Keep going serving the King even if it seems like the foundations of everything are being destroyed. That's what it seemed like to Jesus, but he kept going and finished the work he had to do, rising from the dead.
God is faithful even when we are faithless - he cannot deny himself. Abraham has very little, but powerful people realise God is with him. Abraham looked forward in faith to a lasting city, the new heavens and earth, whose builder and architect is God.
Paul tells us in Galatians 4 what Moses wanted us to understand about Hagar and Sarah. Hagar stands for trying to save yourself. One had faith in Jesus and was saved.
Sadly not everyone wants Jesus - Ishmael didn't. But even then the LORD is kind and wants Ishmael to see and believe. Will we see and believe in this kind God who rescues and saves?
Jesus brings joy. He shows us that God keeps his promises. He is the answer to every promise. May he help us to be joyful even in tough times.
The patience of the LORD with us even when we repeat the same failings. Jesus prays for us, knowing what it is like to be tempted, yet he never once sinned!
We can blot out the sun by holding a 5p in front of our eye. We do that with God when people and problems can seem like giants and we doubt and do the wrong thing. May he help us to remember and do the right thing, trusting in Jesus.
The Bible certainly isn't a boring book. God's friend Abraham had prayed for Lot to be rescued. Lot was rescued and then this happens! Yet, even in this God is working out his plan to save the world through Jesus!
The LORD is so kind in rescuing us - it's all his doing! May we love Jesus more than we love anything else and keep trusting him.
God does what is right - he is fair and he shows us just how fair he is. We can trust him with justice. We can pray that he will deliver us from evil - and he will!
Abraham is being like Jesus, not self-focused but praying for others. Abraham knows what the LORD is like - he is big in mercy - and so he teaches us how to pray.
God is humble. He comes down because he wants to be known. Jesus eats and drinks with sinners.
Nothing is impossible with God - a child to old Sarah (and Abraham). Even a virgin birth to Mary many years later. We get to pray to God Almighty and ask for help in whatever situation we are in, following the example of Jesus.
The LORD is absolutely relentless in working out his plan. It's always Plan A - God living with his people in a world full of life. He makes promises and he keeps them...for ever!
May we be like Hagar and see the LORD who sees us. He comes looking for us. What a wonderful thing it is to be known and loved.
Wow! God really is committed to keeping his promise to rescue and save his people and his creation. So committed that he gives his only Son, Jesus who laid down his life to save us.
Abram had a Protector who one day will live with Abram and all his people - this great number of people like the stars in the sky that are just too many to count. Abram was made right with God through trusting in Jesus. May we be like Abram and say to the LORD, "I believe, help my unbelief".
Be like Jesus and be willing to forgive and help others. How kind God is to give us the privilege of serving him and being useful even after we fail him so many times. And we have a high priest forever who has dealt with our sin forever!
War is so sad and there is so much of it. The city of Babylon leads this war. It's in the Bible because Lot is involved and he is one of God's people. The LORD cares passionately for his people. Next time we will meet a king of peace in this story who reminds us that Jesus is the heaven born Prince of Peace.
Abram shows us what Jesus is like by giving rather than grasping. Lot chooses to live away from the LORD and it ends up costing him a great deal.