Day 6 - First Contact

I love how even though my days at the moment are full of nothing really, God is still giving me relevant passages. More on that later but I just wanted to say thanks to God for speaking to me continually. Today I've been off to that shrine of depression and adversity, the jobcentre plus. Plus what I wonder... But yes, I'm now sponging off all those national insurance payments I've been putting into the government's piggy bank. And possibly some of yours too. But I'll be employed soon I promise!!

Onto business then,

Today’s readings:
Genesis 11v10 -13v18.

Matthew 5v21-42.

Psalm 5v1-12.

We're going to be much shorter today. Honest! Genesis wraps up the genealogy and crazily old folk and gets to the first man who was properly chosen by God, Abram. Spoiler alert... Abram soon becomes Abraham. Slight change but it rolls off the tongue easier! Now there aren't many tough bits in today's Old Testament reading. Mostly it's Abram being called to be God's man on earth. Now that sounds a bit like Jesus but really Abram is just a guy who God wanted to use to show what happens when a nation of people follows, or doesn't follow, God's laws and will.
 
There is the rather odd story of Abram's wife Sarai being incredibly selfless and saving her husband's life by sleeping with Pharoah. There are quite a few bits in the Old Testament, especially the start of it, which seem on first view as being sexist and prejudice against women. This is definitely one of them but I think it's not a message about how women should do whatever their husband tells them to without asking. To me it's first a warning for husbands that they should not see their wives as a possession to get them what they need. More importantly, and for both blokes and lady types, don't try and fix problems your way. Fix them God's way. Abram is so incredibly blessed in his life as we'll see in the next few days, but here he ignores God's will and gets ejected from a country he'd have been able to live in quite happily.
 
The New Testament reading continues with the Sermon on the Mount and today's reading covers what Jesus meant yesterday when he said he would fulfil the law of the prophets. Jesus challenges us to not just uphold the old laws but to take those attitudes even further. To me that's the key phrase, attitude. Jesus seems to be saying that it isn't just what you do to people that hurts God and them but also how you think about them and what you secretly wish for in your heart and mind. Much like yesterday, this is a challenge to the attitudes that we each take into our daily lives.
 
Our Psalm today is full of passion. David is at times in wonder at how God loves and accepts him and at other times he is almost celebrating in how God will destroy and forsake those who try to work against Him. What strikes me most in the passage is how David talks at the start of the Psalm about when he cries to God for help. But he does it time and time again. The Message says in verse 3, "Every morning you'll hear me at it again. Every morning I lay out the pieces of my life on your altar and watch for fire to descend." What another amazing challenge. How many mornings do any of us lay everything we want, need and fear in front of God and ask Him to send His fire to clean out our hearts and fire up our desire for Him.
 
And I'm at the end without making any connections to my life. Naughty Jon not following through on his signposts... Well today I signed on and am officially looking for work, regardless of the fact that I've been doing that for the last month anyway! What's really hit me is how once again, God chooses Abram and he provides for him. The passage that spoke to me most today was Genesis 13 v14-17. Here Abram has just let his brother choose the really awesome land to settle in and ended up with the rubbish stuff himself. But God tells him not to panic and trust that even in the bleak and wilderness places, God will ensure he flourishes and prospers. That's uplifting stuff that is!
 
Which brings us to the end of today's blog. Last two have gone up a bit late and I'll try and fix that so I get a more regular tea time schedule. I'm also much happier with the length of today's but what do you the readership think? Any comments, criticisms or questions are welcome as always.
 
Jon