October 17 - Honest about Who I Am

Today's Reading:
Gen. 32:22-32
"Jacob Wrestles with God"

Focus Verses: Genesis 32:24-28
24 So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob's hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. 26 Then the man said, "Let me go, for it is daybreak." But Jacob replied, "I will not let you go unless you bless me." 27 The man asked him, "What is your name?" "Jacob," he answered. 28 Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome."

Insight:
Jacob was afraid to face his brother, Esau, because he had stolen his blessing by deceiving their father, Isaac. Many years earlier, when Jacob gone to his father to steal the blessing, Isaac asked, "Who is it?" Jacob lied to his father and said, "It's your son, Esau." That lie and the bitterness it caused made it necessary for Jacob to run for his life. Esau wanted to kill him.

In today's reading, an older and wiser Jacob returns to his homeland and prepares himself to face Esau. He spends a sleepless night wrestling with God--a struggle to submit to God and to trust God's promise to bless him.

As Jacob wrestled with the man (some sort of vision or representation of God), he said, "I won't let go unless you bless me." The man said, "What is your name?" Years ago when his aged father had asked the same question, he lied. This time he answered, "Jacob." He admitted that he was a "schemer," a "heel grabber" who had pushed and pulled with God and men his whole life.

God knocked Jacob's hip out of joint and gave him a new name, Israel, which means "one who struggles with God." This is the great struggle we all face--faith in God vs. faith in self. Jacob discovered that walking with a limp actually made it easier for him to walk by faith.

Response and Action:
I need to be honest about who I am. What are the ways I struggle with God? What am I trying to do in my own strength and my own wisdom? How is that struggle keeping me from truly living by faith in God? What strengths are getting in the way of trust? I need to earnestly seek and believe he rewards those who seek him. I need to recognize my need for God and surrender my life to his care and guidance.

O God, help me to be honest with you and with myself. Help me to trust you with all my heart and not lean on my own understanding. Help me to acknowledge you in all my ways. If my strengths get in the way of my faith, O God, by your grace and mercy I ask you to turn them to weakness. Better still, give me the humility to see every strength as a gift from you to be used for your purposes and for your glory. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

Proverb for Today: Prov. 17:24
“A discerning man keeps wisdom in view, but a fool's eyes wander to the ends of the earth.”

New Testament for Today: Hebrews 12:11-12
11No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. 12Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.
In Context: Hebrews 12:1-12

Resources:
Following After God
by Daniel Hill

October 16 - Praying the Promises

Today's Reading:
Genesis 32:1-21
"Jacob Prepares to Meet Esau"

Focus Verses: Genesis 32:9-12
9 Then Jacob prayed, "O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, O LORD, who said to me, 'Go back to your country and your relatives, and I will make you prosper,' 10 I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant. I had only my staff when I crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two groups. 11 Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid he will come and attack me, and also the mothers with their children. 12 But you have said, 'I will surely make you prosper and will make your descendants like the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted.' "

Insight:
Jacob had fled his father's house because he feared for his life. Now, many years later, the thought of facing his estranged brother, Esau, still put fear into his heart. Jacob began thinking of anything he could do to prevent or survive an attack by Esau. More importantly, he cried out to God for help.

Jacob believed God had called him to return to Canaan, and that God had promised to protect and prosper him if he obeyed. Now, as he approached Edom, with the very real threat of Esau's revenge, he was afraid for his life and the lives of his family members. He had come to the point where he was absolutely dependent upon God's faithfulness. He reminded himself of all God had promised, and he recounted those promises in his prayer.

Response and Action:
I need to believe in God and obey him in order to experience his faithfulness to me. Living by faith will likely put me in situations where I am understandably afraid and unsure about what lies ahead. In those times, I will cry out to God and recount God's promises to me.

O God, help me to walk with you in the light of your word. Shine the light of your truth on my way. Where you send, I will go. What you say, I will do. Even if I am fearful, I will trust and obey. Give me the peace of Christ to guard my heart and mind. Every step of my life's journey, remind me of your promises, you faithfulness, and your love. Amen.

