How to respond when our plans go awry? (Gen 27:30-28:10)
Gen 27:30-46; 28:1-10 My father always wanted to become a medical doctor, but he was barred from training by the Communist regime of the time. Every year for fifteen years, he completed the entrance exam and did well, but was…
God’s purposes do not fail (Gen 27:1-29)
Gen 27:1-29 The story of how Jacob stole Esau’s blessing is fraught with questions. The narrator gives no explicit evaluation, so it is hard to know what to make of it. Does God approve of such deception that Rebekah and…
God includes ordinary people in His plans (Genesis 26)
Gen 26:1-33 Hearing the obituary of famous people can at times be intimidating. It seems that some manage to cram into their lives more achievements than most of us could in two-three lifetimes. They may have a long list of…
What do we value? (Gen 25:27-34)
Gen 25:27-34 When I was a teenager, my Dad bought me a big Webster’s Dictionary. This was before the internet, so printed reference books were a real asset for looking up information. Additionally, at the time in Hungary, English-language books…
The challenge of prayer (Gen 25:19-26)
Gen 25:19-26 Most of us reading Genesis are familiar with the story of Sarah’s childlessness, but few may remember that Rebekah was barren, too, and we hear little of her painful journey. We are simply told that Isaac prayed, and…
God’s care in the little things (Gen 24:62-25:18)
Gen 24:62-67; 25:1-18 When my husband and I moved to New Zealand, we were convinced that this was the right thing and from the Lord, but I found the transition difficult. In fact, the emotional adjustment took me a good…
Playing our part in God’s will (Gen 24:10-61)
Gen 24:10-61 Have you ever wondered how God achieves His purposes when He wants willing servants? It is not enough to know God’s will, we need to play our part and do what God calls us to and that does…
When God provides against the odds (Gen 24:1-15)
Gen 24:1-15 In the early nineties, I visited Israel on a tourist trip, and dearly wanted to go back for a gap year. I felt God saying that I would be back, but opportunities seemed scarce. The only option I…
The slow outworking of God’s purposes (Gen 22:20-23:20)
Gen 22:20-24; 23:1-20 It keeps amazing me how God works out His purposes without any hurry. We are often anxious that we are running out of time whether we wait for God’s direction in our careers, for financial support for…
The path to life (Psalm 16)
Psalm 16:1-11 This psalm is used both by Peter at Pentecost and Paul later (Acts 2:27-33; 13:34-39) to support the idea that Messiah had to die and be raised to life again, thus it is an appropriate passage to reflect…