January 20 – Genesis 25-26

Today’s reading comes from Genesis 25-26. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read his word.

Apologies for missing yesterday’s thoughts on the blog. We had a rough previous night with Alivia sick and I simply got out of bed without much time to get ready and leave and failed to write out my thoughts.

Today’s reading reminds me of family. Abraham started out without any children. First his wife Sarah gives her maidservant to have a child with, which he does and Ishmael is born. Then Abraham and Sarah have a child, Isaac. Following Sarah’s death Abraham remarries and six more sons are born. Out of the sons listed one name stands out to me … Midian.

Abraham’s family tree is growing. The son of the promise, born to Abraham and Sarah, Isaac, has children with his wife … two sons … Esau and Jacob. Ishmael has sons of his own … twelve to be exact. Esau and his brother have sons themselves. Slowly the promise of decedents as numerous as the stars in the sky and sand on the seashore is beginning to take place.

For some of these names this is a simple listing, something we normally quickly read over. But if we pay attention to the names, they have some importance later in God’s Story. This is not the last time we encounter the Ishmaelite’s … when Jacob’s sons sell their brother Joseph it is to a group of Ishmaelite’s. When the Israelites return to the promise land, one of the groups they face is the Midianites.

Because of the sin in Abraham’s life, especially sleeping with his maidservant, the consequences are something his decedents have to battle with for years to come. Is there a sin in your life that you have received forgiveness for, but is something you are still dealing with the consequences of? Is there a sin in your life now that you can wipe out so the consequences would not be felt by your family for generations to come? Pray that God would give you the strength to overcome them.