Proverb for Today: Prov. 16:9
"In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps."

New Testament for Today: Hebrews 12:2,3
2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
In Context: Hebrews 12:1-12

Resources:
Following After God
by Daniel Hill

October 15 - Trusting God through Change

Today's Reading:
Gen. 31:22-55
"Laban Pursues Jacob"

Focus Verses: Genesis 31:45-49
45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar. 46 He said to his relatives, "Gather some stones." So they took stones and piled them in a heap, and they ate there by the heap. 47 Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, and Jacob called it Galeed. 48 Laban said, "This heap is a witness between you and me today." That is why it was called Galeed. 49 It was also called Mizpah, because he said, "May the LORD keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other."

Insight:
It's difficult to navigate through the changes in life. Laban and Jacob had both cheated and benefited each other. They needed each other, but they both wanted to be free from each other too. Now they were at a decisive point of separation.

Neither one of them fully trusted each other (with good reason), but they promised each other, before God, that neither of them would harm the other. Jacob would take care of Laban's daughters and grandchildren. Laban would release, pursue them no further, and do them no wrong. As a sign and a reminder of their promises to each other, Jacob and Laban made a pile of stones.

Response and Action:
Our lives are bound up and interwoven with the lives of others, but there are times when we must face and accept changes in those relationships. Our children grow up and leave home and start making their own choices and living by their own values. Our friendships go through changes because our life circumstances change (jobs, health, location, responsibilities).

Ultimately, we have to live our own lives before God. We all need to commit ourselves to be good to each other and trust God to keep watch over us. I need to yield myself to God and trust him with the changes in my life instead of trying to control things beyond my control. Rather than letting life changes destroy relationships, I want to accept changes, to trust others, and to trust God. When I reach decisive milestones in my relationships with others, it might be helpful for me to do something special to mark those changes and help me remember them before God.

O God, teach me to trust you with every change in life. Give me a heart that desires what is best for others. Stop me from taking any action or saying any word that would destroy a friendship or hurt a relationship. Help me to treat others with the same grace and freedom I would want them to treat me. Remind me of your faithfulness and increase my faith. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

Proverb for Today: Prov. 15:3
"The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good."

New Testament for Today: Matthew 7:12
12So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
In Context: Matthew 7

Resources:
Down-To-Earth Spirituality: Encountering God in the Ordinary, Boring Stuff of Life
by R. Paul Stevens

Reading Schedule for October 15 - 20

Oct. 15 - Gen. 31:22-55
Oct. 16 - Gen. 32:1-21
Oct. 17 - Gen. 32:22-32
Oct. 18 - Gen. 33:1-20
Oct. 19 - Gen. 35:1-15
Oct. 20 - Gen. 37:1-36



You're invited to read through the Bible with Dave Burkum. Six readings each week will take you through key scripture passages from Genesis through Revelation. Click here to download your copy of the Useful Breath Reading Schedule for 2007-08.

October 13 - Recognizing God's Provision

Today's Reading:
Gen. 31:1-21
"Jacob Flees from Laban"

Focus Verses: Genesis 31:13
13 'I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and where you made a vow to me. Now leave this land at once and go back to your native land.'

Insight:
Despite his Uncle Laban's attempts to keep him in servitude, Jacob had prospered. He had done so well, in fact, that Laban developed a bad attitude toward him.

Jacob remembered the promise God had made to him at Bethel--to take care of him and bring him back to the land promised to Abraham. Jacob acknowledged God's provision as the reason for his success, and now believed God was telling him to make the big move and leave Laban.

In a sense, it was time for him to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather Abraham. He felt the pressure to get away from Laban, but he must have also felt the pull of stepping out in faith to claim God's promise.

Response and Action:
I want to recognize the many ways God provides for me. I want to be ready to step out in faith to claim God's promises for me.

O God, help me to recognize your hand in every blessing of my life. Give me the courage to step out in faith, believing you will keep your promises to me. Help me to trust in your faithfulness. Help me to delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your name. Amen.

Proverb for Today: Prov. 13:11
"Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow."

