Burunche’s Blog

Genesis 21:9- 21

Sarah Turns against Hagar

“But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking her son, and she said to Abraham, “Expel the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac!”

Now this matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son Ishmael. But God said to Abraham, “Do not be distressed about the boy and your maidservant. Listen to everything that Sarah tells you, for through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned. But I will also make a nation of the slave woman’s son, because he is your offspring.”

Early in the morning, Abraham got up, took bread and a skin of water, put them on Hagar’s shoulders, and sent her away with the boy. She left and wandered in the Wilderness of Beersheba. When the water in the skin was gone, she left the boy under one of the bushes. Then she went off and sat down nearby, about a bowshot away, for she said, “I cannot bear to watch the boy die!” And as she sat nearby, she lifted up her voice and wept.

Then God heard the voice of the boy, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, “What is wrong, Hagar? Do not be afraid, for God has heard the voice of the boy where he lies. Arise, lift up the boy and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink.

And God was with the boy, and he grew up and settled in the wilderness and became a great archer. And while he was dwelling in the Wilderness of Paran, his mother got a wife for him from the land of Egypt.”

By now, Ishmael must be fourteen or more years old because Abraham circumcises Ishmael and all the other males in the household before Isaac is born. Ishmael is already realizing that Isaac is the son of promise while he is not, even though Abraham loves Ishmael. Stung by this realization, Ishmael is making fun of Isaac and Sarah overhears it. Sarah is understandably concerned; Ishmael is big enough and strong enough that he might lure little Isaac into danger or even arrange an “accident” that could eliminate Isaac as a rival. And there is the unmistakable fact that Isaac is junior to Ishmael; therefore, Ishmael as the eldest should inherit everything from Abraham. Just because Hagar has returned to the household does not mean that she has not been filling Ishmael’s head with all kinds of pretensions. No, Sarah has a right to be concerned. Abraham, meanwhile, is trying to maintain peace by ignoring the obvious, until Sarah raises her complaint.

Abraham sends Hagar and Ishmael out with bread and water; however, the water soon finishes and Hagar fears Ishmael will die. That’s when God shows up, sending Hagar and Ishmael to a large spring of water and saving both their lives. But Abraham and Sarah’s rejection of Ishmael will continue to rankle throughout generations and will remain a root of bitterness that will lead to Ishmael’s descendants warring with Isaac’s.

Ishmael reaches adulthood and becomes a skilled warrior. His Egyptian mother naturally finds him an Egyptian wife. Even though Ishmael is not the miraculous son of promise, God still keeps His Word to Abraham and makes Ishmael a great nation and the father of several nations. God keeps His promises to Abraham through both Isaac and Ishmael and Ishmael is highly successful.  

The story of Abraham, Sarah, Hagar, Ishmael, and Isaac is a complex one. If Abraham and Sarah had not taken matters into their own hands, Ishmael might have been fathered by someone other than Abraham. Ishmael might still have become a mighty warrior; however, the festering resentments nurtured by Hagar would never have happened and things would have been far more peaceful. But God already anticipated those poor choices and He had a perfect plan to bring peace in spite of them. Face it, we all make mistakes. If God were to withhold peace each time we falter, there would be no peace at all. But God is bigger than our mistakes and God can redeem bad situations.

In retrospect, I can identify innumerable times when God has had to deliver me from my own foolishness. One humorist has been quoted as saying that if he could only kick the fellow causing his problems in the pants, he wouldn’t sit down for a week. I agree. The amazing thing about God is that He is all-knowing and all-understanding. God knows us better than we know ourselves and yet He loves us anyway.

Perhaps today you feel a bit like Hagar. You are wandering in a wilderness, fearing that you are lost beyond all help. Take heart! The same God who opened the rocks to supply a well of water for Hagar and Ishmael is still in the miracle business. Ask Him for help; He won’t refuse you!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, many of us are struggling and see no way out of our predicaments. But You are the God who sees, the God who hears, and the God who provides. Comfort the struggling and show them Your way out of their troubles. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 21:1-8 The Birth of Isaac (Romans 8:12-17; Galatians 4:1-7)

“Now the LORD attended to Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what He had promised. So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him.

And Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore to him. (“Isaac” means “he laughs”) When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God had commanded him. Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.

Then Sarah said, “God has made me laugh, and everyone who hears of this will laugh with me.” She added, “Who would have told Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”

So the child grew and was weaned, and Abraham held a great feast on the day Isaac was weaned.”

God sends a son of promise to a 100-year-old man and a 90-year-old woman. At this point, all is peace in the camp and the celebration is phenomenal. Why wait until the day that Isaac is weaned? By this point, Isaac is probably two years old, and unlikely to become an infant mortality statistic. While there may have actually been fewer infectious diseases to kill small children in those days, the infant mortality rate must have been sadly significant.

Sometimes God does things that are so stupendous all we can do is to worship and to celebrate. In July 1955 my father’s car was struck by a drunk driver as he was returning from a nearby town with parts to repair his combine during the oats harvest. Dad’s injuries were so severe that he had a near-death experience during which he saw his dead grandparents in heaven. Dad woke to find Mom at his bedside sobbing, “Lowell, don’t leave us!” That accident happened when Dad was 32, and he lived another 57 years, dying just short of his 89^th birthday. The day we brought Dad home from the hospital was truly a day of celebration. All of us realized how close we had come to losing Dad. After weeks of commuting to the hospital, Mom was finally able to resume a more normal household routine and to continue to raise her three small children while Dad recovered.

