Monday, February 22: "… And He Believed the LORD."
Scripture for the day: Genesis 15:6
New Revised Standard Version: And he believed the Lord; and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness.
The Message (Version): Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
This scripture verse is a turning point in Abraham’s journey and is the main idea for the entire chapter. Within this one sentence the relationship between God and Abraham becomes one of deepest trust. Prior to this sentence, Abram (whose name has not been changed to what we general refer to him), still questions God. These are not just the overwhelming questions of day-to-day life. These are specific requests that are personal to Abraham.
During the Season of Lent, we try to find ways to really journey. This journey involves personal questions when in conversations with God. It also requires simple belief even when we do not understand the responses. That simple belief still creates a righteous relationship even in the midst of doubt and lack of understanding.
Question: Do you agree that “everything happens for a reason?”
The God in my heart is a loving God. Since “everything” would include both the good and the bad, I believe God helps me with my reaction to what is happening. A loving God will not cause either good nor bad to come into my life…but God will lift me up and support me through all that happens. Like Abram, I must trust God will give me strength and wisdom to choose my reaction to whatever is happening. It takes time, some times months, for me to feel the trust when I struggle with my reaction, but God stays with me until I choose to listen fully.
I believe that everything WE do is for a reason. That is because we can make choices. However, what happens in the natural world I believe is circumstantial and random, according to the laws of physics. Earthquakes are not moral or religious events. They happen because of changes in our physical world. There is no judgement involved.
But what we choose to do, or not do, is for a reason. We may not even be aware of the reason, but there is still a reason. I therefor believe that we need to take responsibility for our action, or inaction.
Notice that today’s scripture opens with Abram’s action: His choice to believe God. Sounds like an easy choice, eh? It’s at the heart of our faith journey!!! Each of us constantly has the option to choose and to develop one way of thinking/feeling/believing over other ways. That’s both the gift and the challenge of being human.
As for the rest of the world around us — from earthquakes to tsunamis to solar flares and so on — I’m with Stan: What happens in the natural world is circumstantial and random. All the more reason to choose humility, IMHO, and to be thankful for a God who loves us.
Well said Stan. I think we have talked about this topic before. We definitely need to take responsibility for our actions. God only show us the way we need to choose.