Listen to Pastor Nick read the “Firestarter” and Genesis 22:1-14.

[From the version for young people}

The Lord-Will-Provide—what a lovely name for a place! This is the name that Abraham gave to the place where the ram was offered instead of sacrificing his son, Isaac.

There’s a very simple way of praying that takes a seven syllable phrase and connects it with our breathing—three syllables on the inhale, three on the exhale, and one for rest…like the Sabbath! Here’s a way you can take Abraham’s name for this place and make it into such a prayer. “The Lord will provide for me.” As this prayer becomes one with your breath, with each breath you take, the meaning and comfort of the prayer will sink into you. You might also take a post-it note and write the prayer-phrase on it and put it in a place where you will see it. If you do something like this every day, then the daily reading will become personal to you. You’ll be breathing the essence of each day’s Bible reading.

Genesis 22:1-19

This is the third of three parts of the Torah Portion Vayera (And He Appeared)
Conservative and Reform Jewish congregations read only this part this year,
as also in this Bible plan.
Here is the entire portion in all three parts.

Genesis 18—22

Here is a sample of a seven-syllable breath-prayer
from today’s reading:
The Lord will provide for me. v. 14
For more information about this creative way to pray,
see Bible Breaths.

Saturdays are dedicated to the Sabbath Torah portions
read in synagogues throughout the world.
This plan follows those traditions that take a third of the portion
over a three year cycle, this year, the second part.
For more about the Torah portions and thoughtful commentaries, visit
The Jewish Theological Seminary.

For the Firestarters in the original edition, I recommend the ebook.  You will have the entire program of well over a thousand Firestarters with you on your phone or tablet.  More information…