Disciples, Apostles, and Saints!
Before I left for vacation, we were just meeting a conman named Jacob, son of Isaac, son of Abraham and Sarah. And when I came back, we were jumping into the beginning of Exodus. I want to take a second to reflect on this narrative that covers most of Genesis; the people we refer to as the patriarchs.
It was remarkable that this story was ever told, because it doesn’t make the people’s ancestors look good. At all. In fact, it would seem to do the opposite of what hagiography would want: setting a bad example for the people and showing the weakness of their ancestors. This, I believe, also reflects the remarkable difference in the God who made a relational commitment to Abraham in the first place.
Unlike all other gods, God was looking for relationship, not blind service and sacrifice. This is at the heart of the Genesis narrative and reverberates throughout the rest of Hebrew Scripture, especially when the people want to treat God like the other gods, with total deference, rather than the one who picked Abraham out because he was the only one who wouldn’t!
Abraham isn’t the best father or leader. He creates a rift with his son he cannot repair. Jacob keeps running from responsibility for his actions. And, at the end, Joseph can’t not talk about his dreams. This isn’t a story of good people. They are just people. They didn’t get lucky to be chosen. They were just chosen. Because they aren’t the point. God is. And God made a commitment to unconditional love.
With love,
Drew+