Perhaps you are reading these words and feeling cheated; after all, God has never done anything that miraculous for you. But how are you so sure? Lamentations 3:21-24 tells us, “Yet I call this to mind, and therefore I have hope: Because of the loving devotion of the LORD we are not consumed, for His mercies never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness! “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in Him.”

This last week, a wife and mother underwent what was supposed to be a small routine procedure; however, due to an underlying problem we did not know about, she suffered a cardiac arrest during the procedure. We successfully resuscitated her; however, she never regained full consciousness and died a few days later. If you are alive and you are reading these words and are in good health, you are enjoying miracles, even if you don’t recognize them. If your son or daughter or a grandchild is graduating and you can celebrate with them, you are enjoying miracles. If you can read these words, you are enjoying the miracle of good eyesight and a brain that functions. You are a walking miracle, and this knowledge should cause you to celebrate and also to have peace in the knowledge that God is still moving in your life.

As I was writing these words, the dawn sky is lighting the delicate tracery of the flame tree leaves outside my window. Repeatedly, God has used flame trees and their leaves to remind me that He is the One who has created every cell in those leaves while I can’t describe a single part of the process. This morning, I am celebrating the flame trees in our back yard and rejoicing that I serve a God who knows every cell of their being as well as every cell of mine. And I have peace, knowing that my Creator cares for me just as much as He does for those flame trees.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, we are surrounded by miracles that we fail to recognize. Help us to celebrate Your goodness and Your bounty in our lives. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.    

Abraham, Sarah, and Abimelech

Genesis 20:1-18 “Now Abraham journeyed from there to the region of the Negev and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While he was staying in Gerar, Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” So Abimelech king of Gerar had Sarah brought to him.

One night, however, God came to Abimelech in a dream and told him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken, for she is a married woman.”

Now Abimelech had not gone near her, so he replied, “Lord, would You destroy a nation even though it is innocent? Didn’t Abraham tell me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ I have done this in the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands.”

Then God said to Abimelech in the dream, “Yes, I know that you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning against Me. That is why I did not let you touch her. Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet; he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not restore her, be aware that you will surely die—you and all who belong to you.”

Early the next morning Abimelech got up and summoned all his servants; and when he described to them all that had happened, the men were terrified.

Then Abimelech called Abraham and asked, “What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you, that you have brought such tremendous guilt upon me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should not be done.” Abimelech also asked Abraham, “What prompted you to do such a thing?”

Abraham replied, “I thought to myself, ‘Surely there is no fear of God in this place. They will kill me on account of my wife.’ Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father—though not the daughter of my mother—and she became my wife. So when God had me journey from my father’s house, I said to Sarah, ‘This is how you can show your loyalty to me: Wherever we go, say of me, “He is my brother.”’”

So Abimelech brought sheep and cattle, menservants and maidservants, and he gave them to Abraham and restored his wife Sarah to him. And Abimelech said, “Look, my land is before you. Settle wherever you please.” And he said to Sarah, “See, I am giving your brother a thousand pieces of silver. It is your vindication before all who are with you; you are completely cleared.”

Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his maidservants, so that they could again bear children— for on account of Abraham’s wife Sarah, the LORD had completely closed all the wombs in Abimelech’s household.”

Sarah must have been drop-dead gorgeous even as an old lady for Abimelech to want to add her to his harem. Why? Because in this story, Abraham and Sarah already have the new names that God has given them. At any rate, Abraham is at it again, sacrificing Sarah to save his own skin. Abraham’s excuse is pretty flimsy. “I thought to myself, ‘Surely there is no fear of God in this place. They will kill me on account of my wife.’ Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father—though not the daughter of my mother—and she became my wife. So when God had me journey from my father’s house, I said to Sarah, ‘This is how you can show your loyalty to me: Wherever we go, say of me, “He is my brother.”’”  Way to go, Abraham! Why are you willing to sacrifice Sarah, who is to be the mother of your child of promise? Where’s your trust in God?

The story ends happily because God appears to Abimelech in a dream, warning him to leave Sarah alone and to restore her to her husband. Not only does Abimelech return Sarah to Abraham, but he also gives Abraham lavish presents and offers him the opportunity to settle wherever he wants to in the kingdom of Gerar. Evidently, this situation has gone on for several months, because God has closed the wombs of all the women in Abimelech’s household. Perhaps God has been giving Abraham time to do the right thing and give the true explanation regarding his relationship with Sarah, only intervening when Abraham has failed to do so.

Abaham prays for Abimelech and God heals everything about the situation, including removing the curse of barrenness from the women of Abimelech’s home. What is missing is God’s dialogue with Abraham. It’s  hard to believe that God will allow Abraham to get away with this stunt without correcting him in some fashion. And how does Sarah feel? Once more, Abraham has been willing to allow Sarah to be taken into another man’s harem to save his own life, with Sarah running the risk of rape or even death if she fails to please Abimelech. Abraham’s cowardice proves that family dysfunction has been going on for millenia.

It is highly significant that God has never demanded human sacrifice apart from the sacrifice made by Jesus Christ on the cross at Calvary. When the Israelites copied their pagan neighbors, sacrificing their children as live burnt offerings to Molech, God was furious. By lying and allowing Sarah to be added to a king’s harem, Abraham is essentially sacrificing Sarah.

