Sometimes the day after Christmas you find one gift left over–pushed back behind the tree.

When babies are born a birth announcement usually follows in the mail. It gives us the name, arrival time, and other specs.

Laughter can be a signal of redemption (or of grace), but we are also aware another kind of laughter–that which is full of scorn and derision.

If you asked God what His relationship is like to His people, He responds without hesitation: We’re married. And, then gives a sign of His promise. Abraham learns this.

Learning to trust in God’s gracious promise enables us to deal justly in our relationships and bear injustice.

The growing sentiment in our culture is that there cannot be one, true religion. With Abram we find another approach. One where God takes center stage.

Plan “A” is our ideal plan, our first choice. Yet, because our wisdom is finite and we are subject to circumstances beyond our control all good planners have a Plan “B” for contingencies. However, God is different.

We are faced with open doors all the time. Sometimes its hard for us to ‘read’ open doors-discern whether they are an invitation to blessing or demise. Open doors can be opportunity or temptation. Abram faces such a situation in Genesis 13 and 14 and his response is instructive.

The Call to follow God involves a call “from” and a call “to”. When Abram was called to follow God it meant losing a sense of place, community and identity. Many of us of have felt the same. But, Abram begins to discover that the call “to” a promising a God and a personal God, can’t keep him away.

Life is full of things that make us ask, “Why is this happening to me?” Can we bring our fear, anger, and questions to God?