As I continue on this journey of reading the Bible – 365 days in 2025, I’ve arrived at day 17. The word Immanuel, which means God with us, is the lens through which I am reading the words of each chapter. So, daily I’m opening my Bible and asking the Holy Spirit to reveal to me God’s {withness}. Today, in Genesis 16-18, it feels like I struck the motherload of God’s presence. I see Immanuel EVErYWHeRE in these pages.
How did I choose Immanuel as my lens for reading the Bible this year? Well, that’s a whole other story about what happened to me as I read through the book of Exodus through this past Advent season. I’ll add a link here, and maybe I’ll write about this interesting journey all along this 365 day journey.
For now, I will summarize my gleanings beginning with chapter 16: God tracked down Hagar in the wilderness.
Here’s a little context to help us understand the identity of Hagar and why she was running away from Sarai.
Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian slave named Hagar; 2 so she said to Abram, “The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.” Abram agreed to what Sarai said. 3 So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian slave Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. 4 He slept with Hagar, and she conceived.
When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress. 5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my slave in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the Lord judge between you and me.”
6 “Your slave is in your hands,” Abram said. “Do with her whatever you think best.” Then Sarai mistreated Hagar; so she fled from her. 7The angel of the Lord found Hagar near a spring in the desert; it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur.
“And he said, “Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?”
Genesis 16:8
In these words, spoken by the angel of the LORD, we hear a question, which harkens back to Genesis 3, and the garden of Eden. Remember the scene with me, Adam and Eve sinned by doubting God’s goodness, and disobeying His command. Immediately, both humans were filled with shame, and they hid from God. As His usual practice, God pursued His children to walk and talk with them, and He called out to them in the cool of the day.
But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”
Genesis 3:9
Interesting to me is that both Adam and Hagar answered God honestly. I have to wonder if they did so because of the love of God that fills His presence. I tend to think that it is God’s kind pursuit that leads us to respond.
“Thereafter, Hagar used another name to refer to the Lord, who had spoken to her. She said, “You are the God who sees me.” She also said, “Have I truly seen the One who sees me?” So that well was named Beer-lahai-roi (which means “well of the Living One who sees me”). It can still be found between Kadesh and Bered.”
Genesis 16:13-14 NLT
Beautiful!
As if that wasn’t enough to chew on for a day, we turn to Chapter 17: In summary, God chose to reveal Himself with more clarity. God introduced Himself to Abram as El Shaddai – God Almighty. And then God changed Abram’s name to Abraham, and finally, not forgetting Sarai, God established her name as Sarah. While I am not at all privy as to why God chose to change the names of His covenant people, it feels similar to the way family members have special names for the ones they love.
“When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life. “This is my covenant with you: I will make you the father of a multitude of nations! What’s more, I am changing your name. It will no longer be Abram. Instead, you will be called Abraham, for you will be the father of many nations. I will make you extremely fruitful. Your descendants will become many nations, and kings will be among them!”
Genesis 17:1, 4-6 NLT
I see God’s intimacy with His creation as God converses with Abraham. Relationships are deepened as we get to know each other in more detail. As I reflect on the tone of this chapter, the words of Isaiah come to mind. Words of belonging…
But now, this is what the Lord says—
Isaiah 43:1
he who created you, Jacob,
he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
Genesis 18: And by the way a year from now when I return, she will have a son. Here’s the icing on the cake for today. God having come to visit with Abraham ended up staying for dinner. Again, this encounter is reminiscent of the Garden of Eden and God’s pursuit of His creation. I’m beginning to anticipate these relational moments. God with us… Immanuel.
The Lord appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. 2 Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.
3 He said, “If I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant by. 4 Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree. 5 Let me get you something to eat, so you can be refreshed and then go on your way—now that you have come to your servant.”
“Very well,” they answered, “do as you say.”
After dinner, and a very interesting conversation confirming God’s promise of a covenant child to be born to Abraham and Sarah, the Lord’s two companions headed out toward Sodom. They were on mission. There was a plan. But the Lord turned aside to continue His conversation with Abraham. Once again, we are given a window into a developing intimacy between God and His people.
“Then the men got up from their meal and looked out toward Sodom. As they left, Abraham went with them to send them on their way. “Should I hide my plan from Abraham?” the Lord asked. “For Abraham will certainly become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him. I have singled him out so that he will direct his sons and their families to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just. Then I will do for Abraham all that I have promised.” So the Lord told Abraham, “I have heard a great outcry from Sodom and Gomorrah, because their sin is so flagrant. I am going down to see if their actions are as wicked as I have heard. If not, I want to know.” The other men turned and headed toward Sodom, but the Lord remained with Abraham.”
Genesis 18:16-22 NLT
It’s as if God tarried with Abraham for a lengthy family chat over dinner, and then turned to discuss the plight of Abraham’s neighbors. “The other men turned and headed toward Sodom, but the LORD remained with Abraham.”
What do you recognize about God that maybe is new and fresh?
In this chapter, we see God is El -Shaddai, God Almighty, and more. He is also promise-keeper, confidante, and friend. As Abraham met one on one with the Lord, reasoning together over the sanctity of life and justice, Abraham recognized God as just, judge and justifier.
God’s {withness} is evident on every page. He finds. He speaks. He listens. He hears. He knows. He marks. He singles out. He reasons. He decides. He wants to be known by His creation. It’s becoming so apparent that God loves relationship and intentionally pursues His creation.
Perhaps you will want to read this passage for yourself – Genesis 16 – 18.
Where do you see His withness?
Eyes on Jesus and Shine,
Lisa
Additionally, check out this video teaching brought to you by The Bible Project.
I’m using The Bible Recap with Tara – Leigh Cobble as a tool and a guide to lead me 365 days in 2025. It’s not too late to join in. Let me know in the comments that you are joining the campaign to read 365 in 2025. #read365in2025 #eyesonjesusandshine #withness
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