Getting back on the horse

It's been two full weeks since my last post.  Most of you have heard that my father-in-law passed away.  Obviously there's been a lot going on.  But more than being busy, I just didn't feel inspired to write. I didn't feel that I had anything worthwhile to say.  And I am forced to confront my reason for this blog.  Should I write because I feel clever and inspired?  Or should I write because I feel that God has directed me to?  If the former is true, I might as well abandon the whole thing.  I doubt anyone would notice.  But, because I believe the latter is true, I'm sitting here at my keyboard.  Just to put your mind at ease, I'm not going to try to blog on two full weeks of Bible reading.  Not only would that be cumbersome for me to write, it would be too much to expect even my mother to read.  But there is something that represents a theme (from the past few days' reading, at least!) that spoke to me, and I hope it will to you as well. 

We've been reading about Jacob and his sons.  Jacob -- the one whose name means "heel-catcher" (or "usurper") because he came into the world grasping the heel of his older twin brother Esau.  The one who took advantage of that same brother's weakness and bought his birthright for a measly bowl of stew.  The one who deceived his father into giving him the blessing intended for the same older brother.  No matter that God had already said that "the older would serve the younger."  Jacob manipulated, maneuvered, and connived to usurp his brother's position to the point that he was eventually forced to flee for his life. 

While fleeing, Jacob has an encounter with God.  Of course, we know about the dream, and the promise that God makes to Jacob.  But I had never before paid attention to the fact that Jacob also makes a promise to God:  "If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father's house, then the LORD will be my God."  After noting this, it now totally makes sense to me that Jacob wrestles with God upon returning safely to Canaan.  It is now time for him to make good on his promise.  And after wrestling all night he comes away with an injured hip, a blessing, and a new name:  Israel.  Israel means "wrestles with God" or "governed by God."  This implies, I think, that Israel wrestled until he finally submitted to God. 

However, the scriptures continue to call him "Jacob" for a couple more chapters, until he goes, with his family, back to Bethel, the place where he first encountered God.  There they rid themselves of all of their idols, and God confirms His promise to Israel.  And they live happily ever after, governed by God.  Oh, wait.  That's not what happened. 

What I find is that sometimes Israel is called Israel, and sometimes he is called just plain old Jacob, the usurper.  It would be really cool to be able to say that when he is acting on faith he is called "Israel" and when he is acting in the flesh he is called "Jacob".  But frankly, I looked and I really didn't find that to be the case.  I did find one rabbi who says that "Jacob" refers to his physical acts or temporal nature (he mourns his loved ones; he gets hungry; he worries, he dies) and "Israel" to his spiritual acts or eternal nature (he moves on after burying his beloved Rachel; he trusts God when he permits Benjamin to go with his brothers to Egypt; he lives out his life in Egypt but requests to be buried in the Promised Land.  Interesting fact: he is almost always called "Israel" in his dealings with Joseph.)  This rabbi refers to Isaiah 43:1 to support this:  God created Jacob but he formed Israel.  So maybe there is something to this idea.  But the fact is, he is sometimes Israel and sometimes Jacob.  Sometimes victorious through submitting to the Almighty, and sometimes just the guy who is trying to claw his way to the top of the pile. 

And isn't that true for us?  If we are in Christ we are a new creation; but that new nature lives within the old body.  In fact, the new nature does not displace the old, but enhances it.  We are new in a "new and improved" way, not a "something completely different" way.  The new nature is who God always intended us to be.  Sometimes we walk worthy of that calling, sometimes we just muddle along.  Perhaps what is most important is that we keep going.  Like the verse below suggests, sometimes we are Israel, governed by God, and He displays His glory in us.  Wouldn't we love that all the time?  But sometimes we are just Jacob, and even then we can rejoice in being redeemed. 

Isa 44:23

Sing for joy, O heavens, for the LORD has done this; shout aloud, O earth beneath. Burst into song, you mountains, you forests and all your trees, for the LORD has redeemed Jacob, he displays his glory in Israel.

Beyond our reach?

Soooo.....yesterday my reading was interrupted by a family issue, which I addressed only grudgingly.  And I'm not proud of that.  Then, I got sucked into the vortex of a reality TV marathon.  Yeah, not proud of that either.  It's sort of a combination of bubblegum for the mind and crack cocaine.

