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This article was written by Hayley Mizell, producer of Bible Book Club.
Did you have a rebellious period in your childhood? Overall, I was a rule follower as a child, but my teenage sass got me in a lot of trouble for a good couple of years until I mellowed back out. Similarly, I think my faith walk tends to sway between the child going after God and following His plan for my life to the ego-stricken teenager who forgets the plan entirely and does my own thing, racking up the consequences. When I read this chapter, I see Egypt as Abraham’s failed test or his “teenage period”. And while not his greatest years, the detour to Egypt makes Abraham relatable as well as shows he could, and often did, mess up. It also proves to us how God’s love is true even when we stray.
HAYLEY’S BIBLE BENDER:
While Abraham is the central focus of this chapter, my Bible bender is really about God’s faithfulness. As Susan pointed out, the Old Testament has a bigger pattern at play. The pattern being that God rescues man, God renews his promise through blessing, and then moves forward in the plan to restore the world. Susan also connected this pattern to the original overview sentence of Genesis from episode 1: Genesis is the story of how God lovingly created a perfect world. He created man in His own image and put us in charge of ruling the world. We rebelled and the world became destructive. God responded by revealing His plan to rescue and bless the world through the family of Abraham and His son, born of this family, Jesus. There are so many levels to God and his true character. God loved Abraham and he loves us and his plan to restore us (even though we, Abraham included are undeserving) through Jesus still applies today. It’s an awe-struck moment if there ever was one.
Have you thought about God’s character? Are you on God’s path for your life?
