Abraham's Blessing - Goes Around, Comes Around

"Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house ... And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee - Genesis 12:1-3

Perhaps most controversial of "Abraham's Blessing" is God's promise to actually bless and curse others according to their actions towards his people.

I have, actually, witnessed this. When people are kind to the followers of Christ their own lives go better.¹ Those who make one of God's children, the poor, or widows cry don't last long.²

When even fellow believers hurt each other, they only end up hurting themselves. I don't respond well to those who hurt my children or when my children hurt each other; I don't think God does, either.

Our response, even when hurt, is not to be vengeful but to offer a blessing³ and get out of the way - it is God who takes care of us.⁴

- fritz

^{1 - Matthew 10:42 - Even a cup of cold water
2 - Proverbs 23:10-11
3 - Luke 6:28 - Bless those that curse you
4 - Romans 12:19 - God repays, not us}

Shouting

Chilean minors, once thought dead, captive under ground for over a month are rescued to shouts of joy. Expected - their captivity is over!

50,000 football fans shouting in the stadium, perhaps just as many shouting in their homes at the TV screen. Why? They like the game, it is fun to shout and be emotionally engaged. Expected, they enjoy the game!

To remaining quiet in either scenario is a sign of disinterest, perhaps even being cold hearted.

Realizing what God has done should, similarly, evoke a shout or two!

"But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee." - Psalm 5:11

"LET" - meaning something that would occur if not prevented.

I learn at least three (3) things from this passage:

1. Church doesn't have to be quiet to be respectful, we should let it be a little noisy sometimes;
2. God's salvation is a "Know-So!" kind - knowing, now, we are released from guilt, the captivity of obsessions, and a certain fate worse than death¹;
3. Following God is expected to be an enjoyable experience, even through difficulties² - if our walk is not joyful we need to find out why.

I think I'll go shout for a while!

- fritz

^{1 - Matthew 10:28
2 - Philippians 4:7}

Death and Perishing, not the same thing

"...and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake. But there shall not an hair of your head perish. In your patience possess ye your souls." - Luke 21:16b-19 (KJV)

Jesus predicts a time of difficulty, but what strikes me is the fact that, in Jesus' world view, "death" and "perishing" are NOT the same thing.

That's curious - How can a person die yet not a hair of the head perish?!

Either this is an idiom for saying everything will turn out all right for the believer (good to know in a time of crisis), or it tells us two (2) other important things:

1) We need to adopt a broader viewpoint on life than the current one that starts at birth and ends when we expire (Matthew 10:28-30);

2) God cares more about our physical bodies than we give Him credit for (Romans 8:11)(Job 19:26).