Monday

One of my main purposes in spending these two weeks in Mexico was to have some serious Jesus time. The girls here were such an encouragement to me in May, and the environment/lifestyle are so conducive to quiet time with Jesus, that I thought this would be the best place to be. The conversations I have enjoyed, the teaching I have recieved, and my personal times with Jesus have been wonderful.

So, I am including these notes from our Bible study last night. Every Monday night, the college graduates get together at El Vienese, a little coffee shop in the centro, to study and encourage each other. Last night, Marce invited a woman who works for Campus Crusade to come and speak to us. I think what she had to say is very applicable. Of course, she was speaking a mile a minute in Spanish and I was trying to take notes in English, so some things may have gotten confusing in translation, but I wanted you all to have the opportunity to benefit from her teaching as well. I would recommend that, even if you’re familiar with the story of Abraham, that you read Genesis 12 – 17 before starting.

Notes from Egresados
Cuernavaca, Morelos
El Vienese
14 de julio, 2008
Speaker: Ingrid

Phases of Promise and Covenant
Genesis 12-17

The time of CALL:
Genesis 12 – The moment of God’s call on our lives is when we accept him. Then, the call or “promise” continues as he asks us to change our lifestyle for him. He asks us not so much to leave our life, but to leave certain attitudes, actions, conversation, etc. Part of evangelism is bringing Jesus into the lives we were living before we met him. We must, however, take care to bring him into every area and that may mean not going to the same places with our friends, not engaging in the same conversations at work, not watching the same movies.

The time of PROMISE:
Genesis 15:1a – “Do not be afraid. I am the one who protects you.”
God is telling us not to fear. Period. This is a confidence that can come only from knowing what he says right afterwards, “I am the one who protects you.” This overrules any fear we could experience.
- Don’t fear the future. “I am the one who protects you.”
- Don’t fear others. “I am the one who protects you.”
- Don’t fear the devil. “I am the one who protects you.”
- Don’t fear the past. “I am the one who protects you.”
- Do not fear. “I am the one who protects you.”
What amazing confidence we can have in any situation if we sincerely believe these words. Even in the presence of having heard these words directly from God, however, Abram asks God, “But how can I be sure you will do this thing.” (Gen. 15:8) WHAT? How could he doubt after having just received such a promise from God?
The time of OBEDIENCE:
God’s reaction in the next three verses shows us not only his patience for our questions, but also his mercy and grace in giving us second chances. He answers Abram with a command and then…He disappears. The amazing thing is that Abram, without having heard an answer to his question, without any “confirmation”, begins to obey. What a lesson for us in the modern church. I must obey now, for I have been called now. I do not need to wait until I have an established ministry in the church. I do not need to wait until I am a full time missionary or until I am asked to lead a Bible study. I do not need to wait until I am a better Christian. Abram obeyed immediately…

The time of WAITING:
… and the he waited.
Genesis 15:12 – “and he was surrounded by great darkness and was afraid.”
How many of us know the feeling of receiving a mountaintop promise, walking into it in faith, and then waiting in darkness for what seems like forever. Where did God go? Did I hear from him correctly? Was it really me he was talking to? Did I blow it again? Nope. Wait.

The time of COVENANT:
Genesis 15:17-18 – God comes and speaks. It may have not been what Abram was expecting to hear or what he wanted to hear, but God came and God took responsibility for the covenant. He left Abram with a promise. “I will give this land to your descendants.” What descendants? If anyone ever had reason to be intimidated by the impossibility of their situation, it was Abram.

*I think it’s interesting to notice that God spoke gave Abram the command to prepare for the covenant during the day and then Abram waited. It got dark, God wasn’t there, and Abram was afraid. God’s sudden presence, the blazing fire, and his voice must have been all the more clear, unforgettable, and majestic after a time of darkness and waiting. Maybe that was the effect He was wanting all along.

The time of DOUBT & FAILURE:
Genesis 16:2 – Abram and Sarai began to doubt. Maybe God didn’t give us all the information. Maybe there’s something we need to do. Maybe God forgot? They took matters into their own hands because seeing present results became more important than believing God’s present reality. This is very applicable to today’s church as well. It can be tempting in times of doubt, what St. John of the Cross called “the dark night of the soul”, to make the gospel cheaper, easier, less demanding… in search of results. We walk into something new, out of obedience to Jesus, but without seeing any immediate fruit. We start to worry, so we force results, we restrain from speaking/obeying hard truth, we lower our standards, we change the rules, cut corners, and look the other way. Anything to see some fruit.

Abram found a way to have a child, to help God out of the dilemma he had gotten himself into. The repercussions of that one doubt based decision haunt us even today.

The time of SECOND CHANCE:
Genesis 17:1-2 – Thirteen years later God came back to Abram with a second chance. We don’t know why it took thirteen years. Maybe Abram asked God’s forgiveness for his disobedience. Maybe God was waiting until he thought Abram was ready. But this time, with the promise comes a condition, “Obey me and conduct yourself honorably” (Gen. 17:2). Abram has to keep his part of the deal.

The time of NEW NAME:
Genesis 17:5

(This wasn’t part of the devotional, but I think it is amazing, so I’m throwing it in:
God changed Abram’s name to Abraham.
God changed Sarai’s name to Sarah.
What letter was added to each name? The “h”. The Hebrew letter for “breath” or “spirit”. God breathed his Spirit into them, giving them a part of him, making them children.)

It is important to remember that the new name that we receive from God is “child”. As sons and daughters, we cannot lose our position in God’s family. A servant can be fired, a friend can leave, but there is no denying that a son or daughter is always such. 1 John 3:1 – “See what great love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are.”

The time of OUTWARD EVIDENCE:
At this point in the process, the doubts begin to disappear. The process of promise and covenant that was formerly inward begins to be outwardly evident. In Genesis 17:10 + 13, God gives Abraham an outward sign of obedience so that others will know that he and his descendants are God’s children.

What evidence is there in my life that I am a child of God, or that I have been in his very presence?
I spent time with Jesus this morning. Do I look any different from the people who didn’t?

Ingrid challenged us to see our personal devotions in the morning as a time to prepare ourselves with Jesus for the rest of the day. That way, throughout the day, Jesus and I already have an ongoing conversation.

The time of LETTING GO:
Notice in chapter 17, God finishes telling Abraham about the new promise, his new name, and that his 90 year old wife is going to have a baby! The first words out of Abraham’s mouth are, ‘Ha! That’s not going to happen. How about Ishmael instead?’
The good thing is that God is not only a God of second chances, but of millions of chances. He firmly repeats the promise, but gently answers Abraham’s question about Ishmael, too. God tells Abraham, ‘Let go of the result of your first mistake. I will take care of him. You need to focus on this promise that I have for you.’

The time to BELIEVE:
Abraham heard what God promised and kept his half of the bargain. Genesis 17:23

Not all of us pass through every phase of this covenant process, but most of us will live a few of these stages more than once, so it is encouraging to know that even Abraham doubted and failed and to see how God responded to him with such patience and love.