Today, we continue to make human sacrifices of our families by refusing to spend time with them, celebrating special moments, or putting their needs before our own. Childhood passes in an instant, and the chance to share precious milestones vanishes in a millisecond. Opportunities for intimacy with our spouses dwindle the more we refuse to take advantage of them. Eventually, our families decide that they can do quite well without us at all. Even if we do not put our work before our families, we can still neglect them if we allow depression or other emotional problems to rob us of time with them.

Looking back, I realize that my father was chronically depressed in an age when there were few effective antidepressant drugs and depression was generally treated with ECT, electroconvulsive therapy. Any emotional problem carried the social stigma of madness and those suffering from simple depression went to incredible lengths to hide their problems, hurting their families and themselves in the process. ECT frequently resulted in memory loss, a liability so daunting that the author Hemingway committed suicide rather than go through ECT again. By the time Dad was able to get on effective antidepressants, I was well into adulthood and the patterns of our relationship were already set. My mother was the one who made sure that events and successes were celebrated.

By the time God changed Abraham and Sarah’s names, He was already promising that Sarah would bear a son in her old age. Abraham should have had faith in God’s protection and should also have valued and protected Sarah; his failure to respond in faith led to problems for others as well as for his own household. May we act more wisely than Abraham, trusting that God will care for us and treasuring the families God has given us.

PRAYER: Father God, thank you for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to treasure those around us, realizing that You will protect us and give us Your peace. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Lot and His Daughters

Genesis 19:30-38 “Lot and his two daughters left Zoar and settled in the mountains—for he was afraid to stay in Zoar—where they lived in a cave. One day the older daughter said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is no man in the land to sleep with us, as is the custom over all the earth. Come, let us get our father drunk with wine, so that we can sleep with him and preserve his line.”

So that night they got their father drunk with wine, and the firstborn came and slept with her father; he was not aware when she lay down or when she got up.

The next day the older daughter said to the younger, “Look, I slept with my father last night. Let us get him drunk with wine again tonight, so you can go sleep with him, and we can preserve our father’s line.”

So again that night they got their father drunk with wine, and the younger daughter went and slept with him; he was not aware when she lay down or when she got up.

Thus both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their father. The older daughter gave birth to a son and named him Moab.(Son of my people) He is the father of the Moabites of today. The younger daughter also gave birth to a son, and she named him Ben-ammi.(From my father) He is the father of the Ammonites of today.”

Talk about sordid stories! Lot and his two daughters have escaped from Sodom and have left the small city of Zoar to which they fled when God destroyed the other cities of the plain. Evidently, Lot fears that the citizens of Zoar may blame him for God’s destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. The most reasonable thing to do would be for Lot to find Abraham and go live with him; however, instead, this once-prosperous man settles in the mountains and lives in a cave with his daughters. How this trio are managing to feed themselves is a mystery, but the daughters, who are thorough Sodomites, somehow get their father drunk so that he will impregnate each of them. Allegedly, the ancient nations of Moab and Ammon are descended from Lot’s incestuous relationship with his daughters.

This story raises more questions than answers. Why does Lot insist on living in a cave in the first place? Abraham’s camp is only a few days’ journey from Zoar. What happens to Lot and his daughters after he impregnates them? Obviously, these people don’t remain in that cave for very long. Is this story real or is this ant-Moabite and anti-Ammonite propaganda? And why doesn’t Lot ask God for guidance rather than huddling in a cave? After all, God is the One who has delivered Lot and his daughters.

The saddest part of this entire story is that despite years of moving with Abraham, Lot knows nothing about God. Even though Lot has watched Abraham worship God many times, he has obviously assumed that Abraham is crazy and is simply wasting all those prime animals he is sacrificing. Because Lot has never paid any attention to God, Lot has tolerated the moral filth of Sodom and has allowed it to pollute his daughters to the point that they think incest is a great solution to their problems.

While we are judging Lot, we need to ask ourselves about the spiritual atmosphere of our own homes. Here in Ghana, there are many videos that claim to be Christian; however, they are packed with sex, violence, witchcraft, and special effects. The filmmakers make the Christian claim because they attach a Bible verse at the very end of the video, after glorifying the devil. On many occasions, we have visited homes of fellow church members only to observe their children watching this trash. These days, the internet has become a stalking ground for sexual predators who entice young children and teens by pretending to be someone their own age. In many cases, children have been abducted when they have gone to meet these “friends.” Many cartoons have become political propaganda rather than entertainment or glorify violence.

For 33 years, the late Fred Rogers hosted a highly popular children’s television program entitled “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood.” Children and parents loved this program for its positive messages and gentle humor. Rogers was highly-trained in child development as well as being an ordained Presbyterian minister, and his program still exists in re-runs and on the internet. For some children, Mr. Rogers was the one who gave them a moral compass.   

When I was a small child in Sunday School, we learned a simple song with a powerful message. “Be careful little eyes, what you see…for the Father up above is looking down in love, so be careful little eyes what you see.” The verses warned “Be careful little ears, what you hear,” “Be careful, little mouth what you say..” “Be careful little feet, where you go,” “Be careful little hands, what you do.” The refrain each time advised “For the Father up above is looking down in love…”

We have a Heavenly Father who continually looks down at us in love. If we want godly peace, a peace so deep that we cannot understand it, we must be careful about all those things that influence our lives-social media, television, videos, friends, and reading material. It’s likely that Lot’s life eventually ended miserably in grinding poverty and shame. God wants us to have good lives, lives of peace. But we must choose. Choose wisely.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to choose those things that will help us to have Your peace in our lives and the lives of our family members. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Gensis 19:1-11 Lot Welcomes the Angels

“Now the two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. When Lot saw them, he got up to meet them, bowed facedown, and said, “My lords, please turn asideinto the house of your servant; wash your feet and spend the night. Then you can rise early and go on your way.”