New Testament for Today: Philippians 4:19
19And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
In Context: Philippians 4:6-20

Resources:
Down-To-Earth Spirituality: Encountering God in the Ordinary, Boring Stuff of Life
by R. Paul Stevens

October 12 - God's Design in the Details

Today's Reading:
Gen. 29:31 – 30:24
"Jacob's Children"

Focus Verses: Genesis 29:31-32
31 When the LORD saw that Leah was not loved, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. 32 Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, "It is because the LORD has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now."

Insight:
The interpersonal dynamics of living in Jacob's house were, shall we say, a bit complex. Today's scripture reading doesn't present a pretty picture. The lives of Jacob and his family were strained and clouded by the competition for love, the need to be valued, the desire to have children, the struggle for dominance, and the fatigue of just trying to get along with each other.

It's amazing to realize that beneath all of their domestic strife and dysfunction, God was building a nation. This messy story of a polygamous family is the beginnings of the twelve tribes of Israel. While Jacob, his wives, and his children were consumed with their own daily needs and affairs (not one of them says anything that indicates they were thinking about God's covenant or ultimate purposes for them), God was working to build a nation through whom he would bring the Messiah, through whom he would bring salvation to the world.

Response and Action:
I need to remember that God is at work in the messy details of my daily life. I want to be more aware of the God's bigger purposes for my life in the world. I don't want to be so preoccupied with the details of my life that they become trivialities. I want to see God's design in the details. I want to cultivate a daily awareness of God's bigger purpose and plan for me.

O God, you have given me life and you have a plan for my life. Help me to set my mind on things above, not on earthly things. Give me eyes that see past the temporary affairs of today to eternal things. Help me to put first the things that last. Amen.

Proverb for Today: Prov. 12:15
"The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice."

New Testament for Today: Romans 8:28
28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
In Context: Romans 8:28-39

Resources:
Down-To-Earth Spirituality: Encountering God in the Ordinary, Boring Stuff of Life
by R. Paul Stevens

October 11 - The Schemer Gets Outschemed

Today's Reading:Gen. 29:1-30
"Jacob, Laban, Rachel and Leah"
Focus Verses: Genesis 27:18-19
22 So Laban brought together all the people of the place and gave a feast. 23 But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and Jacob lay with her. 24 And Laban gave his servant girl Zilpah to his daughter as her maidservant. 25 When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? I served you for Rachel, didn't I? Why have you deceived me?" 26 Laban replied, "It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one. 27 Finish this daughter's bridal week; then we will give you the younger one also, in return for another seven years of work."

Insight:
The story of Jacob's arrival in Paddan Aram is very reminiscent of the trip Abraham's servant made to get a wife for Isaac (Jacob's mother). It doesn't take long to see that Jacob had met his match in Uncle Laban. No wonder Abraham was against his son, Isaac, going back to Haran, and forbade his servant from taking him there.

Abraham's wise servant managed to accomplish his mission and return home. Jacob, however, impulsively signed up for seven years of service and got hoodwinked into fourteen years. As I read the story, I find it almost comical to hear Jacob say to Laban, "What have you done? Why have you deceived me?"

The deceiver was outdeceived by Laban. Will Jacob's dealings with his conniving uncle teach him anything about trusting God? Will he learn to rely on God more than his own wits?

Response and Action:
I want to rely on God for my life and my direction in life. I need more than my wits, I need his wisdom. I want to integrity more than ingenuity. I want to delight and walk in God's ways so I don't have to learn everything the hard way.
O God, show me you ways. Guide me in your truth and lead me. Help me to trust in you with all my heart, and not depend on my own strength and understanding. I want to acknowledge you, and my need for you, in every day and every way. Amen.
Proverb for Today: Prov. 11:3
"The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity."

New Testament for Today: 1 Corinthians 3:19-20
18Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a "fool" so that he may become wise.19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight. As it is written: "He catches the wise in their craftiness"; 20and again, "The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile."
In Context: 1 Corinthians 3

October 10 - Waking Up to God's Presence

Today's Reading:
Gen. 27:41-46; 28:10-22
"Jacob Flees and Dreams about God"

Focus Verses: Genesis 28:18-19
15 "I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you."

