Links for today’s readings:
Read: Genesis 11 Listen: (3:47), Read: John 10 Listen: (4:44)
Links for this weekend’s readings:
Read: Genesis 12 Listen: (2:51), Read: John 11 Listen: (6:37)
Read: Genesis 13 Listen: (2:16), Read: John 12 Listen: (6:26)
Scripture Focus: Genesis 11.10, 26, 31-32
10 This is the account of Shem’s family line.
Two years after the flood, when Shem was 100 years old, he became the father of Arphaxad. 11 And after he became the father of Arphaxad, Shem lived 500 years and had other sons and daughters.
26 After Terah had lived 70 years, he became the father of Abram, Nahor and Haran.
31 Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. But when they came to Harran, they settled there.
32 Terah lived 205 years, and he died in Harran.
Reflection: Fast-Forward
By John Tillman
Genealogies in scripture are nicknamed “begats” because of the following format, although not every genealogy section follows it precisely: “So and so, begat so and so, who begat so and so…”
Many who attempt to read the Bible through, falter and fail amidst the “begats.” Some find them confusing, with unpronounceable names. Some find them boring.
Our boredom is ironic because, from a certain perspective, the story goes fastest in the begats. They are the biblical authors’ “fast-forward” button. Generations are compressed into a few lines. As they flash by, sometimes the images are dark or violent. Sometimes we see great progress.
Have you seen videos online in which an artist shows a painting or drawing from each year over many years? Beginning with childish crayon scratches, their work develops. They change tools. They abandon crayons for colored pencils, then drop color for high-contrast, black and white. They go through a charcoal phase, a pastel phase, and settle on paints. But they don’t just change tools. They change styles and inspirations. They go from cartoons to anime, film stars, religious icons, copies of famous paintings, and self portraits. Sometimes the art gets dark and broody. Sometimes it’s cute pets and loved ones. Sometimes it turns violent or extreme. These videos show patience and dedication.
The “begats” sections teach me that God is patient on a scale I can’t easily understand. He gives generation after generation the chance to walk humbly, to love mercy, and to do justice. Over and over, each generation fails. Some repeat old mistakes. Some overreact to the errors of the past. Some invent new ways to “go wrong.” God is more merciful than I am.
God is working on a generational time-scale but he’s also working in you and me. If he is patient over generations, he will be patient with us.
What do your faith and spiritual practices look like now? What works do your faith produce in keeping with righteousness? Childish crayon drawings or copies of the old masters? Cartoons? Caricatures? Portraits? Are you repeating old mistakes? Stuck in a sinful rut?
Don’t give up. Keep drawing. God is patient to develop your eyes to see, ears to hear, feet to walk, and hands to do good works. He is dedicated to bringing his work to completion in you, in this generation, and all the ones to follow.
God sees our progress in fast-forward.
Divine Hours Prayer: The Greeting
O God, you know my foolishness, and my faults are not hidden from you. — Psalm 69.6
– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.
Listen to: Urban Legends and Good Shepherds
You may have been wounded by a foolish or wicked shepherd. But you can still be healed by Jesus, the good shepherd.
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