportant, they are valuable for at least two reasons: 1) They provide great historical evidence that is used to validate the biblical record; 2) They remind us that God continues to allow life to go on, generation after generation, despite the sinfulness of humanity. God's patience, and his display of common grace can only be explained by the fact that he has a plan, will work that plan, and will bring all things to their right conclusion, in just the right way, and at just the right time.

Prayer: Father, as we finish another week of reading your Word, I am thankful for the Bible, and the story of your work in history. Thank you for bringing the story of my life into the story of your love, for seeing my helpless condition and reaching out to rescue me.  Thank you for taking me from the darkness of sin, and bringing me into the kingdom of your Son, in whom I have redemption, the forgiveness of all my sin, because of Jesus, Amen.

The Well: January 13-17

The Well: January 13-17

January 13: Genesis 17, 18

Throughout Abram’s life the covenant promise of God had seemed distant and impossible. Now Moses reminds us of yet another impossibility: Abram was ninety-nine years old! Yet, God declared that he would father a son through whom the promise would become reality.

God then commanded Abraham to circumcise his sons. This was the sign of the covenant between God and Abraham’s lineage. While there are many theories regarding this custom, it seems best to recognize that the purpose of God’s covenant was to establish a people from whom the “He” – the Messiah – would eventually arise. This Messiah would be the rescuer of the faithful, delivering them from the brokenness and corruption of sin. The sign of circumcision, specifically a “cutting away” of the flesh was to be an ongoing sign to Abraham’s physical descendants that this rescue would never be accomplished through human means.

The following chapter seems to follow on without much interruption in the story. For the first time we are told that the Lord takes on human form. It is necessary to note that God, being omnipresent and invisible nevertheless allows himself to be experienced as visibly present in the Old Testament in two different ways. When the presence of God is described as smoke, wind, or fire it is an appearance of God the Spirit. However, when God is described in human form it is a pre-incarnate appearance of God the Son. Such an appearance is described in chapter 18.

The Lord’s visit to the tent of Abraham brought shocking news. In a year Sarah would bear a son. This seeming impossibility made Sarah laugh, but also serves to remind us that God will not share his glory with anyone, and often works in ways that offer no other option.

The chapter ends with the story turning back to Lot who by now has become a resident of Sodom. In a fascinating dialogue with Abraham, God treats his covenant partner with honor, listening as he pleads for the righteous in Sodom. But, as we will see, there was only one righteous person in the city.  God knew this, and his seeming negotiation with Abraham was for the purpose of getting Abraham to realize the utter wickedness of Sodom.

Prayer: Father, forgive me for being too much like Sarah, and thinking that what you have promised me is impossible. Help me to grow in faith, to trust in you today to lead me in the paths of righteousness, for your Name’s sake, through Jesus Christ my Lord, Amen.

January 14: Genesis 19,20

The two angels that accompanied the Lord on his visit to Abraham now continue on to Sodom. Once again we are faced with a story that combines judgment and mercy. The story of Lot’s family and Sodom reminds us of the story of Noah’s family and the flood.

Sodom was a place of great wickedness exemplified by the blatant homosexuality that plays such a prominent role in the chapter. The men of the city demand Lot send his visitors out so they can engage in sexual relations with them. (Note the use of “know” in vs. 5-8 means an intimate relationship and not merely “knowing about”).

Like the people of Noah’s day the whole city is engulfed in wickedness in which they engage greedily. It is also clear from Lot’s actions and great hesitancy to escape that he is not much better than his neighbors. God’s judgment will fall on the city and this will be just. But God also desires to show mercy, and Lot and his family become the undeserved recipients of his rescuing grace.

And, just like the story of Noah, after Lot’s rescue sin still plays a part in his family, and through his own daughters two prominent nations – the Moabites and the Ammonites – come into being. The parallels here with Genesis 9, 10 are purposeful in that they once again show God’s sovereignty over people and nations.

