Thoughts from Genesis 26

The Faith and Dominion of Isaac!  

Like the first star that proceeds from the father of faith, we seem to miss the significance of this Patriarch for the light of faith in Abraham and the complexity of the faith of Jacob.  

So packed is this dominion and the pursuit of faith in Isaac, it seems that I could write all day about it.

1. Dominion of the wells and fighting for it.
2. A man in the image of his father, flaws and all
3. Lover of his own wife
4. The high value of single eyed love of the vow of marriage and love of God. even of the ungodly in that day.
5. the keeper of vows sees God as a keeper of vows
6. the faith of one man lifting the faith and consistency of the entire region
7. Grief at the loss of his father had made him miss losing dominion of the water wells.
8. God made him fight for that which was his, already by inheritance
9. The expression of ungodliness in that day was in reserving the water only for those who had means and knowledge to find it.  Over control of natural resources, taxing the poor for needed items, like water and basic provisions is a greater expression of ungodliness.
10. He thought their expression would be to steal his beautiful wife and kill him.  They expressed that they attempted to live according to vows as he did.  I think Abrahams lies to the peoples had been effective in teaching basic skills of godliness that were traveling through the communities.
11. People wanted to compete with the joy that was seen  in the community of faith that Abraham created.  
12. Like the water that they drank from the wells. Thankfulness for this provision made them want to imitate his faith and consistency to God’s truth.
13. Isaac had no idea that his faith was growing the faith on the earth even before he could teach the truth of the reality of God’s mercy.

Just a thought

I really don't like the acceptance of masculine behaviors in regular play with girls and boys.  I don't like the way it is acceptable for girls to take charge in playing games as a regular way.  Boys seem to dumb themselves down and not even try to take initiatives and the ones who do have to fight for that right.  Then we tell them to treat girls more gently, but the girls provoke like a boy.

In the play yard there aren't female and male choices.  There are only gender neutral games available.  We need some choices of doll and cooking and jump rope and some games that are uncompetitive.

Respectful behavior to oneanother should be a must.  Respectfulness to teachers is an extension of their behavior with one another and we teachers should model respectful behavior to the children.  They will model what they are shown.  Love one another?  Simple etiquette, preferring one another?  Esteem in others more highly?  How does that look?  Not a door mat, but humble submission must be modeled or they won't learn it. 

The humble, submissive attitude that God was pleased with in us in slavery and post has grown into bitterness and acceptance of aggressive behaviors.   It is not language differences, it is attitude acceptances.   Not!

The respect for what God has wrought in our midst is not.

God told Abraham that He was his shield.  If Sodom and Gomorrah accepted deliverance from the hand of God and gave him not the glory, that was where God hardened their hearts.  The symptom was the spiritual takeover of Homosexuality.  The sin was not seeking God and thanking Him when Abraham was used to show them the way.  When we receive from God a mighty deliverance and don't give God the glory, he lets parts of his shield down.  The shield was spoken to Abraham and as his children by faith we are recipients in Christ of that shield.  If we emulate our father.  If not we are our own shield.   I can't shield myself and if I am not doing the works of my spiritual example Abraham in Christ, there are consequences.  Succumbing to the wrong influences of our generation.   Perhaps we are saved, by the skin of our teeth as it were, but not experiencing real spiritual dynamism.