Celebrating God’s call to change the world
Daily Scripture
Genesis 11:27-12:3
27 These are Terah’s descendants. Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Haran became the father of Lot. 28 Haran died while with his father Terah in his native land, in Ur of the Chaldeans. 29 Abram and Nahor both married; Abram’s wife was Sarai, and Nahor’s wife was Milcah the daughter of Haran, father of both Milcah and Iscah. 30 Sarai was unable to have children. 31 Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot (son of Haran), and his son Abram’s wife, Sarai his daughter-in-law. They left Ur of the Chaldeans for the land of Canaan, and arriving at Haran, they settled there. 32 Terah lived 205 years, and he died in Haran.
12:1 The LORD said to Abram, “Leave your land, your family, and your father’s household for the land that I will show you. 2 I will make of you a great nation and will bless you. I will make your name respected, and you will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you,
those who curse you I will curse;
all the families of the earth
will be blessed because of you.”
Daily Reflection & Prayer
The first 11 chapters of Genesis said God created a good world and assigned humans to take care of it. They failed—by Genesis 6, their thoughts were “always completely evil.” God, heartbroken but undeterred, called Abraham, a human willing to listen and follow. God made great promises to Abraham, including “the land I will show you” and “I will bless you.” That didn’t mean God liked Abraham more than anyone else. Abraham and his descendants were to share the blessing.
- As he sensed God’s (probably internal) command, Abraham faced a huge decision. Was he willing to “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household”? “When Abram gave up his place in his father’s household, he forfeited his security. He was putting his survival, his identity, his future and his security in the hands of the Lord.” * What have you chosen to give up to obey God’s call to be a blessing to others?
- Childless at 75, Abraham trusted that God could use him to father a nation to bless “all the families of the earth.” In 1990, with a young family, a few people and a rented funeral home chapel, Pastor Hamilton trusted that God could use him to start a church to reach non-religious and nominally religious people. In our Generation to Generation campaign, we celebrate the latest steps to carry out our church’s mission. How are you trusting God as you help make that happen?
Prayer
Lord God, I celebrate, not only the years of your work here, but your centuries of reaching out to our world through your people. Open wide the doors for transformation within me, in all the people of Resurrection, and throughout the world. Amen.
GPS Insights
Lydia Kim
Lydia Kim serves as one of the pastors of Connection and Care at Resurrection Leawood. An avid believer that growing in faith pairs well with fellowship and food, she is always ready for recommendations on local restaurants and coffee shops.
As a teenager, I wondered how I could be a blessing to others. I didn’t have any money, I didn’t have a car, and I didn’t feel like I was great at any specific thing. I thought I’d have to wait until I was an adult to make a difference in the world. I constantly told my parents, “If only I were an adult now!”
In talking with friends, I realized I wasn’t the only one feeling this way, and our grumbles found their way to the ears of our youth group pastor. He knew the message that we weren’t old enough, skilled enough, or had enough resources wasn’t true, so he did something about it. One Saturday, he piled us into a clunky old church van and took us to a local soup kitchen. He shared that while we might not have money, cars, or specific employment skills, we could always bless others through the gift of time and presence.
While my friends and I focused on what we didn’t have, we forgot the unique gifts we had as teenagers! While our parents were at work, we had time, able bodies, and lots of energy. That Saturday changed how I saw what it meant to be a blessing to others. I also learned that blessings don’t always come from money or things. Sometimes the greatest blessing is acknowledging someone is created in God’s image, no matter their circumstance, giving a hug, or listening as someone shares their story over a cup of soup.
You have gifts that can bless others AND you were created to be a blessing! I pray that God opens your mind to all the creative and profound ways that you can bless others.
© 2024 Resurrection: A United Methodist Church. All Rights Reserved.
Scripture quotations are taken from The Common English Bible ©2011. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
References
* Comment on Genesis 12:1 in NIV, Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible (p. 441). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