“No,” they answered, “we will spend the night in the square.”

But Lot insisted so strongly that they followed him into his house. He prepared a feast for them and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.

Before they had gone to bed, all the men of the city of Sodom, both young and old, surrounded the house. They called out to Lot, saying, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Send them out to us so we can have relations with them!”

Lot went outside to meet them and shut the door behind him. “Please, my brothers,” he pleaded, “don’t do such a wicked thing! Look, I have two daughters who have never slept with a man. Let me bring them to you, and you can do to them whatever you want. But do not do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection of my roof.”

“Get out of the way!” they replied. And they declared, “This one came here as a foreigner, and he is already acting like a judge! Now we will treat you worse than them.” And they pressed in on Lot and moved in to break down the door.

But the men inside reached out, pulled Lot into the house with them, and shut the door. And they struck the men at the entrance, young and old, with blindness, so that they wearied themselves trying to find the door.

12-23 Lot Flees to Zoar

Then the two men said to Lot, “Do you have anyone else here—a son-in-law, your sons or daughters, or anyone else in the city who belongs to you? Get them out of here, because we are about to destroy this place. For the outcry to the LORD against its people is so great that He has sent us to destroy it.”

So Lot went out and spoke to the sons-in-law who were pledged in marriage to his daughters. “Get up,” he said. “Get out of this place, for the LORD is about to destroy the city!” But his sons-in-law thought he was joking.

At daybreak the angels hurried Lot along, saying, “Get up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away in the punishment of the city.” But when Lot hesitated, the men grabbed his hand and the hands of his wife and his two daughters. And they led them safely out of the city, because of the LORD’s compassion for them.

As soon as the men had brought them out, one of them said, “Run for your lives! Do not look back, and do not stop anywhere on the plain! Flee to the mountains, or you will be swept away!”

But Lot replied, “No, my lords, please! Your servant has indeed found favor in your sight, and you have shown me great kindness by sparing my life. But I cannot run to the mountains; the disaster will overtake me, and I will die. Look, this town is near enough for me flee to it, and it is a small place. Please let me flee there—is it not a small place? Then my life will be saved.” “Very well,” he answered, “I will grant this request as well, and will not demolish the town you indicate. Hurry! Run there quickly, for I cannot do anything until you reach it.” That is why the town was called Zoar.(Small) When the sun had risen over the land, Lot had reached Zoar.

24-29 The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah

Then the LORD rained down brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah—from the LORD out of the heavens. Thus He destroyed these cities and the entire plain, including all the inhabitants of the cities and everything that grew on the ground. But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.

Early the next morning, Abraham got up and returned to the place where he had stood before the LORD. He looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and all the land of the plain, and he saw the smoke rising from the land like smoke from a furnace.

So when God destroyed the cities of the plain, He remembered Abraham, and He brought Lot out of the catastrophe that destroyed the cities where he had lived.”

In the beginning, Lot is attracted to the plain of the Jordan because of the rich grazing. Sodom and Gomorrah have evil reputations; however, Lot intends to remain in his tent. After all, what does he need from Sodom? But through the years, Lot has moved progressively closer to Sodom until he is living there, even sitting in the city gate with the other elders. And Lot’s family has settled in Sodom. Lot’s wife probably has friends and his two daughters have fiancés. Sure, Lot knows about the evil practices of the men of Sodom, but he doesn’t have to participate, does he? Lot has severely compromised himself and endangered his family morally and spiritually as well as physically.

When the two strangers arrived in Sodom, Lot responds appropriately according to the customs of his family. It’s highly significant that nobody else offers these men hospitality but that the men of the city want to rape these strangers, an incredible violation of traditional courtesy. Lot’s guests save him from the wrath of his neighbors and then warn him and his family to flee the city before it is destroyed. Lot and his two daughters escape successfully; however, Lot’s wife straggles behind and becomes a pillar of salt. The Jordan Valley is a northern continuation of the Rift Valley in East Africa. There are strong indications that an earthquake coupled with spontaneous explosions of underground natural gas deposits may have destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah as well as the other cities of the plain. In the beginning, Lot has possessions that rival Abraham’s; now Lot has nothing apart from his two daughters. Sadly, there is nothing to suggest that Lot thanks God for his deliverance. Evidently Lot has left all matters of faith to Uncle Abraham.

Lot first got into trouble because he was greedy and wanted the best grazing land for himself. Had Abraham taken the plain of the Jordan, he might have remained in tents and might have refused to have anything to do with Sodom. But Lot was morally and spiritually weak and succeeded in lying to himself that Sodom wasn’t really THAT bad, even though it was deplorable. Now Lot and his daughters have a little peace; however, they have had to leave the comfort of the city to get it, and Lot has lost his wife in the process.

How much is true peace worth? If we have peace with God, we have everything we need. If we don’t have peace with God, we have nothing, no matter how many possessions we might have or how comfortable our living situation. Sometimes God has to forcibly remove us from bad situations; in that case, we need to cooperate and not drag our feet. Our lives are worth more than any amount of possessions. Lot’s wife died because she didn’t really believe God would destroy Sodom and she was missing her friends.

