I beginning to love this guy Abraham. What an interesting character! Like I said yesterday, it’s surprising the little details that are really jumping out at me in Genesis.

Genesis 21:22 is the start of a few verses where Abraham meets with King Abimelech and makes an oath to treat the king with honor and kindness. After the two men commit to the treaty, Abraham spends time with the Lord and…plants a tamarisk tree (vs. 33). A what? Why?? He plants a tree. So I Googled what this tree was. Why on earth would Abraham have planted a tree and did this one have significance?

The Tamarisk tree is a type of pine needle tree. It’s needles collect salt, creating a grey look to the tree. And because of the salt there is also a condensation that collects on the tree in the evenings, which lasts until mid morning the next day. The trees are known for being a place for rest, not only because of their shade but because the condensation creates a light mist under the tree.

So Abraham planted a tree of rest, a place of escape from the heat of the day, to represent the oath he had made. Proof of the oath he had made before God.

No matter what is going on around us, the ‘heat’ our peers are putting on us to live our lives in a certain way, we can always rest in the promises that God has made to us. In his promises there is escape, when we focus on his word, his oath, we can quench our thirst. When we sit in the shadow of God’s word, we can rest our minds and allow his presence to give us peace.

“…and there he called upon the name of the Lord, the Eternal God.”

Genesis 21:33b

Abraham planted a place of escape in the promises he had made before God and then he called upon the name of the ETERNAL GOD. The God that is has control over everything. The God that has been, is and will be forever. The God that has seen every single second of our lives from when we were conceived until our death. Not just A God, but THE God.

Today, I am sitting beside a fireplace, the snow has been falling for days, I have several good books to read and my drawing journal beside me, a hot cup of coffee and some peaceful music. Today, I feel cozy and blessed and lucky to be spending some peaceful time regrouping. Today, it’s easy to rest in God’s promises. But some day’s it’s not. And in those days, regardless of what is happening around me, I need to remind myself to rest under the shelter of God’s word. When I do that, I will find restoration and strength. And while I am remembering God’s promises, I need to call on my Eternal God.

I’m loving Genesis. The beginning. And God has done so much work since then, the story has evolved for thousands of years since the stories of Genesis. I am living my Genesis, I wonder what God is planning on doing in my years. It’s a constant battle to allow him to mold my life and not take control of it myself, but if my story turns out half as interesting as the people in the bible, I am willing to give myself up for God to work with.