Having large crowds follow you does not always indicate that all will be willing to leave all behind to go. Jesus wants undivided devotion, our entire heart to love Him, even more than our own families. Consider the cost of being His disciple. Not everyone will be fully committed. Jesus has said, “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?” (Luke 14:34) A distinctive mark of discipleship is allegiance to Jesus, completely.
Sometimes the old patterns of our former generations are passed on to us. Isaac, was in a time of famine, just like his father, Abraham, years previously. The Lord appeared to Isaac and told him to, “Stay in this land for awhile, and I will be with you and I will bless you.”(Genesis 26: 3) God gives Isaac the same promise He gave to Abraham.
Unfortunately, like father, like son. He too, told the men and the King that his wife, Rebekah, was his sister. What’s up with that? His Dad did the same thing. The great patriarchs that we learn about all had some shortcomings, just like we do, yet God still used them to carry out His promises. Remember, we are all descendants of Abraham!
When God says, I will be with you, He means it. There was a covenant that was given to Isaac’s father, that was passed on to him, as a son. “Through your offspring, all the nations on earth will be blessed.” Generational sins may be passed on, but there are generational blessings too.
Isaac leaves that place and reopens the wells his father had dug years ago that had been filled in. In the process, there was some disputing among the landowner, but Isaac kept moving forward and his servant’s kept digging until they struck water. He established his own well and his own dwelling place. His source still came from the same faithful God, in God’s time and in His way. The difference this time was that “Isaac built an altar to the Lord, and called on the name of the Lord.” (Genesis 26: 25) Worshiping God first will establish a rightful place, His and ours.
Some of us have some messed up family lines, with negative repeated patterns in them, but our God is greater and faithful to His covenant promises and His Word. Our hearts to follow is pleasing to the Lord. It was said, “Because Abraham obeyed me…I will bless you.” He is able to bless beyond family dysfunction, and His provision for us will prevail.
We are told that “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. In keeping them, is great reward. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock, and my Redeemer.” (Psalm 19: 7, 11, 14)
(Luke 14: 25-35, Genesis 26, Psalm 19, Paraphrased & Modified)
UNBROKEN LOVE SERIES
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