Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Genesis 15

Genesis 15

Reading this chapter today I noticed something new.  I noticed a feeling that I often have in my own life.  In verse 1God tells Abram that he will protect him and that he will have a great reward but Abram can not rejoice because he it troubled by something.  He replies by saying that the rewards will be worthless if he continues to be childless.  He can not be happy about God's message while he is upset about something else.  As a response God promises that he will have a child.  With this promise Abram is able to really listen to the Lord's message and follow his directions.  
I feel that often in my own life I know I should be praying and building a relationship with the Lord but instead I am worried about something else in my life.  When I was looking for work a few years ago and I had a little more time that I could have used praying and growing closer to God but instead I felt that I had to deal with getting a job first and then I could focus on my prayer life.  I was to busy worrying about not having a job to be able to make something of my little bit of free time.  (I was not to busy looking for a job but to busy worrying about not having a job.)  I feel this is something that we do often.  We are so focused and upset about one thing that we can't focus on what really matters.  We tell ourselves that "when we feel better we can find time to pray", "when we get settled we will find time to spend with God but right now we can't because we just have other stuff that we need to worry about".  But what we really should be saying is, "I will leave this problem in your hands and in the meantime I will focus on following your teachings and growing closer to you."
Think about what would have happened if Abram said  "Your rewards are worthless if I don't have a heir so I'm not going to listen to you or follow your commands until I have a heir and then I will be able to do as you told me to."

Dear Lord, Help me to be like Abram and leave my concerns with you Lord so I can focus on my prayer and spiritual life.