Thursday, 2 July 2009

Some precepts...

When doing Precepts bible study, every so often you are encouraged to keep a 'Journal on God' and make notes about his character and other attributes as you see them in the text you are studying. I am not very good at noticing things and am always amazed at how others notice how something shows this side of God's character etc etc...so here are a few notes from Genesis 26. If you are familiar with the story, it is when Isaac goes to Gerar and says Rebekah is his sister instead of his wife (sounds strangely similar to his father Abraham, did the same thing a few chapters back, to the same guy Abimelech...kids never learn eh). God also makes promises to Isaac (again sounding fairly identical to the ones he made to Abraham). Check it out if you have time...
Here is what I learnt about God (how exciting) -
  • Ch26 v2. When there is a famine God appears to Isaac. God shows up when you need him, when you are hungry. He shows up and he gives direction.
  • v12 God keeps his promises. He promised to bless Isaac in v3 and delivers in v12. The Lord blessed him. Isaac reaped a hundredfold of what he sowed that year, became rich and then very wealthy. Sometimes I feel guilty for all the lovely things we are surrounded by here so I think it is important to note that God sometimes blesses in this way, and we should say Thankyou Lord :)
  • After an unsettling time in Gerar (herdsmen fighting over wells and what-not) God appears to repeat his promises and reassure Isaac, v24. God knows what is going on in your life on an individual level, and cares about it. Amazing!
  • Last point is not so much something we learn about God but a challenge...Abimelech noticed that the Lord was with Isaac. v28 They said, 'We see plainly that the Lord has been with you... When was the last time someone noticed this about you?

I have probably only scratched the surface here of deeper stuff, and hopefully not taken anything out of context, or concluded something that is incorrect. So please let me know if you have anything to add or comment on.