Ordinary People

July 29, 2013 Monday Message:

God, to Abram: “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household, to the land I will show you.” (Gen 12:1)

Every family has its problems. Families in the Bible are walking examples of dysfunctional behavior.

Can you imagine the conversation between Abram and Sarai?

“Help me pack everything. We’re going to move!”

“Where are we going?”

“Dunno. God said He’s show us later…”

It doesn’t get better:

“God says we’re going to have a son.”

“But you’re 100 and I’m 90!”

“Yeah. Let’s have a good laugh!”

Later, God calls on the elderly Abraham to sacrifice his son. God was testing Abraham’s faith and loyalty. Now God eventually provided the sacrifice, and Isaac lived. But Jewish tradition teaches that Sarah died when she heard the news of her son’s imminent death.

The point is that being a member of this holy family wasn’t always smooth sailing. They had ups and downs, and sometimes seemed to go from one crisis to another. They were, in fact, a normal family.

Today, the names, “Abraham, Isaac and Jacob,” roll off the tongues of anyone who studies Christianity, Judaism or Islam. They’re our Patriarchs of the Bible. But these were not kings; they were fairly obscure, not-well-known people. These trials happened in the lives of ordinary people with little influence - people just like most of us.

Who knows what thing God does with us today might be remembered 3,000 years later.

Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship (JICF) gathers every Sunday at 10:30am in the North end (gym) of the Oliver Ministry Building, 2647 Bloomington Ave., Minneapolis. Sunday, Aug. 04, Jesus talks about money and possessions in Luke 12:22-34. Why would you worry when God is still on the throne? See you there!

NL