To: en & others
My dear children,
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever, Amen! (gal 1:3-5).
I am learning some nice greetings from the epistle writers, whot!
Today we join Abraham at a well. Gen 21:22- 34.
The opening verse of this passage tells us that Abimelech recognised the Godliness of Abraham. Abimelech says, "God is with you in every thing you do." How did Abimelech know this? Surely this was from the way Abraham lived, walking before God and being blameless (Gen 17:1). We who bear the name of Christ, we the children of God, do we walk before God? Do we live blameless lives? Surely God wants us to. Will other people looking at us see us as similar self centred people, or will they see us as children of the light. Are all those words of confession and repentance said in our hearts reflected in our lives? What sort of plant or tree are we? Jesus says "Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognised by its fruit." (Matt 12:33). And we know that the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control (Gal 5:22-23).
"God is with you in every thing you do." Is that how our non-Christian friends see us? I pray for the Kingdom's sake that we do bear the fruit.
Abimelech asks for a promise of fair treatment and Abraham agrees (23,24). A misunderstanding over a well is settled and a covenant is made (25-31). The place is named "Beersheba which means well of seven or well of oaths). We learn later that Abraham returns to this site after he was tested by God with Isaac on the altar to be sacrificed (Gen 22:19)
What is significant to me is the planting of a tree (pausing at markerpoints) and there Abraham called upon the name of the Lord, The Eternal One "El Olam", The Everlasting God". So too we should pause at significant events in our lives and call upon the name of the Lord. How should we address God our Father? In awe and wonder, in intimacy and respect. I find it a great privilege to call Him in the name that the OT Hebrews called him, El Olam, as in Gen 21:33, meaning Eternal one or Everlasting God. To get a peek of what it is like to see the Almighty, we turn to Isaiah 6:1-4.
Shall we pray:
From: Su Min
Subject: Beersheba
Heavenly Father, thank you for accepting us as your children.
Love dad
Thank you for giving us your word, that we may learn of you and know you.
We call you, El Olam, Eternal One, Everlasting God.
We call you God Most High, God Almighty, El-Shaddai, Jehovah Jireh, The Lord Who Provides.
Father, let us indeed join the Seraphs in singing "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory."
Amen.
For any comments or enquiries please write to Dr. Lim Su Min
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