LIKE
FATHER, LIKE SON: Devotion for Friday September 2, 2016
Text:
Genesis 26:1 – 11 Memory
verse: Genesis 26:7
Most behavioural traits of any man are usually
transferred to his child. Outside that, most children copy what their father do
a lot and grow up with them. Again, most men always like their son to take after
them. My dad was a teacher. After my secondary school education, he talked me into
going to a Teacher Training College. Then I hadn’t any courage to challenge him.
I obliged.
In Genesis 12:10–19 we have the story of how
Abram went to Egypt and told lies that Sarai is his sister. In the real sense, Sarah
was related to him but now she is the wife and he ought to have acknowledged that.
Instead, he talked Sarah into agreeing with him that she was the sister.
God had told him to go to Canaan but due to
famine, he left for Egypt. He didn’t ask God before he left. The consequence of
that visit was Haggai the mother of Ishmael. Here is a similar lie by his son,
Isaac in Gerar, an ancient city south of Gaza in the land of Philistine. Isaac
was on his way to Egypt too when God stopped him (26:2, 3). Moses, of the tribe
of Levi didn’t enter into the Promised Land because of anger (Num 20:8–11).
This was the trait he inherited from his forefathers, Levi (Gen. 49:5, 6).
Beloved in Christ, we should understand that
most of our behavioural traits are transferable. Therefore, as parents, we
should be wise to ask God to deliver us from any trait in us that is not godly.
Do you have a bad behaviour like anger, hatred, greed, pride, etc? Please ask
God to deliver you out of it. Moses lived 120 years and used it to labour for
his people. Because of anger, he was not part of the climax of his labour. This
was very unfortunate. Had Abram not gone to Egypt, Haggai wouldn’t have come
into his house. Are you still living in sin? Then you are like your father the
devil (Jn. 8:41–44). Repent now because those who live in sin are not the sons
of God.
Food
for Thought:
Malachi 1:6
Prayer:
God, you are my Father. Deliver me from the power of sin because anyone living
in sin is a son of the devil. 