Insight:
Jacob's maneuvering and manipulation had provoked his brother Esau to the point of violence. Esau had begun to comfort himself with the thought of killing Jacob some time after his father Isaac died. In fear for his life, his mother sent him away to stay with her brother.

One night on his journey, Jacob had a dream. He saw a stairway extending down to earth from heaven. From the top of the stairs he heard the voice of the Lord--the God of his fathers, Abraham and Isaac. The Lord promised to watch over him, protect him, prosper him, restore him, and above all to bless all peoples on the earth through him.

Jacob was amazed at the encounter with God. He realized God was present, reaching down to him, and willing to bless him. Jacob responded with worship and a commitment to give honor and thanks to God.

Response and Action:
It's an important day when a person realizes that God is present and reaching out to him. I'm thankful for a day I can remember when God impressed upon me the reality of his presence and his power to save. Like Jacob, that day was just the beginning for me; there have been many lessons and new realizations on my journey. And as he was with Jacob, God has been faithful and patient with me. He has led, provided, protected, and sustained me. Like Jacob, I want to live with reverence for God and to give thanks for every blessing. I will give a portion of all I have back to God as an offering of thanks and worship.

O God, thank you for reaching down to me. Teach me to love you with all my heart, soul, mind and strength. Help me to be aware of your presence and blessing in my life--in every moment and in every place. Accept the offerings I give as an expression of my thanks and my trust in you to provide. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

Proverb for Today: Prov. 10:2
"Ill-gotten treasures are of no value, but righteousness delivers from death."

New Testament for Today: 2 Corinthians 9:6-8
6Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
In Context: 2 Corinthians 9:6-15

Resources:
How To Read Genesis
by Tremper Longman

October 9 - Fraud and Faith

Today's Reading:
Gen. 27:1-40
"Jacob Deceives Isaac"

Focus Verses: Genesis 27:18-19
18 He went to his father and said, "My father." "Yes, my son," he answered. "Who is it?" 19 Jacob said to his father, "I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me. Please sit up and eat some of my game so that you may give me your blessing."

Insight:
The name, Jacob, could be translated "heel grabber." It's an appropriate name for him because he (like his mother) was a schemer and a scrambler. He wanted to be blessed by God, but seems to have thought he needed to scrape and trick his way into blessing. He couldn't just be who he was; he needed to pretend to be something he wasn't.

It seems like most people need to wrestle with this problem. It's hard to learn that cheating, manipulation, and pretense are absolutely inferior to trusting God and being honest about ourselves. Fraud and faith are opposed to each other.

Response and Action:
Who am I? Am I honest about who I am before God and others? Am I someone who humbles myself before God, who trusts God to lead and bless, or someone who thinks I need to scheme and scratch my way to get ahead. I want to live a life of integrity and humility. I want to be honest and humble before God and before others. I want to know God and to trust him for direction and blessing. Then I will be able to be honest with myself and with others.

O God, you are my God. I will seek you earnestly. I want to know you and trust you with all my heart. Help me to look to you for blessing and provision, instead of looking to myself. Help me to turn away from cheating and pretense, and instead live with faith and honesty. Amen.

Proverb for Today: Prov. 9:13, 16-18
"The woman Folly is loud; she is undisciplined and without knowledge. 'Let all who are simple come in here!' she says to those who lack judgment. 'Stolen water is sweet; food eaten in secret is delicious!' But little do they know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of the grave."

New Testament for Today: Ephesians 4:22-25
22You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. 25Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.
In Context: Ephesians 4:17-32

Resources:
Birthright: Christian, Do You Know Who You Are?
by David C. Needham

October 8 - Born with Promise

Today's Reading:
Gen. 25:19-34
"Jacob and Esau"

Focus Verses: Genesis 26:23
23 The LORD said to her, "Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger."

Insight:
God promised Abraham that his descendants would become a great nation. God didn't choose a nation, he chose to make a nation. He started with an old man, Abraham, and his old barren wife, Sarah. Eventually they had a son, Isaac, who's wife, Rebekah, was also unable to have children. It's as if God were making it absolutely clear that the promised nation would only exist by his provision.

