Starting the Marathon

This morning I woke up 15 minutes earlier.  I hit snooze when the alarm went off, but thankfully Mr. Ketchup called me and encouraged me to get up and start my new routine.

5 minutes of Bible study/prayer.  5 minutes of exercise.  5 minutes planning my day.

I know that does not sound like much, but it is a start.  Next week I will be waking up an additional 15 minutes earlier and adding time to my routine.

I read Genesis 15 this morning, and initially thought..."This is completely not applicable right now; I just want to go back to bed."

However, the Gospel is ALWAYS applicable.  In Genesis 15 we see God establishing His covenant with Abram (soon to be Abraham).  Here God promises Abram that his descendants will be countless and will be given much land.  Previously (12:2-3), God had told Abram that through his many descendants, all of the families of the earth would be blessed.  This was God's covenant to Abram.

Why do we care?  See Galatians 3:5-9.  The ESV says this:

Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works

of the law, or by hearing with faith - just as Abraham 'believed God, and it was counted

to him as righteousness?'  Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham.

And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith,

preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, 'In you shall all the nations be blessed.'

So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

(emphasis added)

We care because Genesis 15 points us toward the cross.  We can see a glimpse of God's plan of redemption for all nations through Genesis 12-15.  Abram's descendants became the nation of Israel, through whom Christ came.  And "in him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace." (Ephesians 1:7; ESV)