You know, I've been a believer for 12 years and I'm surprised by how surprised I am when as soon as I commit to doing something for God, some bomb is dropped to discourage me. Wow...did I ever get a doozy yesterday.

Father, thank You for counting me worthy of the enemy's attention. Give me the strength to do what is right and pleasing to You, whatever the cost to me.

I can see already that it's going to be tough for me to keep up this journal and my reading. This morning I made the first of what I'm sure will be several sacrifices. I cancelled by Netflix subscription. Not only do I avoid the distraction of movies sitting by my DVD, but I'll save $20 a month too! That said, a few thoughts from yesterday's reading:

• I wonder how Abram felt about his name, as a "more mature" childless man, when his name meant "exalted father." Did he see it as a sick joke? Was he bitter? Did it make it hard for him to believe, or more hopeful?
• I wonder what God chose circumcision as his choice of commitment? What is the purpose or symbolism? Why not a tattoo...or piercing...or some other marking? Was it so only males could enter the covenant?
• Sarai had a name change to Sarah. My Bible doesn't explain the meanings of the names.
• 17:18-20 - wow...watch out for what you wish for. Abraham asked for Ishmael's life to be saved and generations of his descendents have fought ever since.
• Ishmael was circumcized at 13. Is their any correlation between that first event and Bat Mitzpahs for Jewish boys at 13? (Kinda odd, since Ishmael wasn't part of the Jewish lineage).
• Were the men who talked to Abraham and Sarah the same two men who went to Sodom and Gomorrah? I never made that connection before. Score 1 for the Bible in 90 Days big picture theory.
• What a litany of missed up situations. "Desperate Housewives" has nothing on the Genesis folks: protecting guests and offering virgin daughters to be abused, daughters sleeping with their father, telling strangers that a wife is sister (and the fact that she really his is half sister), a son being set up to be sacrificed...imagine what Child Protective Services would think of these guys.
• Three times Isaac is referred to as Abraham's only son, but that's not true. Ishmael is his son. Maybe my child of divorce sensitivies are kicking in, but I can see how Ishmael kinda got the shaft in this whole deal.
• I'm amazed by God's grace. I can't think of modern example of someone the church would esteem in the way we look at Abraham...someone who had sex with his wife's hired help to get pregnant, sent his new wife and child away, offered a very painful new way of showing commitment to God, lied about his wife, tried to sacrifice his son...Abraham would have been committed!
• I do like the story of Isaac and Rebecca. It reminds me I want to check out the book from Ravi Zacharias.

On that note, I'm going to end. More thoughts later today on day three's reading.