My dog Slinky loves me. When I come in the door he runs to me and begins licking my hand and wanting my attention. He showers me with affection and love....until Andrea or one of the children come into the room. Then, he is quick to shift his love, attention, and devotion to anyone of them. If we are outside he loves me, he sticks close to me and want me to know that he is there. He loves me...until a squirrel or bird ventures into his path of vision then he abandons me in a flash. His attention is very sincere and devoted, until something else takes his attention.
Humans are the same way. We do the same thing. We give our attention and respect to someone or something until something else takes our attention, takes our embrace. We also do this with God, we are very fickle with Him. We are devoted until we become doubtful or distracted. We are devoted until we see something better, a better god.
In a very brief amount of time after the flood, the people become distracted and decide they can make it on their own. Imagine, many had seen, and probably all had heard, of what God had done but they already were looking elsewhere, they quit looking at God. What is even more amazing is that they began to consider themselves to be gods. God acted to protect the people from themselves, to protect them from their own distraction.
God loves us so much that He is willing to go to drastic, and sometimes painful, extremes to protect and guide us.
Daily Readings
Monday, October 3, 2011 Genesis 11:1-9
As a parent I can often see the coming consequences of my children’s actions by the wrong choices they are making. I often have to correct those choices even though children have no understanding of why. Can you see God at work correcting others...or you?
Tuesday, October 4, 2011 Genesis 12:1-9
When my children were very young their fear, or apprehension, was obvious by the fact that they would stick very close to Andrea or myself. They would stand close holding our hand. Abram (a descendant of Shem, the son of Noah) is walking through new lands with a certain fear. His apprehension is obvious as you can see he is keeping close to God, even when God tells him that the land will belong to his descendants. In what times do you stick close to God? How is this reflected in your actions and attitudes?
Wednesday, October 5, 2011 Genesis 12:10-13:4
As Abram enters Egypt he begins to get afraid for his own safety and soon quits sticking close to God and, instead, begins to devise ways to protect himself. The end result of his self protection is humiliation to his wife, embarrassment before a Pharaoh, and shame to himself. His actions also set him back in his journey; he had to go back to the place where he had last recognized and followed God. How do you move away from God in order to protect yourself? How does your movement away from God set you back in your faith journey? Notice in this passage that God does not give up on His plan to use Abram, even when Abram’s action caused the plan a major setback....God’s focus is on Abram as much as His plan.
Thursday, October 6, 2011 Genesis 13:5-14:12
While in a candy store, I watched a group of young girls filling up a bag at a self serve candy dispenser. As the bag approached full capacity, the store owner noticed and came over and asked the girls if they knew how much money that was going to cost. They, of course, did not so the owner weighed the bag and informed the shocked girls how much it was going to cost them. As their faces filled with horror he offered to let them start all over again. The girls saw the colorful candy and wanted all of it, without any consideration for the expense. They jumped at what looked wonderful without really thinking through the situation. As Abram and Lot split up the land, Lot immediately chose the land that looked most attractive, without any thought to the cost. Then, as Abram faced his less attractive land, God lifted Abram’s eyes (13:14) and revealed to him the true value and hope of what he had just been given. God often has to lift our eyes so we can see and understand what stands before us.
Friday, October 7, 2011 Genesis 14:13-24
As Abram rescues Lot, King Melchizedek of Salem (a priest) offers a blessing from God which is accepted by Abram. Then, the King of Sodom attempts to also recognize Abram’s actions through financial gain which is rejected by Abram. Abram realized that the gift from the King of Sodom was one that came with a cost and expectation; a gift that was clearly not from God. It was a worldly ego gift which would have been of great problems later. What worldly things do you need to reject in order to continue to recognize God?
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