Open-ended,
Life-centred,
Gospel-Focused Explorations of the Hebrew Bible
Eucharistic Readings from the Australian Prayer Book.
GEN 15:1-12 & 17-18... 2nd S. in Lent, Year C .... (For LK 13:1-9,
or 9:28-36
scroll on site.)
NOTES: 1]Always read the Hebrew Bible in the light
of our Christian understanding of God revealed in Jesus in the New
Testament.2] Until the latter part of Ch.11,
GEN is pre-history as we know it. Then, with the entry of Abram (later:
Abraham) onto the scene (about
1870 BC?) we move into documented history. 3] Key biblical themes of
'Covenant' (see 9:9) & 'Righteousness' are beginning to develop in
this story.
WARMING UP: Promises,
promises, what do we make of them?
TREASURES OLD & NEW:
Identify God at work in anything this week?
ENTERING INTO THE STORY:
1-4 How do we discern when a 'vision' of
God is genuine, rather than a figment of someone's imagination? Why
should Abram believe he was actually seeing God? Is the idea of God
'rewarding' us for obedience part of our
understanding of the way God works? Should it be? For all the scoffing
it would bring, might there be an up-side to us having such a down to
earth relationship with God as Abram has here? Isn't that what Jesus'
incarnation is all about, really? How important to us is having an heir
who's been born to us? Does that leave childless people, adoptees, or
those born by in-vitro procedures that draw on outside donors or
recipients as second class citizens? In whose eyes? What's the real
issue (pun intended!) for Abram? For us? For God?
5-6 Do we take
much interest in the heavens? What's the difference between taking an
interest in them & reading things into them, like horoscopes, etc.
that claim knowledge & power over us? If like Abram we believe
firmly in God, can we believe in anybody, anything else? Do we need to?
If we hold Abram's belief in God that is 'counted to him as
righteousness' (underlined in RO 4:3) why are we still trying to earn
brownie points by doing things that please God? Can God be more pleased
than when we believe in Him?
Don't we still have to do something about what we believe? If we truly
believe, maybe we just can't help doing what God wants us to do? Is
there anything we can do for God that's more important than being
obedient like Abram? Is that what really links belief & practice?
7-11 Do we
ever feel the need for God to identify himself to us in some way as He does here to Abram? Can we see
any merit in the old practice of animal sacrifice portrayed here? Might
sacrificing a heifer, a goat, a ram, a dove, & a pigeon, bring home
to us what sacrifice really costs more than the 'sacrifices' we
may associate with church membership today? Could we list the
sacrifices God really wants us to make? Can a list like that be
anything other than specific to the person God wants to make it / them,
rather than a theoretical list? Do we have such a list personal to us?
Are there 'birds of prey' we might need to drive away from any
sacrifice(s) God is waiting for us to make?
12, 17-18 Does
'deep & terrifying darkness' ever descend on us? What would mark
the kind of experience described here as different from 'depression'?
Are we as aware as we might be of the possibility of people around us
being 'depressed'? Could we be doing more for victims of
depression & helping organisations like 'Beyondblue'? Can we trust
God to introduce light into our darkness, even in surprising ways? How
can we know God has made a covenant with us & is faithful to it /
us?
Can we see any connections between
this Abram story & the repentance & fruitfulness Jesus calls
for in LK13: 1-9?
