Today's Readings and Stuff -- Saturday, 09 January 2022
First, I must make apologies for the too-long gap in posting here. As some know, the last few weeks have not been good ones for the family.
Beginning with sister-in-law waking up to find her husband dead in bed beside her. That's pretty tough, as most would agree. What makes it worse is that he wasn't a believer and she's a dedicated Wiccan. Her children, like next-door niece, were not raised in the faith (though her husband was, and seems to edging back that way). The "celebration of life" for him is set for tomorrow, Sunday, at 1:00, so it will be an interesting gathering to be sure. But, perhaps, just perhaps, that will be an occasion to share the Good News to persons needing to hear it. Perhaps some good can come of this. Perhaps occasins such as this are why we are here.
Wife was scheduled for a kidney scan for a few days ago. We had to cancel: we just don't have the required up-front $270 co-pay that we'd not know until we got the "reminder" call. She cancelled, pleading required "isolation after COVID" which they accepted. Likewise, she had an appointment set for across the state line with a medical specialist that we've also had to reschedule. Nearest available appointment set for mid-March. Best we or they could do.
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Genesis 15
The Abrahamic Covenant
1After these events, the word of the Lord camea to Abram in a vision:
Do not be afraid,b Abram.
I am your shield;c
your reward will be very great.
2But Abram said, “Lord God, what can you give me, since I am childless and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus? ”A 3Abram continued, “Look, you have given me no offspring, so a slave born inA my house will be my heir.”
4Now the word of the Lord came to him: “This one will not be your heir; instead, one who comes from your own bodyA will be your heir.” 5He took him outside and said, “Look at the sky and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” Then he said to him, “Your offspring will be that numerous.”a
6Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.a
7He also said to him, “I am the Lord who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.”a
8But he said, “Lord God, how can I knowa that I will possess it? ”
9He said to him, “Bring me a three-year-old cow, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.”
10So he brought all these to him, cut them in half, and laid the pieces opposite each other, but he did not cut the birdsa in half. 11Birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away. 12As the sun was setting, a deep sleepa came over Abram, and suddenly great terror and darkness descended on him.
13Then the Lord said to Abram,a “Know this for certain: Your offspring will be resident aliensb for four hundred yearsc in a land that does not belong to them and will be enslaved and oppressed.A 14However, I will judge the nation they serve,a and afterward they will go out with many possessions.b 15But you will go to your ancestors in peace and be buried at a good old age.a 16In the fourth generation they will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.”a a
17When the sun had set and it was dark, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch appeared and passed between the divided animals. 18On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “I give this land to your offspring,a from the Brook of Egyptb to the great river, the Euphrates River: 19the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, 20Hethites, Perizzites, Rephaim, 21Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites.”
Genesis 16
Hagar and Ishmael
1Abram’s wife, Sarai, had not borne any children for him, but she owned an Egyptian slave named Hagar. 2Sarai said to Abram, “Since the Lord has prevented me from bearing children, go to my slave; perhaps through her I can build a family.” And Abram agreed to what Sarai said.a 3So Abram’s wife, Sarai, took Hagar, her Egyptian slave, and gave her to her husband, Abram, as a wife for him. This happened after Abram had lived in the land of Canaan ten years. 4He slept withA Hagar, and she became pregnant. When she saw that she was pregnant, her mistress became contemptible to her. 5Then Sarai said to Abram, “You are responsible for my suffering!A I put my slave in your arms,B and when she saw that she was pregnant, I became contemptible to her. May the Lord judge between me and you.”a
6Abram replied to Sarai, “Here, your slave is in your power; do whatever you want with her.” Then Sarai mistreated her so much that she ran away from her.
7The angel of the Lorda found her by a spring in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur. 8He said, “Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going? ”
She replied, “I’m running away from my mistress Sarai.”
9The angel of the Lord said to her, “Go back to your mistress and submit to her authority.” 10The angel of the Lord said to her, “I will greatly multiply your offspring,a and they will be too many to count.”
11The angel of the Lord said to her, “You have conceived and will have a son. You will name him Ishmael,A for the Lord has heard your cry of affliction. 12This man will be like a wild donkey. His hand will be against everyone, and everyone’s hand will be against him; he will settle near all his relatives.”a
13So she named the Lord who spoke to her: “You are El-roi,”A for she said, “In this place, have I actually seena the one who sees me? ”B 14That is why the well is called Beer-lahai-roi.A It is between Kadesh and Bered.
15So Hagar gave birth to Abram’s son, and Abram named his son (whom Hagar bore) Ishmael. 16Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to him.
