THINK AHEAD (Genesis 23)

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Genesis 23:4
“Here I am, a stranger and a foreigner among you. Please sell me a piece of land so I can give my wife a proper burial.”

People may wonder why some stories were recorded in the Torah. Why was there need for all these records to be kept? I always fall back to 2Timothy 3:16:

2 Timothy 3:16-17
All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.
God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

Genesis 23, teaches us to look ahead. The whole land of Canaan had been promised to Abraham and his generation, yet at this point in time Abraham did not own an iota of it.

Then Sarah dies, Abraham needed to bury her. He asks for space to do so from the Hittites, they offer it free to him. Abraham looks ahead, he is not okay with a gentleman's agreement, he wants a contract, he will pay for it and hold title to it. No arguments in the future, he had began the inheritance journey:

Genesis 23:13-18
and he replied to Ephron as everyone listened. “No, listen to me. I will buy it from you. Let me pay the full price for the field so I can bury my dead there.”
Ephron answered Abraham,
“My lord, please listen to me. The land is worth 400 pieces of silver, but what is that between friends? Go ahead and bury your dead.”
So Abraham agreed to Ephron’s price and paid the amount he had suggested—400 pieces of silver, weighed according to the market standard. The Hittite elders witnessed the transaction.
So Abraham bought the plot of land belonging to Ephron at Machpelah, near Mamre. This included the field itself, the cave that was in it, and all the surrounding trees.
It was transferred to Abraham as his permanent possession in the presence of the Hittite elders at the city gate.

Later on we see that this same land, specifically the cave of Machpelah, became the burying place of the patriarchs!

(Before you go into that deal, have you made proper contract, or are you just walking by sentiment? We must be wise. Have you made proper enquiry, have you made reviews?)

Genesis 23:19
Then Abraham buried his wife, Sarah, there in Canaan, in the cave of Machpelah, near Mamre (also called Hebron).

So we learn that our vision should surpass that of our present generation to the coming one, this is the reason why a country like Nigeria lives in darkness. Where the "ought to be fathers/leaders", are only interested in present luxuries, selfish goals and sentimental garbage. They lose sight of the future and only think of the now.

They do not set forth good examples, they do not make the right investments and they do NOT walk in wisdom. They leave behind debts and sign contracts that do not benefit the nation.

We should learn to think like Abraham, and walk in faith:

John 8:39
“Our father is Abraham!” they declared.“No,” Jesus replied, “for if you were really the children of Abraham, you would follow his example.

Thus we must learn to think beyond the now. For when we leave the scene, what legacy have we left behind? Have we invested rightly for our children(s)?

Dear Father, please keep guiding us aright. May your Spirit direct us to continually make the right decisions and take the right actions. We will be counted among the wise in thy sight. Our doings will cause our generation to continually walk in your ways.

Glory to God.

He calls us blessed.

Love
@the watcher.

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