Thurs, May 1 SOAP Devotional

Read Genesis 11
To read this text go to: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=genesis%2011&version=51



Scripture- Genesis 11:4-7 Then they said, “Come, let’s build a great city for ourselves with a tower that reaches into the sky. This will make us famous and keep us from being scattered all over the world.” But the Lord came down to look at the city and the tower the people were building. “Look!” he said. “The people are united, and they all speak the same language. After this, nothing they set out to do will be impossible for them! Come, let’s go down and confuse the people with different languages. Then they won’t be able to understand each other.”

Observations- Everyone could speak the same language at this time and they agreed to settle down together in the same area. They made an advance in technology (making bricks instead of using stone) and decided to build a massive project that would make them famous and keep them united together. The problem with this would be that they were united together by pride, rather than their worship and devotion to God. God saw what was happening and knew the creative potential that He created within them. They were told to spread out and populate the earth not congregate in cities, but instead they chose to stay together and settle in this area. They counted the cost of the project by settling on making bricks because of the lack of stone in the area. They worked together to overcome obstacles that stood in their way. All of these are good qualities when turned in the right direction, but here they indicate the intensity of their determination to pursue this rebellious action. They could not conceive that blessing could come from the obedience of splitting up and spreading out, so they were determined to stay together. They believed that their security lay in staying together and building a city—they believed more in bricks and mortar and the works of their hands than they did in God.

Application- The same temptations are all around us today. It is so much easier to rely on what we can see rather than trusting in God and God’s provisions for us. We are always blessed when we act in obedience to God. They thought that they knew better than God and were unwilling to give God even a chance at coming through for them. They were in for a surprise. God came down and scattered them by confusing their languages. They couldn’t understand each other anymore and had no choice but to move along. This just proves that our plans cannot thwart God’s purposes. God, and not the works of our hands, is the only thing worthy of our faith. While unity, having a common purpose and working together to overcome obstacles are certainly great qualities, we must always remember that these are only useful when they are directed toward glorifying God and serving God’s purposes and Kingdom. When we choose to go our own way rather than acting in obedience to what we understand God wants us to do, much of that is a monument to our insecurity. Jesus promised us in Matthew 6 that we are more important to Him than sparrows and flowers and God takes care of them, so we should always keep in mind the reality of His care and provision for our lives.

Prayer- Lord, help me to see the value in trusting you with my whole life. When I think I know better than You, please do whatever is necessary to get my attention and teach me that trusting You is always the right thing to do. It is easier to trust what I can observe with my senses, so help me to develop my spiritual senses in a way that will help me to see that what I can’t see is more real than what I can see. You know how much I love You and want to trust you. Help me to grow ever stronger in trusting You. Amen

Leaning on the Everlasting Arms,

Pastor Matt