A few years ago, catastrophic forest fires raged through much of the California mountains. Many people died because they refused to believe that the fire could be so devastating and they hoped to defend their property; meanwhile, planes full of water and fire retardant were failing to control the blaze. May God grant us the wisdom and humility to recognize when He is trying to deliver us from untenable situations and may we cooperate and not drag our feet!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, some of us may find ourselves in terrible situations from which You are trying to deliver us. Help us to listen and to obey, rather than to fight You. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 18:16-33

Abraham Intercedes for Sodom

“When the men got up to leave they looked out over Sodom, and Abraham walked along with them to see them off.

And the LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and through him all the nations of the earth will be blessed. For I have chosen him, so that he will command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, in order that the LORD may bring upon Abraham what He has promised.”

Then the LORD said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great. Because their sin is so grievous, I will go down to see if their actions fully justify the outcry that has reached Me. If not, I will find it.”

And the two men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the LORD.

Abraham stepped forward and said, “Will You really sweep away the righteous with the wicked? What if there are fifty righteous ones in the city? Will You really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous ones who are there? Far be it from You to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?”

So the LORD replied, “If I find fifty righteous ones within the city of Sodom, on their account I will spare the whole place.”

Then Abraham answered, “Now that I have ventured to speak to the Lord—though I am but dust and ashes—suppose the fifty righteous ones lack five. Will you destroy the whole city for the lack of five?”

He replied, “If I find forty-five there, I will not destroy it.”

Once again Abraham spoke to the LORD, “Suppose forty are found there?”

He answered, “On account of the forty, I will not do it.”

Then Abraham said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak further. Suppose thirty are found there?”

He answered, “If I find thirty there, I will not do it.”

And Abraham said, “Now that I have ventured to speak to the Lord, suppose twenty are found there?”

He replied, “On account of the twenty, I will not destroy it.”

Finally, Abraham said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak once more. Suppose ten are found there?”

And He answered, “On account of the ten, I will not destroy it.”

When the LORD had finished speaking with Abraham, He departed, and Abraham returned home.”                                                                                                              

“Should not the Judge of the whole earth do right?” This is Abraham’s question to the Lord, and it is both appropriate and incredibly gutsy. Wherever Abraham is staying, the elevation is sufficient for observers to look out over the lower part of the Jordan Valley, the location of Sodom. Abraham is walking a short distance with his guests to see them off, a practice that remains common both in the Middle East and in Africa. The Lord decides to inform Abraham of his intentions to examine Sodom and possibly to destroy it. Now Abraham finds himself bargaining with the Lord for the lives of the people of Sodom, realizing that if Sodom is destroyed, his nephew Lot will also likely die.

Does God already know what He plans to do? Of course! But God is allowing Abraham to bargain to test Abraham’s character and faith. Abraham demonstrates his confidence in God with this question: “Should not the Judge of the whole earth do right?” By this question, God realizes that Abraham recognizes His sovereignty, His goodness, and His righteousness. God already knows that He will spare Sodom for the sake of ten righteous men; however, He graciously allows Abraham to share in the decision anyway. Is Abraham worried about Lot? Absolutely! But Abraham has put his requests before the Lord and now he must trust the Lord to act righteously. It might never occur to Abraham that there will be fewer than ten righteous men in all of Sodom.

How can Abraham find peace in the face of this impending disaster? Abraham knows that he is dealing with the Judge of the whole world; therefore, he is trusting in God’s righteousness and His mercy. Abraham has spoken with the Lord and has pleaded his case and the Lord has agreed; therefore, Abraham can rest in the knowledge that he has done everything he can for this situation.

Sometimes events overtake us and we must struggle for peace. When the Northern Ethnic Conflict took place in 1994, the area in which we were working was part of the conflict zone. We were in the capital city of Accra and it took two months to return to our station. Once we returned, I had to start operations and blood transfusions. We would awake in the morning to gunfire and listen to determine whether it was a traditional funeral or the military shooting off a few rounds to ensure we knew they were around or if we were under attack. Once assured that we were not under attack, we would have to start our day. We maintained peace through Bible reading and prayer and the knowledge that God had called us to be in that situation and therefore He would have to protect us or allow us to die for Him. There was no point in allowing anxiety to consume us, for that would be a useless exercise, sapping our energies and rendering us unable to help others.

How do you maintain peace in the face of looming disaster? Get to know God and His nature. Abraham knew God and trusted Him. Maintain communication with God through Bible reading and prayer. And remember Abraham’s question: Yes, we can trust the Judge of the whole earth to do right, even when we don’t understand it.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, many of us are struggling in difficult situations and have no peace. Help all who struggle to place their trust in You, for You are the One who gives peace that passes understanding. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.     

Genesis 18:16-33

Abraham Intercedes for Sodom

“When the men got up to leave they looked out over Sodom, and Abraham walked along with them to see them off.

And the LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and through him all the nations of the earth will be blessed. For I have chosen him, so that he will command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, in order that the LORD may bring upon Abraham what He has promised.”

Then the LORD said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great. Because their sin is so grievous, I will go down to see if their actions fully justify the outcry that has reached Me. If not, I will find it.”

And the two men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the LORD.

Abraham stepped forward and said, “Will You really sweep away the righteous with the wicked? What if there are fifty righteous ones in the city? Will You really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous ones who are there? Far be it from You to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?”

So the LORD replied, “If I find fifty righteous ones within the city of Sodom, on their account I will spare the whole place.”

Then Abraham answered, “Now that I have ventured to speak to the Lord—though I am but dust and ashes—suppose the fifty righteous ones lack five. Will you destroy the whole city for the lack of five?”

He replied, “If I find forty-five there, I will not destroy it.”