God answered Isaac's prayers, and Rebekah became pregnant with twin sons. With the birth of Esau and Jacob, the story then turns to the push and pull of which son would become the heir to God's promise Abraham. Jacob was a scrambler and a schemer who wanted more than his birthright. Esau was a outdoorsman who didn't really care or value his birthright.

The story of God's promise and God's people begins in the story of two little boys who become two very different men with very different futures. Who they become and what results in their lives is very much rooted in the attitudes they have toward God, toward God's promises, and toward each other.

Response and Action:
The future of a nation began in the nursery of twin brothers. I need the wisdom to see how my future is rooted in the small things in my life today. How will my attitudes and actions today impact the future of God's promise and plan for me? How will the beliefs and choices I have right now going to impact my family, my church, my community and my world. A faith and awareness of God's promises, and a commitment to pursue and value those promises, will make all the difference.

O Lord, help me to see the potential and promise you have for me. Help me to value and treasure the birthright you have given to me in Christ. Help me to trust you and follow you with all my heart. Give me a strong faith and grant me the wisdom to choose and act in accordance with my faith. Amen.

Proverb for Today: Prov. 7:2
"Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye."

New Testament for Today: John 1:12-13
12Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.
In Context: John 1:1-18

Resources:
Birthright: Christian, Do You Know Who You Are?
by David C. Needham

Reading Schedule for October 8 - 13

Oct. 8 - Gen. 25:19-34
Oct. 9 - Gen. 27:1-40
Oct. 10 - Gen. 27:41-46; 28:10-22
Oct. 11 - Gen. 29:1-30
Oct. 12 - Gen. 29:31 – 30:24
Oct. 13 - Gen. 31:1-21

You're invited to read through the Bible with Dave Burkum. Six readings each week will take you through key scripture passages from Genesis through Revelation. Click here to download your copy of the Useful Breath Reading Schedule for 2007-08.

October 6 - A Faithful Servant

Today's Reading:
Gen. 24:1-30; 50-66
"A Wife for Isaac"

Focus Verses: Genesis 24:26-27
26 Then the man bowed down and worshiped the LORD, 27 saying, "Praise be to the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his kindness and faithfulness to my master. As for me, the LORD has led me on the journey to the house of my master's relatives."

Insight:
When the time came for Isaac to have a wife, Abraham sent his most trusted servant to find a wife from among the kinsmen Abraham had left behind. The servant was extremely faithful to Abraham. On his journey, he displayed responsibility, focus, honesty, and faith, and he was continually in prayer. God blessed his way and gave him success.

Response and Action:
I want to be a faithful servant--faithful to God and to others. I want to approach the tasks and responsibilities God has given me with a whole heart. I need to avoid distractions, pray continually, and be faithful and honest. I want to approach my days, my tasks, and my challenges with a prayerful attitude and with eyes ready to see how God is providing.

O Lord, help me to be a good steward of all you have given me. Grant me the wisdom and the will to guard my heart, feed my spirit, stimulate my mind, and care for my body. Help me, by faith, to do the good things you've prepared in advance for me to do. To be fruitful, faithful, and effective as a husband, father, son, brother, friend, neighbor, pastor and colleague. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

Proverb for Today: Prov. 6:23
"For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the corrections of discipline are the way to life..."

New Testament for Today: Matthew 25:23
23"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
In Context: Matthew 25:14-30

Resources:
How To Read Genesis
by Tremper Longman

October 5 - The Provider

Today's Reading:
Genesis 22:1-19
"Abraham and Isaac are Tested"

Focus Verses: Genesis 22:13-14
13 Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, "On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided."

Insight:
Abraham and Isaac believed that the God they followed and worshiped was the only true God. The devotion they had for their God was no less than the devotion the pagans around them had for their false Gods. If those worshiping pagan deities were willing to sacrifice their children to demonstrate complete devotion, Abraham was willing to do the same. But the one true God proved himself to be nothing like the false Gods of the pagans. Those false God's were takers who demanded satisfaction, but the true God, the God of Abraham and Isaac, was and is a provider. He doesn't hurt and take away; he gives and protects.

