Author: Dwight Clough

"Do not be afraid, for I am with you." — Genesis 26:23Isaac is on the run — the Philistines are crowding him out of the land, filling up his wells, telling him to move on. Isaac, like Abraham before him, was ripped off by the inhabitants of the land. They took advantage of him, but Isaac kept a level head, and didn’t do anything stupid.Then the LORD appeared to him to put it all in perspective. Do not be afraid, God says to us. Every command carries a promise, a truth meant to be anchored deep inside our hearts. God…

"I’ll draw water for your camels too … " — Genesis 24:19So much rested on finding the right wife for Isaac. The future of God’s promises to Abraham would be fulfilled, in part, through Rebekah. She would shape the character of a nation. Just as Abraham ran to the herd (Genesis 18:7) to provide the best in hospitality, so also Rebekah goes the extra mile and keeps on going to provide the best in hospitality. She didn’t know that she was an answer to prayer and the fulfillment of Abraham’s prophecy. She didn’t know that she was about to get…

"Some time later, God tested Abraham." — Genesis 22:1Why does God test us? Because He expects to find something good.This is, by the way, exactly the opposite reason why Satan tempts us. Satan expects to find something bad.But even if our weaknesses are revealed by the test, God expects to use that as an opportunity for good. Peter’s fears were revealed in the courtyard. But God used that as an opportunity to get Peter honest with himself about His need for God, and it led to Peter’s restoration. In the years that followed, Peter was tested many times, but those…

Sarah said, "God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me." — Genesis 21:6There are many different kinds of laughter. Some laugh to be cruel, mocking the pain of others. There is the laughter of surprise, the sudden release when we get to the punch line of a good joke. Some laugh in amazement, others in disbelief or cynicism.Sarah laughed the laughter of joy, of a long-awaited promise come true. If you read between the lines, it seems that the barrenness of her womb had been matched by a bleak emptiness in her soul.…

"Don’t look back …!" — Genesis 19:17Here is a lesson on value. Lot misjudged value. He didn’t understand the value of real estate — he pitched his tent toward Sodom. He didn’t understand value in people — when he tried to reason with the young men he had chosen to marry his daughters, they thought he was joking. Now he was given a final choice: the mountains or Sodom. Lot still struggled with this. He couldn’t see that camping out with God was far better than sharing the finest hotel with the devil. Even in warnings, even in crises, God…

When the LORD had finished speaking with Abraham, He left, and Abraham returned home. — Genesis 18:33What an awesome privilege Abraham had — to make a meal for God Himself. And he made quite a production of it — bringing water to wash their feet, baking the equivalent of about 35 loaves of bread. This 99 year old man ran to the herd, to select the best calf he owned to butcher for these men. Then Abraham stood before the LORD and pleaded for the people of Sodom.And then the visit was over. God left, and Abraham returned home.I’m amazed…

"If only Ishmael might live under Your blessing!" — Genesis 17:18Question: How do you steer an ocean liner? Answer: Give it time and space to turn. I’ve read that when you turn the wheel on the largest ships they keep going straight for as much as two miles before they finally start to turn. I don’t know if that’s true or not, but I do know that you won’t be parallel parking an aircraft carrier in downtown Manhattan.God is weaning Abraham from the human plan, so that he can move to the Divine plan. Although Ishmael was a valuable human…

No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. — Genesis 17:5When Abram was 99 years old, God gave him a new name. Why a new name?Sometimes we get stuck. We get as far as we can, and can’t go any further until God steps in and does the impossible. And such was the condition of Abram. His human plan had run its course. Ishmael was almost a teenager, but Sarai was barren, and the child of promise had not yet been conceived. The plan of God…

The angel of the LORD found Hagar … — Genesis 16:7Hagar was in a mess. She was deeply embroiled in a human plan that went bad. Pregnant with Abram’s first son, she made the mistake of getting snooty with Sarai, and Sarai was furious. Jealous, no doubt. Blaming. Even vindictive. Abram threw up his hands, hoping the problem would go away if he just stayed out of it.The problem didn’t go away, but Hagar did. I suspect all of us have been here. We want God’s plan, it doesn’t seem to be happening, so we try to jump start it…

Abram believed the LORD … but Abram said, "O Sovereign LORD, how can I know …?" — Genesis 15:6,8How can I know? God is not offended by this question. Abram believed up to a point. Then he reached the limits of his faith. This would put many Christians at an impasse. But Abram, the father of faith, turns his doubts over to God. How can I know? We are all a mixture of doubt and faith, of truth and lies, of darkness and light. Deep inside every Christian is truth, faith and light, because we are born of God. But…