“Stay in this land for a while, and I will be with you and will bless you. For to you and your descendants I will give all these lands and will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham. I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed.” Genesis 26:3
Growing up, my parents taught me the value of hard work, but they also conveyed the message that my actions determined my value and worth. For many years (and to be honest, it's something I still struggle with), I struggled with the understanding of works-based salvation. In my mind, I had to earn God's love and approval. Since this was ingrained in me as a kid, and that was the model I followed, I believed God was the same way. Growing up Catholic also perpetuated this idea since Catholicism is rooted in the completion of certain sacraments. When I became a Christian and yielded my life to Christ, I understood through God's Word that that is not how God works. Christ settled my worth and value on the cross when he died. I can't work to earn my salvation. Instead, I believe that Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
I also believed that being a Christian meant I could only do what he told me, not what I wanted to do—that there was no way the two could overlap or that I wasn't allowed to enjoy hobbies or "fun" things. However, as I've matured, I base my spiritual journey on my free will and the Lord's presence in my life. While there will be times when God speaks to me and asks me to complete something, I have the choice to have dreams and hopes for my life.
Genesis tells us that God had great plans for Abraham. God planned on making Abraham's descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky simply because he chose Abraham to do great things through him. Abraham's commitment to God allowed God to use him powerfully. He just chose to follow God's command, and because of this, God blessed him greatly.
God is a God of blessing. He's not sitting on the throne in heaven with a fly swatter ready to smite us whenever we do or don't do something he approves of. God wants us to have free will and choice in our lives. Sometimes, God allows us to choose what we want to do with our lives. There will be other times when he asks us to go a specific path. However, it will be our choice whether to go down that road.
God wants to use us mightily for his glory. He wants to bless and use us and our descendants for his good. However, he wants us to choose that. God wants to bless us simply because we are his children. However, the greatest blessing comes when we choose God's way instead of ours. He selects the path for us when we yield to God's way.
The path may not be easy, but it will always be what God chooses for us. He chooses hard paths not only to transform us into Christ’s likeness but also to complete his plan for his people. God decides to partner with his children to accomplish his ultimate plan. It is our choice as to whether we want to follow that plan. Regardless of our choice, God chooses to bless us and those who are his children. We can rest knowing that no matter our choice, God will use us and the generations coming after in great and mighty ways.
Father, help us choose your way. Help us be in step with your Spirit so we may know what path to choose. Let us rest in the knowledge that no matter what we do or don't do for you, you have special blessings in mind for your children. Allow what we do now to impact this generation and the generations to come. Amen.
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Related Resource: Instead of Doing More This Summer, Maybe You Need to Do Less
If you've been feeling tired, overwhelmed, depleted, or just quietly wondering where God is in the middle of a very full life — this episode is for you. And honestly? It might be for me too, because I'm recording this in one of those seasons myself.
Today we're doing something a little different. Instead of going deep in a passage, we're talking about what to do when deep feels like too much — when you need less, not more. Specifically, I'm walking you through one of my favorite practices for weary seasons: handwriting scripture.
Not typing it. Not scrolling past it. Actually writing it out, slowly, in your own hand — because something happens in your brain when you do that. The words land differently. They go deeper. And over time, they become part of that personal library of God's voice that the Holy Spirit can pull from when you need it most. That's what Psalm 119:11 means when it says I have hidden your word in my heart — it's scripture moving into your long-term memory, where it lives and stays even when you haven't opened your Bible in weeks.
I'm sharing the five verses I wrote out for myself today — and why each one hit me fresh even though I've known some of them for years. This episode is part of our How to Study the Bible Podcast, a show that brings life back to reading the Bible and helps you understand even the hardest parts of Scripture. If this episode helps you know and love God more, be sure to follow the How to Study the Bible Podcast on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
Originally published Tuesday, 11 June 2024.
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