God demands my all and asks me to lay down my life, but it is actually God who has given his Son, Jesus, to save me and give me life. Even as I surrender my all, God provides more than I have to give.

Response and Action:
Like Abraham, I want to be willing to give up anything for God. I want to demonstrate that my devotion to God is as whole-hearted as anyone else's devotion to anything else. I want to seek God above all else. I do not want anything or anyone to be a rival for my commitment to God. I am grateful that God is a giver. I rejoice that God is a giver and a provider, not a taker who diminishes me. Instead, as I offer him my all, he provides and blesses me and makes me more than I could ever be on my own.

O Lord, you are good and gracious to me. Thank you for Jesus who emptied himself for me and for all humanity. Help me to become like him in my attitudes and actions toward others. Help me to give grace more than I seek it; to love others more than I seek to be loved; to forgive others more than I ask for forgiveness; to understand others more than I seek to be understood. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

Proverb for Today: Prov. 5:21
"For a man's ways are in full view of the LORD, and he examines all his paths."

New Testament for Today: 1 John 4:9-10
9This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
In Context: 1 John 4:7-21

Resources:
How To Read Genesis
by Tremper Longman

October 4 - Grace for Broken People

Today's Reading:
Genesis 21:1-21
"Isaac's Arrival - Ishmael's Departure"

Focus Verses: Genesis 21:1-2
1 Now the LORD was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what he had promised. 2 Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him.

Insight:
The goodness and grace of God is what strikes me most about this passage. The joy and miracle of Isaac's birth is sadly marred by the bitterness and strife in Abraham's house. Hagar mocks Sarah. Sarah is bitter toward Hagar and determined to get rid of her and Ishmael. Abraham is happy about the birth of Isaac but worried sick about Ishmael. Only God is good, gracious, and faithful to everyone involved.

God is gracious to Sarah and faithful to keep his promise to her. He is good to Hagar and Ishmael and is faithful to keep his promise to them. God is reassuring and comforting to Abraham and is faithful to both of his sons.

Conflict among people is a sad fact of life. We have trouble getting along and often fail to look out for the best interests of others. God is above our differences and our conflicts. He doesn't take sides but instead works graciously for the good of everyone. Jesus is the ultimate expression of God's love and grace for everyone.

Response and Action:
I am thankful for God's grace and goodness to me. I need God's help and guidance to navigate through conflicts and differences with others. I want to draw near to God and learn to rise above selfishness and disputes. I want to put aside selfishness, be less concerned about my own interests, and more concerned about the good of others.

O Lord, you are good and gracious to me. Thank you for Jesus who emptied himself for me and for all humanity. Help me to become like him in my attitudes and actions toward others. Help me to give grace more than I seek it; to love others more than I seek to be loved; to forgive others more than I ask for forgiveness; to understand others more than I seek to be understood. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

Proverb for Today: Prov. 4:18
"The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day."

New Testament for Today: Philippians 2:14-15a
14Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe...
In Context: Philippians 2:1-18

Resources:
Genesis: The Story We Haven't Heard
by Paul Carlton Borgman

October 3 - God's Way to Safety

Today's Reading:
Genesis 19:1-29
"Sodom and Gomorrah Destroyed"

Focus Verses: Genesis 19:15-17
15 With the coming of dawn, the angels urged Lot, saying, "Hurry! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away when the city is punished." 16 When he hesitated, the men grasped his hand and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters and led them safely out of the city, for the LORD was merciful to them. 17 As soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, "Flee for your lives! Don't look back, and don't stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away!"

Insight:
Sin leads to destruction. Lot was living dangerously by living among sinners who had no regard for God and clearly no regard for Lot or his family. Lot was disturbingly willing to compromise with wicked neighbors and give in to their demands. In mercy, God came to Lot and his family to save them from the coming destruction. Yet Lot hesitated, the husbands of his daughters considered his warnings to be a joke, and his wife (even as they fled for their lives) turned back toward the city as if she didn't want to leave.