Chapter 20 takes up the story of Abraham. He has been visited by the Lord, and heard

that Sarah will bear a son. Yet, he leaves the land of promise and travels south to dwell in the kingdom of Gerar. There is enough in this chapter to indicate that Moses intends us to see in Abraham’s life a parallel to the life of Lot. Both took up residence in pagan territory, fell into sin, and needed to be rescued by God.

As readers we are shocked at Abraham’s deceitfulness and lack of trust. Hadn’t he just visited with the Lord? Yet, he took his wife into foreign territory and put the promised line at great risk. The king of Gerar took Sarah into his house as a wife bringing crises into the story. Would the promise of God concerning a son from Abraham be derailed through Abraham’s impetuous action?

As was the case with Noah and Lot, we now see God as Abraham’s rescuer. He delivers Sarah from the king’s home, and even sees to it that Abraham is loaded down with wealth for his return back north to the land God had promised him. Again we see that God will rescue those who are not able to rescue themselves, and he does so for the purpose of his plan, and his glory.

Prayer: Father, I am humbled at your power, your wisdom, and the glory of your great plan for my life. Thank you for rescuing me from my bondage to sin, and the foolishness of pursuing life on my own. Help me to see my life through the lens of your glory today, so that I might reflect your grace and goodness before a watching world. In the Name of Jesus my Lord, Amen

January 15: Genesis 21,22

These two chapters center on the birth and sacrifice of Isaac, the promised son. The birth of Isaac happens, just as God had promised. It is certain that the birth was a huge milestone in the growth of Abraham’s faith and trust in God. God’s faithfulness had now taken the form of a healthy baby boy.

Yet, Isaac’s entrance into the world was not all laughter and joy. Sarah how had a son, and she no longer felt compelled to keep Hagar and Ishmael in the family. They could now be pushed aside.

God also has a plan for Hagar and Ishmael, and demonstrates his sovereignty once again in a “rescue – nation” paradigm. Noah (chpts. 9, 10), Lot ( chpt. 19) and now Hagar are all first rescued, and then seen to be the progenitors of a new nation. Through Ishmael God brought about the Arab peoples.

The chapter ends with a story that shows how Abraham had prospered and grown to be the head of a mighty clan. The treaty with Abimelech now depicts Abraham as equal to the king. Already we are seeing God’s promise of a nation becoming a reality.

The birth of Isaac is followed immediately by the call of God to sacrifice him. From the beginning of the chapter we know that God is only testing Abraham. Yet, the command would have been very real to him given that child sacrifice was a common religious ritual among the pagan clans of Abraham’s world.

Abraham obeyed God’s command, gathered up necessary supplies, and along with his son, set off for Moriah. There is good evidence that Mt. Moriah is the same site where a later Jebusite city would be conquered by David to become Jerusalem. If this is true, then the sacrifice of Isaac would take place where the Temple would later be built, and the same location as the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. God really has a way with details!

The sacrifice of Isaac brings out two important truths. First, Abraham passed the test. From this point on we see him as a champion of faith in God. He has earned the right to be called the Father of the faithful. Second, we see the first clues that will eventually lead us to understand the nature of “substitution” in the redemptive plan. God will provide a substitute Lamb through whom the sins of the world will be covered (John 1:29). 

Prayer: Gracious God, you alone have the wisdom to oversee history, to move the hearts of people, and bring about your plan perfectly and right on time. Father, help me wait patiently for you today. Open my eyes to see that you are infinitely faithful, that I can trust you, laying all of my anxieties at your feet, for I know you care for me, through Jesus Christ my Lord, Amen.

January 16: Genesis 23, 24

In chapter 23 we read what at first glance appears to be a small detail in the story of Abraham. Sarah has died, and a burial place is needed. Though Abraham is very wealthy and the head of a large and powerful clan, the reality is that he does not own a single piece of land. While the land has been promised, none of it has been possessed.