Once again Abraham spoke to the LORD, “Suppose forty are found there?”

He answered, “On account of the forty, I will not do it.”

Then Abraham said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak further. Suppose thirty are found there?”

He answered, “If I find thirty there, I will not do it.”

And Abraham said, “Now that I have ventured to speak to the Lord, suppose twenty are found there?”

He replied, “On account of the twenty, I will not destroy it.”

Finally, Abraham said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak once more. Suppose ten are found there?”

And He answered, “On account of the ten, I will not destroy it.”

When the LORD had finished speaking with Abraham, He departed, and Abraham returned home.”                                                                                                              

“Should not the Judge of the whole earth do right?” This is Abraham’s question to the Lord, and it is both appropriate and incredibly gutsy. Wherever Abraham is staying, the elevation is sufficient for observers to look out over the lower part of the Jordan Valley, the location of Sodom. Abraham is walking a short distance with his guests to see them off, a practice that remains common both in the Middle East and in Africa. The Lord decides to inform Abraham of his intentions to examine Sodom and possibly to destroy it. Now Abraham finds himself bargaining with the Lord for the lives of the people of Sodom, realizing that if Sodom is destroyed, his nephew Lot will also likely die.

Does God already know what He plans to do? Of course! But God is allowing Abraham to bargain to test Abraham’s character and faith. Abraham demonstrates his confidence in God with this question: “Should not the Judge of the whole earth do right?” By this question, God realizes that Abraham recognizes His sovereignty, His goodness, and His righteousness. God already knows that He will spare Sodom for the sake of ten righteous men; however, He graciously allows Abraham to share in the decision anyway. Is Abraham worried about Lot? Absolutely! But Abraham has put his requests before the Lord and now he must trust the Lord to act righteously. It might never occur to Abraham that there will be fewer than ten righteous men in all of Sodom.

How can Abraham find peace in the face of this impending disaster? Abraham knows that he is dealing with the Judge of the whole world; therefore, he is trusting in God’s righteousness and His mercy. Abraham has spoken with the Lord and has pleaded his case and the Lord has agreed; therefore, Abraham can rest in the knowledge that he has done everything he can for this situation.

Sometimes events overtake us and we must struggle for peace. When the Northern Ethnic Conflict took place in 1994, the area in which we were working was part of the conflict zone. We were in the capital city of Accra and it took two months to return to our station. Once we returned, I had to start operations and blood transfusions. We would awake in the morning to gunfire and listen to determine whether it was a traditional funeral or the military shooting off a few rounds to ensure we knew they were around or if we were under attack. Once assured that we were not under attack, we would have to start our day. We maintained peace through Bible reading and prayer and the knowledge that God had called us to be in that situation and therefore He would have to protect us or allow us to die for Him. There was no point in allowing anxiety to consume us, for that would be a useless exercise, sapping our energies and rendering us unable to help others.

How do you maintain peace in the face of looming disaster? Get to know God and His nature. Abraham knew God and trusted Him. Maintain communication with God through Bible reading and prayer. And remember Abraham’s question: Yes, we can trust the Judge of the whole earth to do right, even when we don’t understand it.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, many of us are struggling in difficult situations and have no peace. Help all who struggle to place their trust in You, for You are the One who gives peace that passes understanding. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.     

Genesis 18:1-15 The Three Visitors

“Then the LORD appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre in the heat of the day, while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent. And Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.

“My lord,” said Abraham, “if I have found favor in your sight, please do not pass your servant by. Let a little water be brought, that you may wash your feet and rest yourselves under the tree. And I will bring a bit of bread so that you may refresh yourselves. This is why you have passed your servant’s way. After that, you may continue on your way.”

“Yes,” they replied, “you may do as you have said.”

So Abraham hurried into the tent and said to Sarah, “Quick! Prepare three seahs of fine flour, knead it, and bake some bread.”

Meanwhile, Abraham ran to the herd, selected a tender, choice calf, and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it. Then Abraham brought curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and he set them before the men and stood by them under the tree as they ate.

Sarah Laughs at the Promise

“Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked.

“There, in the tent,” he replied.

Then the LORD said, “I will surely return to you at this time next year, and your wife Sarah will have a son!”

Now Sarah was behind him, listening at the entrance to the tent. And Abraham and Sarah were already old and well along in years. Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. So she laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?”

And the LORD asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Can I really bear a child when I am old?’ Is anything too difficult for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you—in about a year—and Sarah will have a son.”

But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh.” For she was afraid. “No,” replied the LORD, “but you did laugh.”

First, this passage is a lovely description of traditional hospitality, a tradition that continues up to today. As soon as Abraham sees the three strangers (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit?), he urges them to rest, wash their feet, refresh themselves, and eat something. Then Abraham swiftly arranges for bread from the best flour and roasted veal from a choice calf, all the time describing these offerings in modest terms. Not only does Abraham make all these arrangements, but he also stands under the tree by his guests as they are eating and drinking so that he can serve them. Abraham doesn’t delegate this responsibility to one of the household servants but reserves it for himself, demonstrating his courtesy and humility.

Although God has previously promised Abraham a son, he now repeats that promise in Sarah’s hearing. Sarah’s reaction is similar to Abraham’s, she laughs to herself. But the Lord knows that Sarah is laughing and reassures her that He has heard and that Abraham and she will have a son, no matter how crazy the idea seems. Is God angry with Sarah for laughing? No. God has already determined that this promised son will be named “Isaac,” or “he laughs.”