As I mentioned before, I have been reading Elihu's rant with some frustration.  There is a lot of truth in what he says.  It is not until the end of the monologue that I can easily identify a problem:  In Job 37:23 Elihu says, "The Almighty -- we cannot find Him." (NIV says He is "beyond our reach.")  Elihu seems to know a lot about God but doesn't know Him personally as Job does.  In fact, it is a basic principle of scripture that we will find God if we seek Him.  Consider the following:

• Jer.29:13  "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."  Now, one could argue that this verse refers to a specific audience for a specific period in time, and that is true.  It was written to the nation of Israel referring to the end of the Babylonian captivity.  But it still refers to a general principle that is repeated in other scriptures.
• Matt.7:7-8  "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."
• Prov.8:17  "I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me."
• Acts 17:26-27  "From one man [God] made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. [He] did this so that men would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us."

It is the last reference that I love the most.  In contrast to the first one, which is for a specific people and a specific point in time, the last one is universal and timeless:  for every nation of men, in the times set for them.  God has ordained that each of us live in a specific time and place so that we would seek Him. He places us in the exact circumstances of time and place that cause us to seek Him. And, when we reach out for Him, He is not far from us. 

As you read Job 38-39, give thanks and praise that the God who laid the foundations of the world, who keeps the oceans within their defined boundaries, and who causes the sun to rise in the morning has also defined a time and place for you that has caused you to reach out to Him and find Him.

Staring at a blank page

On Wednesday mornings I lead a Bible study, so I ended up skipping my one-year reading yesterday.  Today I'm trying to play catch up, and I find myself somewhat overwhelmed by the task. 

I pondered Job's monologue in Chapter 31, where he describes some sins that, were he guilty of them, he would consider his suffering just punishment:

• Adultery.  And not the Pharisaical "look but don't touch" definition of it.  He defines it the same way that Jesus does in the Sermon on the Mount:  "But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart."  Long before Jesus ever spoke these words, Job says, "I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl."
• Mistreating a fellow human being. He extends this definition to include not helping someone who is in need.  And, even if it may be socially acceptable to mistreat certain classes of human beings (see Job 31:21-22) Job's conscience is clear.  (Can you think of any classes of human beings whom it is or has been socially acceptable to mistreat?)
• Trusting in wealth rather than in God.  In chapter 29 Job fondly remembers the life he had prior to this great trial.  He recounts among his treasured memories the awareness of God's presence and watchful care, his children, and the respect he enjoyed as he was used by God to bless others.  Never does he say that he misses his wealth. 

Then I came to chapters 32-34 where Elihu speaks, and frankly, I hit a wall.  My first question is, who is this guy and where did he come from?  He is not mentioned in Job 2:11 as one of the friends who came to comfort Job.  We know from his own description that he is young (Job 32:4,6) and passionate (Job 32:2-3,5).  Also by his own description, he is "full of words" (Job 32:18).  I read and tried to make sense of what he was saying....tried to pinpoint his error.  Frustrated, I pulled out John MacArthur's commentary.  After reading that I have come to the conclusion that Elihu's error and mine are the same.  We are both looking for an explanation for everything.  We both want to make sense of things, to have an answer for everything.  Elihu's anger with the old men was because their answers (or lack thereof) didn't satisfy him.  Like Elihu, I want to fit it all into a tidy box of my own making, tie a shiny bow around the box, and stand back and admire my handiwork. 

According to MacArthur, that is the whole point of the book of Job:  that there are some things that God does (or allows) that we will never understand, and He is not obligated to explain them to us.    If we could comprehend Him, explain Him, or build a box that could contain His ways, He would not be worthy of our worship.  What is important is that we believe what He has revealed to us about Himself:  that He is the All-Powerful Creator God who loves us and sent His Son to die, paying the price for our sin.  He is good, and holy, and just.  And He has given us "everything we need for life and godliness." (2Pet.1:3) That is the God I choose to worship.

I hope you'll take time to listen to this song by Chris Tomlin.  It's based on Job 38-39.

Whose spirit?