Ephron the Hittite offers to give him the cave of Machpelah (the only Scotsman in the Bible?) as a burial site. But Abraham insists on buying the land, perhaps in order not to be indebted to a foreigner. Eventually Abraham buys the land and buries his wife. The story is significant simply because Abraham is soon to die as well, and it will turn out that this small piece of Canaan will be the only part he will every own.

One of the greatest responsibilities of fatherhood in those days was to find a wife for his son. For the first time we see Abraham, the representative of God’s promised line (the seed of the woman from Genesis 3:15) recognizing the grave dangers of intermarriage. The intermarriage in Genesis 6 had been one reason for the encroachment of wickedness on the earth. Now Abraham determines that Isaac will not marry a wife from the surrounding clans. He will find a wife from among his own people, and sends a servant off on a specific mission.

That intermarriage was not to be the way of God’s promised line is underscored in the way this chapter develops. Abraham’s charge to the servant (vs. 3ff and vs. 37ff) sets the tone. Under no circumstances was he to take a wife from among the Canaanites. The faithfulness of the servant is actually seen to be dependent on the faithfulness of God. The servant is clear: God has led me here, and God has chosen Rebekah.

The length and repetitive nature of the story is meant to make a clear point: Marriage is very important in God’s mind, and intermarriage with those outside the covenant of God is not to be considered. As we will see, Israel consistently disregarded this truth, and intermarriage brought idolatrous practices into the covenant community, bringing about discipline from God.

Prayer: Great God, I acknowledge today that you always know what is best for me. Lord, as today lays out before me, help me to make the most of it, pursuing excellence in all I do. And let my words be seasoned with grace, and my heart ready to forgive,

as you have forgiven me through Jesus Christ, Amen.

January 17: Genesis 25, 26

With Abraham’s death, the story of God’s promise to bring about the “he” travels on through Isaac to his sons Jacob and Esau. Isaac holds a transitional position in the story, and his life is only mentioned in connection to his much more famous son Jacob.

The birth of Jacob and Esau again demonstrates God’s sovereignty. First, like Sarah before her, Rebekah is barren. For her to bear a child God must intentionally step in. Second, the sovereignty of God is seen is the fact that, even before the twins are born, God lets Rebekah know that two nations will spring from her two sons (Edom from Esau, and Israel from Jacob), and that the younger of the sons (Jacob) will be preeminent. Though Isaac will seek to undo this divine order, God’s plan will prevail.

The two sons couldn’t be more different. Esau was an outdoor man, a hunter, a man’s man. Jacob was a domestic man, preferring to live the quiet life.

From the start Moses sets the readers up for the eventual treachery to be played out in the family through which Jacob eclipses Esau as leader of the clan. We see here that Esau places no value on his covenant position as firstborn. He “despised” his birthright and the responsibility of clan leadership that came with it.

Chapter 26 describes the life of Isaac as an adult. We do see that the promises God made to Abraham are re-iterated to Isaac. God is faithful.

Little is said about Isaac, but this episode shows that he, like his father, was in need of God’s mercy and rescue. In an event paralleling Abraham’s deceit (chapter 20) he lies about his wife and once again, the promised line is put at risk in the house of a pagan king. Once again the Lord intervenes, rescues Isaac and Rebekah, and blesses them with great wealth.

Like his father, Isaac digs a well, and enters into a treaty with the neighboring clans. The parallels are meant to show that God’s promises to Abraham have now passed to Isaac. He is with Isaac, and will bless Isaac, despite his sinful ways. This shows us that God’s promise to Isaac is based on God’s own desires to fulfill his plan, and not on Isaac’s worthiness.

For the second time (see: 25:29ff) Moses wants the readers to understand just how bad Esau really is. The last verses in chapter 26 describe how he intermarried with local Hittite women, making life “bitter” for Isaac and Rebekah. Intermarriage rears its ugly head and we are meant to see it as evidence of Esau’s complete disregard for the covenant promises of God.

Prayer:  Almighty God, thank you for your Word. Thank you for preserving it so that we can know your heart and mind and follow your ways. Help me to live this day for you, trusting your truth, and walking in your love, for Jesus sake, Amen.