We are living through strange times - this particular coronavirus just the latest in a series of trials that have come upon this planet. We have seen an escalation of wars, the pitting of nations against each other, conflict within communities, opposing ideologies battling for control.

The account of Balaam in Numbers 22-24 is a strange one - a prophet of God, hired by Balak, King of Moab, to curse God's people but who finds of course that those whom God has blessed cannot be cursed - by anyone!

It is beautiful outside today - the sun is shining, the air is warm and it seems as if everywhere I look the blossom is exploding in riotous colour - magnolia, cherry, camellia - the trees are bursting with new life and I can almost hear them singing 'hallelujah' to the Lord who brought light out of darkness, life out of death.

It's funny isn't it how so often we seem to inherit the fears of our parents. Reading here in Genesis and seeing Isaac respond in just the same way as Abraham by lying about his wife opened up some questions for me. Have I inherited any of the fears of my ancestors and if I have what am I to do?

Jacob was head of a pretty dysfunctional family. He was wrong to favour Joseph - it set up a storm of jealousy and hatred in the hearts of his brothers and ended up causing Jacob years of tremendous grief - not to mention the hardships, imprisonment and great difficulties that Joseph ended up facing.