Has anyone noticed that Job's tone seems to have changed? His words now seem more like a thoughtful meditation and less like an unchecked reaction to physical and emotional agony.  Maybe the shock of his sudden losses has worn off and he is settling in to the trial.  That is what God told the Israelites to do when they were taken captive to Babylon:

"This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: "Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce....Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile." (Jer. 29:4-6)

His point at that time was that their trial was going to be long-term, and it would not do them any good to keep wishing for something different.  It was better for them to settle into their current situation.  It was God's plan for them to do so.  While this scripture hadn't yet been written, Job nevertheless understands the concept.  His children aren't coming back.  While he certainly mourns his loss, he knows his life will never be the same.  All he has left is God and he will seek Him with all he has, even if he doesn't understand what God is doing.  There is a peace that comes with this attitude, even amidst the pain.  Have you found that to be true in your trials?

A couple of observations:

Job 26:13b:  This reads differently in different versions, but I love how the NASB renders it:  "His hand has pierced the fleeing serpent."  The enemy of our souls has been pierced and is on the run!  I wrote a little smiley face in the margin next to this verse because that image makes me smile.

Job 26:4:  Job, in his response to Bildad, asks, "Whose spirit was expressed through you?"  This caught my eye because I had also noted a few days ago that Zophar spoke in the spirit of his own understanding, not God's. (Job 20:3).  I think Job's question is one we should ask ourselves whenever we speak.  Whose spirit is expressed through us?  How do we know?  I think it helps to ask two questions:

1. Does it agree with the written word of God?  God does not contradict Himself.  His written Word is our objective standard of Truth.  Bildad's brief tirade reflects a basic truth of Scripture:  all men are sinful, and God is sinless perfection.  So what is wrong with it?  I think it fails the next question.
2. Does it reflect the character of God?  God has proclaimed His Name (character) to us in His Word and in the person of God the Son.  God describes His character in Ex.34:6-7:

The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation."

  

While He makes it clear that He judges sin, it is last on His list.  He gives priority to the characteristics of mercy, grace, patience, love, faithfulness and forgiveness, and so should we. 

Help me, Lord, to express Your Spirit in everything I say and do. 

Help me to treat others with the same mercy and grace that I have received from You

and would like to receive from others.

Give me boldness to speak Your Truth with compassion.

Let my life reflect Your Character.  Amen.

One down, fifty-one to go...

If you are still with me, congratulations!    We are a little more than one week into reading through the Bible in chronological order.  If you have just recently joined us, welcome!  It's ok to jump in with today's reading, although if you want to go back and catch up, that's a good idea when you have time.  The reading schedule we are following can be found here. 

I only finished part of the reading yesterday morning, and just got caught up this morning.  While it is interesting to see the poetic and creative ways in which people can repeat themselves, this section does seem somewhat repetitive. 

So far it boils down to this: 

Job's friends:  You suffer because you have sinned.  Only a wicked person would suffer so much.  The fact that you are suffering means you must have sinned.  Repent and God will restore you.  This is the way things work, according to our observations.

Job:  Your observations are selective.  Haven't you seen that the wicked do indeed prosper?  Therefore, isn't it also logical that good people can suffer?  I am innocent.  Why doesn't God answer me and prove these "friends" of mine wrong? God is silent, yet I will still believe in Him.

Yet we know that none of the words of Scripture are superfluous; God has a purpose in each one (ALL Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable [useful]...  2Tim.3:16) So, why all of this back and forth? 

One reason may be to establish some generalities as to how the world works, while at the same time demolishing these arguments in relation to any individual case.  God does and will reward righteousness, just not according to our standards or our timetable. Hebrews 11:6 says that God rewards those who diligently seek Him.  Yet God told Abram that He Himself was Abram's "very great reward" (Gen.15:1).  We can see around us that, in general, God blesses the righteous, but God doesn't bless only the righteous.  And the blessings are not always things we can see.

On the flip side, God does and will judge sin, but again, not according to our standards or timetable.  It doesn't seem fair to us when wicked people prosper, but we can rest assured that all sin will be judged in a way that satisfies God's requirements.  This is why it was necessary for Jesus to die on the cross, to bear the punishment for our sin.  Otherwise none of us could claim to be righteous. 

