Genesis to Now: Faith or Fear

Dear Christa—

All of Colorado went East this year for Thanksgiving. And, all of them were going fast. I know because they all passed me going across Kansas yesterday. Maybe they had farther to go than I did, or maybe they all got a later start, which is doubtful.

As I cruised at exactly 75 mph, I couldn’t help but think of the post Stefanie had put up of four-year-old Timber as the the boys were trying to retrieve a toy from under the couch: "The hammer was too short, the light saber was too long, and the wrench was too medium to reach it."

Why is life too often preceded by a “too”?

For Lot and Abram in Genesis, their flocks were too large for a land that was too small to handle them. So, Abram brought up the inevitable: they had to separate. He appears so generous when he offers Lot the choice of which way to go. Maybe it didn’t much matter to him where he was headed because he believed that God would be with him regardless where his flocks roamed.

It’s hard to just rest in God when we’re besought by “too.” But, Abram did.

Lot did not. He lifted his eyes and chose what he thought was the best for himself. In reality, he was not choosing the best after all. In the end he lost it all. The last we hear of Lot, he’s hiding in a cave, fearing the God who had saved him from destruction.

Whether we’re traveling too fast, too slow, or the rare occasion of too medium, we face a choice: we can either fear God or trust Him.

From Genesis to Now: God's Story

One of the things I love about teaching literature is to communicate that the essence of story is a reflection of THE story.

It doesn’t really matter which culture, which historical time period, from what worldview is underlying—the creative elements of story are a reflection of God’s plan—HIS story that He designed in eternity past and through the creation of time, is playing out on the pages of the solar systems.

And, no choice that we make will change that story. In the outcome, there are purpose and design in every smart and stupid thing that we do.

And so, we see that in the lives of Abraham and Sarah.

When Abram lied about Sarai, (Remember, this was before the name changes), Pharaoh rebuked him and sent him on his way.

As for Sarah, when she was 90 years old, God allowed her to conceive and Isaac was born—the child of promise.

Isn’t it a great comfort to know that God is writing this story? —the greatest novel ever penned. We get to be characters in that story—characters who think, decide, and act.

What a crazy, wild way to create!

And, at the end of each chapter, it all turns out just the way the Author had determined. How is that for creativity!

Novels don’t write themselves and neither is this one. That’s a hook you can hang your hat on. That’s a lifeline to carry us through the hard times—and the good.