The Bible Challenge: Day 6

The Scriptures read are Genesis 16-18, Psalm 6, and Matthew 6.

Genesis 16-18. Three important chapters. First there's the business with Hagar. What Sarai tries to do is in line with the culture of the time. Any child born to her slave and fathered by her husband was considered the offspring of her mistress. Unfortunately, humans will be humans and this leads to rivalry between the two women. God is looking out for Hagar and promises her that her son will also be an important man with lots of children, too.

God makes a covenant with Abram, changes his name and Sarai's, reiterates his promise that he will have  a child with his wife and then the less-than-pleasant news. The sign of this covenant is circumcision. But Abraham goes through with it--at age 99! Ouch!

Then 3 men show up outside Abraham's tent. Abraham literally kills the fatted calf and serves them a feast in an elaborate show of Middle Eastern hospitality. The promise of a child is repeated again and this time Sarah laughs (as did Abraham the last time). The child will be called Isaac, which means "laughter." There is a delightful exchange when Sarah says, "I did not laugh," and God says, "Oh, yes, you did,"

Next up is no laughing matter. God is going to investigate Sodom. We actually overhear God debating with himself about letting Abraham in on this. He decides that this is important if Abraham is to teach his descendants God's way, that it is right and just. The resulting conversation is remarkable. Abraham bargains for the innocent living in Sodom. "What if there are 50 innocent people living there?" asks Abraham. God says he will not wipe out the city if there are 50 innocents. Then Abraham haggles with God like a customer at a bazaar. He gets God down to 10 innocents. God likes boldly righteous people.

Psalm 6. A real cry of anguish, a call for help. And yet it ends on a note of hope. The emotional truth of the psalms lets us know we can talk to God about anything.

Matthew 6. Jesus is brilliant here. He emphasizes sincerity, rather than the playacting religious people sometimes display. He emphasizes simplicity, rather than the elaborate games people play. He emphasizes the essentials, talking with God, trusting God. And he gives us an outline of how to pray. Oh, and stop worrying!