Response and Action:
I need to take sin seriously. I do not want to compromise with sin. I do not want to share my living space with sin. Instead, I will flee for my life. God, in his mercy, has given me a way to escape sin and destruction through Christ. I want take that way of escape and not turn back.

O Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner. Lead me away from temptation and deliver me from evil. Do not let me be tempted beyond what I can bear. Thank you for your faithfulness to provide a way of escape for me when I am tempted. Help me to turn away from sin and destruction and, instead, be led by your Spirit toward eternal life. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

Proverb for Today: Prov. 3:25-26
"Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared."

New Testament for Today: Galatians 6:7-8
7Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
In Context: Galatians 6:1-10

Resources:
Daring to Draw Near: People in Prayer
by John White

October 2 - Praying for Justice and Compassion

Today's Reading:
Genesis 18:16-33
"Abraham Pleads with God"

Focus Verses: Genesis 18:25-26
25 Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?" 26 The LORD said, "If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake."

Insight:
God is both just and righteous. He does not punish the wicked at the expense of the righteous. In fact, he is willing to withhold judgment against the wicked for the sake of the righteous. Abraham interceded for the righteous and trusted God to do what is right.

Response and Action:
Only God is able to be "the Judge of all the earth." Only God can understand the complexities of good and evil, sort out the victims from the perpetrators, and administer justice with righteousness. I need to live with a commitment to righteousness and justice. I need to pray for those who are suffering at the hands of evil. I will appeal to God to set things right. I will trust God to act and intervene in human affairs with justice and compassion.

O Lord, help me to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with you. Thank you for your mercy and compassion. I trust you, O God, to work in my world to bring about justice and to set things right, and to do it with righteousness. Amen.

Proverb for Today: Prov. 2:21-22
"For the upright will live in the land, and the blameless will remain in it; but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the unfaithful will be torn from it."

New Testament for Today: John 3:17
17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
In Context: John 3:16-21

Resources:
Daring to Draw Near: People in Prayer
by John White

October 1 - Nothing Too Hard for God

Today's Reading:
Genesis 18:1-15
"God Appears to Abraham"

Focus Verses: Genesis 18:10-14
10 Then the LORD said, "I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son." Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. 11 Abraham and Sarah were already old and well advanced in years, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing. 12 So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, "After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?" 13 Then the LORD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Will I really have a child, now that I am old?' 14 Is anything too hard for the LORD ? I will return to you at the appointed time next year and Sarah will have a son."

Insight:
Though Abraham and Sarah were very old and long past the age of having children. God promised them that Sarah would give birth to a son within the year. The thought was so outrageous to Sarah that she laughed out loud at the thought of it. From her limited human point of view, God's promise seemed laughable, but from God's point of view, nothing is too hard.

Response and Action:
I will trust God to keep his promises no matter how unimaginable they seem to be from my limited point of view. God can do more than I ask or imagine. I will put my complete trust in him.

O Lord, help me to believe your promises. Give me a heart that fully trusts in you. Strengthen me with power through your Spirit in me. Help me to trust you with all my heart and to not lean on my own understanding. Amen.

Proverb for Today: Prov. 1:33
"...whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm."

New Testament for Today: Ephesians 3:20-21
20Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.
In Context: Ephesians 3:14-21

Resources:
Genesis: The Story We Haven't Heard
by Paul Carlton Borgman

Reading Schedule for October 1 - 6

Oct. 1: Gen. 18:1-15
Oct. 2: Gen. 18:16-33
Oct. 3: Gen. 19:1-29
Oct. 4: Gen. 21:1-21
Oct. 5: Gen. 22:1-19
Oct. 6: Gen. 24:1-30, 50-66

You're invited to read through the Bible with Dave Burkum. Six readings each week will take you through key scripture passages from Genesis through Revelation. Click here to download your copy of the Useful Breath Reading Schedule for 2007-08.

September 29 - The One Who Hears and Sees

Today's Reading:
Genesis 16:1-16
"Hagar and Ishmael"

Focus Verses: Genesis 16:13-16
13 She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: "You are the God who sees me," for she said, "I have now seen the One who sees me." 14 That is why the well was called Beer Lahai Roi; it is still there, between Kadesh and Bered. 15 So Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram gave the name Ishmael to the son she had borne. 16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael.

