Contemplative Bible Reading

Genesis 18:18-19 (New Living Translation)

18 “For Abraham will certainly become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him. 19 I have singled him out so that he will direct his sons and their families to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just. Then I will do for Abraham all that I have promised.”

As a child, I often heard the phrase, “God’s chosen people.” This referred to how God chose Abraham’s descendants or Israel (another name for Abraham’s grandson Jacob) for a special purpose. The special purpose from Abraham’s descendants is stated simply in these verses:

…keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just.

God gave “the way of the Lord” directly to Abraham on Mt. Sinai. Do these things (paraphrasing God, which is often done with peril) and you will be doing what is right and just. The world needs an example of what is right and just. And God chose Abraham’s family to show everyone what is right and just.

History shows that there are plenty of folks who don’t like “right and just.” They prefer other things. That hasn’t changed much. I have been blessed in that there were always plenty of folks around me who knew what was right and just and attempted to do that in their lives. Many of these folks failed on many days, but they attempted to do right and just. I have failed on many days, but I am attempting to do right and just.

Please God, help me in my unbelief.