As we read this story, we must remember that God truly loves Abraham and Sarah and wants wonderful things for them. God is not offended by their shock and surprise or by their laughter; in fact, He goes along with the joke by the name He orders to be given to their son. God has a great sense of humor, something humans fail to realize. If God did not have a great sense of humor and was not incredibly patient, He would never be able to put up with us.

This story is also important because it illustrates the close relationship Abraham has with God. Even though there are three men, Abraham knows he is hosting God; he has spent enough time worshiping and praying to sense God’s presence.

The more time we spend with God and the more time we spend in His Word, the more readily we will know when we are in His Presence. And the longer we spend in God’s presence, the more peace we will have, even when things are difficult. There is a trite saying that “If God brings you to it, He can bring you through it.” It’s a sad mistake to dismiss the truth of this statement because it appears so simple. Many times, we find ourselves in impossible situations, surrounded by insurmountable difficulties. Those situations are precisely the ones in which God can show up and deliver us.

How can you develop intimacy with God? Study His Word. Spend time being quiet and asking God to reveal Himself to you. You will never be disappointed; however, God generally speaks very quietly, so don’t expect lots of drama. Ask God to help you hear His Voice. The more you listen, the more peace you will have.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to become as close to You as Abraham was so that we may have Your peace. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.  

Abraham to Father Many Nations
“When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty. Walk before Me and be blameless. I will establish My covenant between Me and you, and I will multiply you exceedingly.”
Then Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, “As for Me, this is My covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram(Exalted Father), but your name will be Abraham(Father of Many), for I have made you a father of many nations.
I will make you exceedingly fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will descend from you. I will establish My covenant as an everlasting covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. And to you and your descendants I will give the land where you are residing—all the land of Canaan—as an eternal possession; and I will be their God.”
The Covenant of Circumcision (Leviticus 12:1-8; Joshua 5:1-9; Acts 15:1-4)
God also said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep My covenant, you and your descendants for the generations to come. This is My covenant with you and your descendants after you, which you are to keep: Every male among you must be circumcised. You are to circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and this will be a sign of the covenant between Me and you.
Generation after generation, every male must be circumcised when he is eight days old, including those born in your household and those purchased from a foreigner—even those who are not your offspring. Whether they are born in your household or purchased, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh will be an everlasting covenant. But if any male is not circumcised, he will be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.”
Then God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, do not call her Sarai, for her name is to be Sarah.(Princess) And I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will descend from her.”
Abraham fell facedown. Then he laughed and said to himself, “Can a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Can Sarah give birth at the age of ninety?” And Abraham said to God, “O that Ishmael might live under Your blessing!”
But God replied, “Your wife Sarah will indeed bear you a son, and you are to name him Isaac(He Laughs). I will establish My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. As for Ishmael, I have heard you, and I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. He will become the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation. But I will establish My covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this time next year.”
When He had finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him.

On that very day Abraham took his son Ishmael and all those born in his household or purchased with his money—every male among the members of Abraham’s household—and he circumcised them, just as God had told him. So Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised, and his son Ishmael was thirteen; Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised on the same day. And all the men of Abraham’s household—both servants born in his household and those purchased from foreigners—were circumcised with him.”

Abram is 99 years old and Sarai is 89. Suddenly, God shows up, gives them new names, and announces that next year they are going to be parents and that it will be a boy! Talk about your reveal parties! Of course, there’s one small item: Abraham and every male member of his household and all his male descendants from this time forth must be circumcised as a sign of the blood covenant between God and Abraham. Abraham is so blown away by this news that all he can do is fall facedown and laugh, at which point, God informs Abraham that the boy’s name will be Isaac, meaning “He laughs.”

What’s in a name? Although Abram means “Exalted Father,” God re-names him Abraham, meaning “father of many.” The name “Sarai” means “princess” in the dialect of Ur; however, God renames her “Sarah” which means “princess” in the Canaanite dialect, indicating that Sarah will now be a princess in this new land. Traditionally, names have always meant something. My names in English mean “God’s favor” and “Grace.” I now have a Ghanaian namesake whose parents have given her the local name “Wunpini,” meaning “God’s gift.” God renames Abram and Sarai as signs of the coming fulfillment of His promise.

Notice that Abram, now Abraham, circumcises himself and all the males of his household, even though Sarah is not yet pregnant. Abraham is acting on faith that God is going to fulfill His promise. Abraham is being obedient, one of the qualities God prizes the most in those who follow Him. By this act of obedience, Abraham is saying, “All right, God, I am doing my part; now please bring Your promises to pass.”

Notice something else: God does not punish Abraham for laughing; however, he does take Abraham’s laughter and enshrine it in the name of the promised son, Isaac. Abraham has done everything God has asked him to do in preparation for Isaac’s birth. Now all that is left is for Abraham and Sarah to sleep together so Sarah can become pregnant. How many times will Abraham and Sarah laugh as they urge their elderly bodies to perform? There’s going to be a lot of laughter in that household before Sarah’s abdomen begins to swell.

One of the many important lessons from this story is that obedience to God brings peace. As I am writing these words, I have been deputizing for our hospital General Manager for two weeks and I have another week yet to go. My colleague doctor tragically lost a brother a few days ago, and he is tied up with family responsibilities. A district hospital near us has been facing a number of challenges, forcing them to refer all their surgical emergencies to us. Counting the population of those two districts plus those across the River Oti, at the moment, I am the only surgeon for roughly 200,000 people. Am I tired? You bet! But I am trusting that the God who has brought us here will give me the strength to continue. I have peace because I am not trusting in myself, but in God.

