Online Bible Audio/Readings Links (ESV)
1/25 Reading Portions: Genesis 26; Matthew 25; Esther 2; Acts 25
Listen to the audio devotional above, and/or read the written devotional below.
Now there was a famine in the land, besides the former famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Gerar to Abimelech king of the Philistines. Genesis 26:1
PURPOSE
There was a famine in the land, different from the famine in Abraham’s day, which caused Abraham to journey southward to Egypt (Gen 12:10); and Isaac made his way to Gerar, the land of Abimelech, the Philistine. That first night in Gerar, YHVH God specifically told Isaac in a dream not to go down to Egypt, but to dwell in the land where the LORD directed, and having commanded him thus, God blessed Isaac with the same promise He made to his father, Abraham (Gen 26:2-5). So, Isaac settled for a while in Gerar (Gen 26:6); and eventually, caused him to journey to Beersheba (Gen 26:23).
Famines arise in our lives, attending to our spiritual needs by God’s good and sovereign providence. The circumstances in the world around the Christian believer are always used by God to bring His plans and purposes to bear in the lives of His people— specifically, to affirm the blessing of His promises in, by, and through the Lord Jesus Christ. Were we to search it out diligently in Scripture, a famine has been used by God as a means to present many a gospel picture.
Though situations and circumstances may appear dismal to the blind eye of the unbeliever, the soul whose life is hid with God in Christ will find peace in the gospel blessings of Christ Jesus. Famines, such as the one Isaac experienced, may place one into an even more difficult predicament with unbelievers (Gen 26:7-10); nevertheless, for the believer in Christ, God will be ultimately glorified because He’s using every situation and circumstance to make us more like Jesus, as it is written,
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. Romans 8:28-29
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
Ours is not a “Purpose-Driven” life, but a purpose-surrendered life; if indeed our lives our surrendered to God’s purpose alone—His glory alone through Christ’s exaltation.
The famines which come to our lives,
And though around us bleak;
It moves us out— and this is why:
So we can hear God speak.