Insight:
Hagar was brought front and center into the story of God's plan when Abram and Sarai struggled and stumbled with understanding God's promise to give them a son. They took matters into their own hands and tried to produce an heir through Sarai's maidservant. Not surprisingly, things went sour between Sarai and Hagar. Sarai wanted Hagar's child, and Hagar despised Sarai.

God, however, looked with compassion upon all concerned. He did not back away from his promise to Abram and Sarai, but neither did he disregard the needs and future of Hagar. Instead, God promised that her son, Ishmael, would also become a great nation--though not the son of the covenant he had made with Abraham.

God is compassionate toward his people even as they struggle to understand how to live by faith. Even when they fail, God's faithfulness and grace abound. Even their mistakes are redeemable by God. The name Ishmael means "God hears." The name Beer Lahai Roi means "the well of the One who sees me."

Response and Action:
I need to remember that God is full of grace and compassion. Even if I fail, he will be faithful to me and redeem my failures for good. God gives direction and hope to all who look to him in faith. I will trust God because he hears me and sees me.

O Lord, provide for my needs and protect me from discouragement. When I fall, please pick me up. Redeem me from my sins and mistakes as I stumble in the way of faith. Protect me from the failures and sins of others. Be my strength, my savior, and my guide. I pray through Christ Jesus, my Lord, who lives and reigns with you, and the Holy Spirit, One God now and forever. Amen.

Proverb for Today: Prov. 29:13
"The poor man and the oppressor have this in common: The LORD gives sight to the eyes of both."

New Testament for Today: 1 John 5:14
14This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.
In Context: 1 John 5:13-21

Resources:
Genesis: The Story We Haven't Heard
by Paul Carlton Borgman

September 28 - Believing God

Today's Reading:
Genesis 15:1-21
"God's Covenant with Abram"

Focus Verses: Genesis 15:6
6 Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

Insight:
Abram believed God's promises, but this did not stop him from asking God the honest questions he had in his heart and mind--"How can I have an heir if I have no children?" (v.5), "How can I be sure that I will possess the land?" (v.8).

In answer to these questions, God instructed Abram to take animals and sacrifice them for a covenant ceremony. In the ancient tribal world, when two parties made a solemn promise to each other, they would cut animals into halves. The person making the promise would then pass between the pieces of the sacrifice. The meaning of this ritual act was essentially, "If I don't fulfill this promise, may I be torn into pieces as these animals."

God used an ancient ritual Abram was accustomed to, and entered into it. Abram had a vision of God's presence (represented by "a smoking firepot with a flaming torch") passing between the pieces of the sacrifice. This solemn vision strengthened Abram's confidence that God would fulfill the promises he had made.

Response and Action:
Even as a believer, I will not hesitate to lift up my questions and doubts to God. In order to know and understand God's promises, I will commit myself to read and apply God's Word. I will ask God to confirm my faith through the everyday ways he blesses, protects, guides, and sustains me.

Where is my faith? Do the choices and actions of my life indicate a trust in God? What are the questions I have about God's promises to me? What has God done to bolster my confidence in the promises of the Gospel?

Even as a believer, I will not hesitate to lift up my questions and doubts to God. In order to know and understand God's promises, I will commit myself to reading and applying God's Word as it is given to me in the Bible. I will ask God to confirm my faith through the everyday ways he blesses, protects, guides, and sustains me.

O Lord, I believe. Help me grow in my faith. When I have honest doubts and questions, remind me to offer them up to you. Show yourself to me, O God, and teach me your ways. With every step I take in following you, increase my confidence to take the next. Amen.

Proverb for Today: Prov. 28:14
"Blessed is the man who always fears the LORD, but he who hardens his heart falls into trouble."

New Testament for Today: Romans 4:23-24
23The words "it was credited to him" were written not for him alone, 24but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.
In Context: Romans 4:13-25

Resources:
Genesis: The Story We Haven't Heard
by Paul Carlton Borgman