Read or listen to Genesis 37

If only we could read every chapter (oh wait- you can if you want to!). Prior to today’s reading, we see Jacob/ Israel reconcile with Esau, and yet still not be quite honest with him. Jacob’s daughter, Dinah, gets raped and her brothers exact revenge. God repeats His promise to Jacob in chapter 35. Rachel and Isaac both die, and we see that Esau is indeed blessed and head of a long line of people.

Jacob has 12 sons, and the siblings have a bit of trouble with Joseph.

• How do you see generational sin (sin patterns passed down from generation to generation) reaped in this tragic story?
• What sort of character do see in the brothers?
• In Joseph?
• In Jacob?

I love that verse 36 starts with the word “meanwhile”. It reminds me (again) that God is often working behind the scene in ways that I cannot discern.

Keep talking to God about the storylines in your own life that are confusing to you.

Read or listen to Genesis 32-33

Jacob leaves Laban on the sly, gets confronted, and speaks his mind to Laban. But ultimately heads towards his home with his two wives, and his children. Heading home means meeting back up with his brother Esau…

• What do you see growing in Jacobs character in these two chapters?
• How would you describe God from these two chapters? Where is He at work? What’s He like?

Jacobs becomes the namesake and father of the nation of Israel. This always gives me hope that God is at work in myself and in the situations around me in ways that are not apparent to me!

• What are some situations in your life right now where you wonder what God’s plan is? Spend some time talking to Him about those.

Read or listen to Genesis 29-30

We pick with Jacob’s story as he flees Esau’s revenge. Again we will see an honest portrait of trust and mistrust woven into life. And how the sowing of each of these reaps consequences in all the stories- just like for us.

Jacob the deceiver, meets his Uncle Laban who also does some deceiving.

• What character qualities do you see growing in Jacob throughout this story?
• Are there pieces of this story that resonate with your story? What gets brought up for you?

The sadness in the relationship of Rachel and Leah always gets to me. My family, and many of those I see around me, are represented in these women.

• How has your family shaped the ways that you respond to God today?- for good and for bad.

As we close out this week and prepare for worship together, let’s step back and see the big picture. God is working out a plan to have a people devoted to Him in faith and trust. Abraham, with all his flaws, believes God and is credited with righteousness. He opens the way for all of us who believe to also receive righteousness and adoption. What a plan.

Spend a few minutes this morning praying and asking God to grow your faith and trust in his plan in and around you.

• Read or listen to Genesis 24-25 and Genesis 27

Thanks for plugging along in this quick flyover of Genesis! There is a lot of history and a few people who become the focus of the chapters. God, in the preserving of these stories, does not hide our human faults or frailties- but this also allows us to celebrate our faith in trials! Today we read about a young woman who follows God into a new life and marriage, and two sons who are favored differently which leads to much strife!

• How or where do you see God at work in these chapters?
• What are some of the poor choices you see Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob, and Esau make that you can relate to?
• What makes you sad in this story?
• What gives you hope in this story?

• Read or listen to Genesis 21-22

We see God remain faithful to (now) Abraham and Sarah in the birth of Isaac. But it is still not smooth sailing as their mistrust and self-determination (sin) that led to the birth of Ishmael reaps consequences.

• How do you see God’s character being revealed in this section? What kinds of names would you ascribe to Him?
• How do you see God as Provider in these stories?
• How does Abraham demonstrate faith on his way to the altar with Isaac? (Romans 4 also adds more flesh to this story)

Abraham’s distrust of God’s plan, and his failure to lead well has a lot of consequences in Hagar and Ishmael’s lives. Our sin always hurts us and those around us.

• When have you seen this true in a circumstance in your own life?

• Read or listen to Genesis 15-17

As we continue on in the story of Abram, we will see God make him some pretty amazing promises. We will also see he and his wife Sarai struggle to believe, and at the same time sometimes show incredible faith. So like you and me.

• What kinds of things do you learn or see about God’s character from these chapters?
• What kinds of character traits do you see in Abram?

15:6 tells us that God credits righteousness to Abram because of his belief. Galatians 3:7 tells us that those of us who believe in faith become children of Abraham. We become an answer to this long ago promise.

The story of Hagar is amazing to me. God sees.

• When have you seen and known that God saw you right in the midst of your pain/ struggle/ grief?