17 But the Lord…
– Genesis 12:17 (ESV)
It introduces a turn of events. It’s often the center point of a significant plot twist. When things are rough it’s a word you absolutely want to see or hear. It’s only three letters long, but this word is incredibly powerful. The word of course is… BUT.
Think about all the times in the Bible we read, “But God…” Think about how good results, people are spared, enemies are defeated, and wars are won because things were trending negatively… BUT GOD stepped in to act & reveal His ultimate plan. Over the years I’ve heard these "But God" occurrence described as “But-ology.” But-ology is the theology of the word "but" throughout the Bible.
And while the Bible is full of “But God…” moments it thrilling when we also experience them in everyday life. Have you had any moments like that recently? You know, moments when it seems like there was no solution, BUT GOD showed up and showed the way. Perhaps you had a need you couldn’t meet, BUT GOD provided. Maybe it was a relational conflict you couldn’t resolve, BUT GOD extended grace. The "But God…" possibilities are as endless as the struggles we face, but when He intervenes, it’s crucial that we declare that we would have been left helpless, BUT GOD showed up. Take a moment and give Him praise.
Well, as you can probably guess, our passage this week includes some “But-ology.” As we pick up Genesis 12 we find Abram backing himself into a pretty hopeless predicament, BUT GOD shows great patience toward Abram and redeems him out of the mess he put himself in. I’d love for you to take some time to read Genesis 12:10-20, but I want to warn you, the events that transpire are quite shocking. As you read, take some time to consider how patient our God is. We’d all be lost… BUT GOD…
Take some time to listen to the worship set to prepare your heart.
Love you Church,
Jerry Lingenfelter
Senior Pastor