Kristi Burchfiel

VERSE:Genesis 31:19–When Laban had gone to shear his flock, then Rachel store the household idols that were her father’s.TRUTH:Certain things can be very difficult to let go of. The Lord knows this and calls us to leave everything and follow Him. Rachel couldn’t let go of the idols and as a result, was willing to steal to be able to have them. What are we holding on to that causes us to sin?RESPONSE:Lord, I pray You will help me leave everything behind and follow You.

VERSE:Genesis 30:26–Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you, and let me depart; for you yourself know my service which I have rendered you.TRUTH:Jacob had stayed and faithfully served Laban according to their arrangement. No he wanted to go and provide for his own family directly. Do we stand up and take responsibility for the areas that God has given us?RESPONSE:Lord, as we celebrate Your birth, help me take responsibility for the areas You have given me.

VERSE:Genesis 29:35–And she conceived again and bore a son and said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” Therefore she named him Judah. The she stopped bearing.TRUTH:Before this, Leah kept hoping that she could earn her husband’s love by bearing him sons. However that did not work. Finally she just stepped back and praised God for his gift to her of another son. Do we praise God regardless of how others respond?RESPONSE:Lord, thank You for Your goodness to us. I pray You will help me focus on You only and not on others.

VERSE:Genesis 28:16–Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place and I did not know it.”TRUTH:Do we really expect God in all places at all times? Or, do we just go and do our things, only to realize later that God was working all day? We must look for and see God at work in all things.RESPONSE:Lord, You are in all. Help me to see You in even the little day-to-day things.

VERSE:Genesis 27:41–So Esau bore a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him and Esau said to himself, “The days of mourning for my father are near; then I will kill my brother Jacob.”TRUTH:Esau had been treated wrongly but instead of turning it over to God, he planned to act on his own. Do we try to defend ourselves or take matter into our own hands, or do we allow God to defend us?RESPONSE:Lord, forgive me when I take actions on my own. Help me to leave my defense up to You.

VERSE:Genesis 26:7–Then the men of the place asked about his wife, he said “She is my sister” for he was afraid to say “my wife” thinking “the men of the place might kill me on account of Rebekah, for she is beautiful.”TRUTH:Unless we decide to do something different, we often end up repeating the patterns of sin we learned from others. When we see others sin, we must recognize the sin and learn how God would ask us to be obedient in that area in the future.RESPONSE:Lord, thank You for Your forgiveness. Help me to learn from the mistakes of others and not repeat their sins.

VERSE:Genesis 25:21–Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife because she was barren and the Lord answered him and Rebekah his wife conceived.TRUTH:Do we pray for our spouses and family? Are we concerned for the things they are concerned about? Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife and the Lord answered and blessed them both.RESPONSE:Lord, thank You for my husband. I pray that You will continue to bless him and help him become the man You have for him to be.

VERSE:Genesis 24:56–He said to the ‘Do not delay me, since the Lord has prospered my way. Send me away that I may go to my master.’TRUTH:Abraham’s steward had seen the Lord work and answer prayer. Now that he knew the plan the Lord had, he wanted to be free to move forward as quickly as possible. When we see God’s plan, do we move forward with it or delay our obedience?RESPONSE:Lord, thank You for giving me plans and direction. Help me to trust You and do all that You want when You want and not delay.

VERSE:Genesis 23:2–Sarah died in Kiriath-arba in the land of Canaan; and Abraham went in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.TRUTH:Even though they both followed God, they still experienced grief and loss. God understands our grief and comforts us as we walk through it.RESPONSE:Lord, during this time of year when we tend to think more about our loved ones who have died, thank You for Your comfort and Your love to walk through the tough times.