Jan. 12, 2021
In Genesis 25, the focus shifts from Abraham to the next generation. Isaac, the son Abraham was promised, marries Rebekah, and like her mother-in-law, Sarah, Rebekah is barren.
Isaac prays for his wife to become pregnant, and 20 years after their marriage, his prayer is answered. Rebekah gives birth to twin boys.
Jacob and Esau’s relationship was marked by conflict from the start (Genesis 25:22). The revelation that “the older shall serve the younger” is a signal to Rebekah, and to us, that God’s promise will be fulfilled through Jacob’s family tree, not Esau’s.
With a young family and famine spreading across the land, Issac finds himself in a similar situation as his father once had. The Lord appears to Isaac as He had with Abraham. He re-establishes His promise to bless Abraham’s descendants and to bless the earth through them (Genesis 26:4-5, Genesis 26:24).
Jesus is back in His hometown teaching about fasting when He’s interrupted by an influential man desperate to revive his daughter.
On Jesus’ way to visit the girl, a woman with a chronic blood disorder grabs His cloak, believing that one touch from Jesus could make her well. Both the woman and the man’s daughter receive healing as a result of their faith in Jesus.
Leaving the little girl’s house, two blind men stop Jesus, and He restores their sight. And as the blind men walk away, someone else brought a demon-possessed man to Jesus for healing.
Over and over, Jesus shows compassion toward those who are hurt, sick, or in need. The people other religious leaders ignored, He stopped and healed.
Make it Personal
- Does any area of your life need healing? Where are you looking for help?
- How do you respond to people who are hurting, broken, or in need? Ask the Holy Spirit for an opportunity to show compassion today.