Perhaps you too find yourself in a more than demanding situation, busier than a one-armed paper hanger. (Try hanging wall paper with one hand and you will see what I am talking about-it’s impossible.) But if God has called you into your current situation, God can give you the strength to endure it and peace while you are enduring.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, Many of us feel overwhelmed by responsibilities. But You are the One who can give strength to endure and peace in the midst of trials. Help us to trust You and to look to You for both strength and peace. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 16:1- 16 “Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. And she had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar. So Sarai said to Abram, “See now, the Lord has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai. Then Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar her maid, the Egyptian, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan. So he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress became despised in her eyes.

Then Sarai said to Abram,  “My wrong be upon you! I gave my maid into your embrace; and when she saw that she had conceived, I became despised in her eyes. The Lord judge between you and me.”

So Abram said to Sarai, “Indeed your maid is in your hand; do to her as you please.” And when Sarai dealt harshly with her, she fled from her presence.

Now the Angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur. And He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where have you come from, and where are you going?”

She said, “I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.”

The Angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hand.” Then the Angel of the Lord said to her, “I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be counted for multitude.” And the Angel of the Lord said to her: “Behold, you are with child, and you shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael (meaning “God will hear”) because the Lord has heard your affliction.  He shall be a wild man; his hand shall be against every man, and every man’s hand against him. And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.”

Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, “Have I also here seen Him who sees me?” Therefore the well was called Beer Lahai Roi; observe, it is between Kadesh and Bered.

So Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram named his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.”

In many respects, this is a horrible story. Although this passage refers to Hagar as a maid servant, she is actually a slave and bound to do whatever her master and mistress command. Undoubtedly, Abram has hurried home to inform Sarai of all the promises that God has made. Knowing that her body is past the age of child-bearing, Sarai cannot imagine any other means by which Abram will father children apart from taking her servant as a junior wife. Of course, nobody asks Hagar for her input, despite the fact that Sarai is commanding her to have sex with 86-year-old Abram. (Abram is probably secretly thrilled.)

Perhaps Hagar hopes this change in status will improve her situation; at any rate, Abram impregnates Hagar and hell literally breaks loose. Suddenly, Hagar has the advantage over Sarai, and she is foolish enough to attempt to flaunt it. If Hagar suffers morning sickness, she makes sure that Sarai understands she is vomiting because she is PREGNANT!!! When Hagar’s pregnancy begins to show, she wears the tightest clothing possible to show off her expanding abdomen, literally waving the pregnancy in Sarai’s face. When Sarai tries to give Hagar an order, Hagar ignores her and flounces off in another direction. If Sarai confronts Hagar, Hagar gives her backchat, mocking her. Now Sarai begins to bitterly regret her decision; however, rather than taking responsibility, Sarai blames Abram. Flushed with the knowledge that at 86 he is still potent, Abram refuses to mediate between Sarai and Hagar but rather allows Sarai full reign.

 Does Sarai beat Hagar, or simply make life difficult for her? All we know is that Hagar runs off into the wilderness rather than remain in this situation. Hagar is sitting by a spring when the Angel of the Lord confronts her and orders her to go back, promising her that the boy she carries in her womb will also become a great nation. Hagar is to name the boy Ishmael, meaning “God will hear.” Hagar does return to Sarai and Abram and delivers Ishmael. We have no idea how Hagar behaves after Ishmael’s birth, but it’s likely that she continues to harass Sarai in small ways.

What’s wrong with this picture? Neither Abram nor Sarai trust God to give them offspring unless Abram has sex with a younger woman. While God is planning a major miracle, Abram and Sarai are trying to act as amateur providences, bringing about God’s promises by their own efforts. The problem is that this kind of thing always leads to disaster. Eventually, Ishmael becomes the father of the Arab world, proving that God’s promises remain valid, even when we make mistakes. But the conflict between Sarai and Hagar doesn’t disappear; it merely reduces to a lower level. If Abram and Sarai think they are going to have peace in the household by allowing Abram to take Hagar as a junior wife, they are quite wrong!

Even though Abram is referred to as a man of great faith, at this point his faith isn’t big enough to conceive of the idea that his elderly wife might become pregnant. Sarai has even less faith than Abram does, and she’s desperate to retain Abram’s love by any means necessary. This story also graphically depicts some of the problems in polygamous marriages. Here in Ghana, polygamy is relatively common, and I have heard many women refer to the other wife or wives as “my rival” or “my rivals.” Women are driven to do desperate things to ensure that their children will be catered for by their father, and woe betide the children of an unfavorite wife! Favorite wives enjoy fine clothing and good accommodation while unfavorite wives struggle for survival.  We have personally witnessed a businessman forcing one of his wives to stand in the compound in the noonday sun for nearly two hours begging for money for her children’s school fees; yet, this same man will boast of the number of children he has fathered.

If you want peace, you must do things God’s way and in His timing. You cannot force God. There are stories circulating of misguided people who have tried to help large moths out of the chrysalises by slitting them open, only to find that the moths need the struggle to develop their wings. God has His perfect timing for Abram and Sarai’s miracle child to be born, but the time has yet to arrive. Now a household that was relatively peaceful has turned into a battleground.

Perhaps you feel God is leading you in a certain direction and you are tempted to take shortcuts. Don’t! If God has promised you something, God will fulfill that promise, but He will do it in His time and not yours.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to remain patient, even when the answer to Your promises seem to delay. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.