In Genesis 12, we're introduced to a Bible superstar: Abraham. And what an up-and-down debut it is for this patriarch of the faith. Bold faith ... followed by wimpy doubt. I can definitely relate to that.
   If I didn't know the rest of Abraham's story and what the rest of the Bible says about God's character, this chapter might make me a little nervous about any "deals" God offers. In fact, looking at just this chapter, I'm almost reminded of a few vacation timeshare marketing experiences my hubby and I have had.
   (Pardon me while I pause to check the sky for any lightning bolts possibly headed in my direction.)
   But WAIT, THERE'S MORE!
   God is NOT a bait-and-switch con artist. Not even close. And if He ever appears to be tricking us, it's certain we just don't know the whole story, just as Abraham didn't when Genesis 12 began.
   As we meet Abraham (who was still called Abram at this point), God is telling him to leave everything -- his country, his relatives, his security -- to go somewhere. Where? Well, God doesn't say. He just says, "Go," and promises Abram big blessings if he obeys.
   How many people would do what Abram did? How many people would go, knowing only what Abram knew? Remember, Abram didn't have a Bible. We don't know if Abram grew up in a home where faith in God was taught or demonstrated or even mentioned. His knowledge of the Almighty had to be pretty limited.
   Of course, God did actually come to Abram here and, hello, TALK to him IN PERSON. We're not told what that looked like, but it must have been a powerfully convincing encounter, as personal encounters with God are.
   "You just crank up those camels and go," God essentially told 75-year-old Abram. Yes, I did too say 75. While 75 seems less old to me every day, I still think it's pretty doggone old to be setting out on a big adventure like the one God was asking Abram to undertake.
   But Abram obeyed. He packed up his wife, his nephew, all their possessions and some servants, and set out. They went here and there and everywhere God told them to go, and what did they find? Blessings at every mile marker?
   Uh, no. They found famine. Very-little-to-no food. No "Country Boy Breakfasts" at the Cracker Barrel along the interstate for Abram and Sarai.
   Why would God send Abram out during a famine? Where were the blessings He promised?
   As it turns out, they were in Egypt.
   The famine forced Abram to go to Egypt in search of food, and waiting there for him were riches. Lots of riches.
   I can't pretend to condone the somewhat creepy way Abram got those riches or understand why God was silent about the tackiness of it all, but my feelings about that are irrelevant. Here's a summary of how it went down: In spite of her age, Sarai was obviously still a "looker" and when she and Abram arrived in Egypt, she caught the eye of the Pharoah himself. Abram saw the way the Pharoah was ogling Sarai and freaked out, claiming his wife was his sister and allowing her to be carted off to to the royal harem. Then Abram accepted all kinds of livestock and servants as payment for her. (Men, do not try this at home.)
   Fortunately, God rescued Sarai from the harem by sending great plagues upon Pharaoh's house -- enough plagues to convince the Egyptian ruler he'd actually bought Abram's wife and needed to drop her like the hot potato she was.
   Pharaoh sent the couple on their way, loaded with all kinds of Egyptian booty. Material blessings obtained in an unexpected way, for sure, but blessings nonetheless.
   Remember, God had promised Abram blessings. When God makes promises, we often assume we know how He's going to keep those promises. But God almost never writes the story the way we expect, or the way we'd write it. Sometimes the path to the promise is bumpy.
   I'm pretty sure when Abram set out on his journey with God, he didn't expect to encounter a famine or a wife-stealing king as a "reward" for obedience. But God knew this weird turn of events would ultimately multiply Abram's wealth and "make his name great."
   God is always in control, no matter what it looks like, and is always faithful to do what He says He'll do. His way, and in His time.
   And He honors those who trust Him, even if that trust is imperfect.
   He looked around for a man who would go when He said, "Go," and He found Abram. Imperfect Abram. Abram who got scared and lied about his wife. But Abram who was at least willing to go, even when he didn't know where or how or why.
   God doesn't require us to be perfect -- just willing to trust Him enough to take that first step ... and the next ... and the next. He can redeem the messes we make along the way, as long as we have a heart that, at its core, wants to know, believe and honor God. Like Abram had. If our heart is like that, our weaknesses and mistakes don't nullify God's promises.
   He is faithful, even when we're not.
   We may encounter famines and long days in the desert and scary turns in the road, but God never makes empty promises. He's no con man. All His promises to us are sure and good.
   That's the heart of our God.

Genesis 11: I Have an Idea!

No telling how many disastrous projects have been launched with these words: "Hey y'all -- I have an idea!"
Big ideas that aren't God ideas are bad ideas, and we find one here in Genesis 11-- the infamous tower of Babel.
Here's what these folks wanted to do: "Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name, otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth."
What's wrong with building a big tower in a big city, earning a little street cred and sticking together?
Plenty, if it's not God's will. And if this group had just asked God to weigh in on their plan, they could've saved themselves a whole lot of back-breaking work.
It seems these folks had allowed their roots to grow deep and weren't much interested in God's command to spread out so they could "fill the earth." They wanted to stay right where they were, thank you very much.
They also evidently thought a little too highly of themselves, imagining they could build a tower "whose top will reach into heaven" and thereby make a name for themselves.
In response to their selfish, rebellious, misguided efforts, God confused their language. Suddenly, they couldn't understand each other. That happens a lot around my house, but I'm pretty sure it's not God's fault. In Genesis 11, however, God was indeed behind the serious and sudden communication problem.
Since it's impossible to build a tower to heaven when you can't even ask the guy working next to you to pass some bricks, the project went bust and these folks who didn't want to scatter were scattered "abroad over the face of the whole earth."
What was the big deal here and why did God do what He did? Is He like that toddler in the church nursery who delights in knocking down all the other kids' block towers? Uh, no.
In Genesis 6:11, God expresses His concern over what would happen if this construction project succeeded:  "...nothing which they purpose to do will be impossible for them."
I don't fully understand what this means, but this I do know: When sinful people join forces to achieve ungodly goals, it's never a good thing. History certainly bears that out.
Whatever else was involved here, it seems God was clearly trying to save the Babel-dwellers from themselves. When someone is racing down a path of destruction, the most loving thing we can do is to stop them, which is exactly what God did. I'm sure it didn't feel like love to the Babel-ites, but love doesn't have to feel good to be true.
Sometimes God demonstrates His love for us by derailing our bad ideas.
That's His heart.