It can be said, in general, that sin does cause suffering.  Greg Laurie once pointed out how much suffering exists in the world that can be directly traced to the violation of the commandment "Thou shalt not commit adultery."  Broken homes, fatherless children, poverty, sexually transmitted diseases, and untold emotional suffering.  Most could be avoided simply by honoring the commandment.  Thankfully there is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. (Rom.8:1) He took ALL of our punishment.  We may suffer the natural consequences of our past actions, but the suffering we experience is never punishment for our sin. 

It can also be said, in general, that God blesses the righteous.  The Proverbs are full of descriptions of the logical results of wise and righteous behavior.  Yet it has been said that God is not a cosmic vending machine, and obligated to dispense a blessing if we insert "payment".  God doesn't owe anyone anything.  If we are honest we must recognize that we have been blessed far beyond what we deserve. 

So, that being said, which of the poetic and creative (and "windy") arguments have attracted your attention? 

I think that it's interesting that Job is advised to "inquire of the past generations" (Job 8:8).  Job 14:10 states that "both the gray haired and the aged are among us."  This is quite literally true.  According to the generations in Gen.11, Shem, son of Noah, is still living at this time.  In fact, Noah himself is probably still alive.  Job could go back seven generations and seek the wisdom of his great-great-great-great-great grandfather Noah. 

This also caused me to think that the observations of Job's friends are based on a relatively short period of time.  Fewer than 600 years have passed since the flood, when the world as it was then known was utterly destroyed.  The righteous (Noah and his sons) survived and the wicked (everyone else) perished in the flood.  Job's friends seem to make all of their generalizations based on this relatively narrow time frame.  Let us not make the same mistake of judging the trials of others based on our own limited and flawed observations. 

Windy knowledge

I'm laughing at what Eliphaz says in Job 15:2.   If you are reading the NIV or KJV you are going to miss it.  But if you have the NASB or the ESV you will see that Eliphaz accuses Job of  "windy knowledge."  Job throws a similar phrase ("windy words") back at Eliphaz in Job 16:3.  KJV calls it "vain knowledge" and NIV calls it "empty notions".  Somehow these phrases don't convey the same vivid imagery for me as "windy knowledge".  What picture does "windy knowledge" bring to your mind? 

Wind can be noisy.  Pushy.  Destructive.  And yes, empty.  "Windy knowledge" would be when I think I know better than you and that pride erupts into a lecture.  When I think you are entitled to my opinion.  Isn't that what Job's friends have been doing all along?  It takes a much stronger person to be silent in these situations than to speak out. 

I think I'll add this phrase to my vocabulary and make every effort to delete the practice from my inventory of habits.

The Status Quo is not OK

Yesterday I tried to summarize four chapters of Job.  It was hard, I don't think I was too successful, and I don't think that is really a good strategy.  Nor do I think it is really what God wants me to do.  On the other hand, what I think He is asking me to do today is even harder.  Not that it requires a lot of work, but that it requires humility, discernment, and obedience. 

According to Gen.4:26, it was not until after the fall of man, after the murder of Abel, after the banishment of Cain, after the birth of the third generation, that people began to call on the Lord.  Calling on the Lord is an acknowledgement that the status quo is not ok, that we need help, and that God is the source of that help.  Clearly Job was a man of prayer.  He was known as a person who called on God and God answered his prayers.  (See Job 10:4).  The fact that he was experiencing a great trial caused his friends to draw some conclusions:  You have unconfessed sin.  You have not prayed.  Your faith isn't strong enough.  Job had become a laughingstock.  Surely he had prayed.  Had God now turned his back on Job?  On this one to whom others had come for prayer because his prayers seemed so powerful, because he seemed to have God's ear? 

So, I tell you, as a Bible study leader, a women's ministry leader, a worship leader, a member of the prayer chain, that I have had one particular prayer in my life go unanswered for nearly twelve years. Most of my close friends know the situation, and I hesitate to say what it is because of the potential for the discussion to get waaaay off track.  Maybe another time.  But, even with an army of prayer warriors praying with me, the situation remains.  If anything, it has gotten worse.  This is not a simple matter of inconvenience; it is a matter of spiritual (and potentially physical) life and death concerning a loved one.  The status quo is not ok, and there is only One Who can help.  And, for the most part, He is silent. 

No, that is not true.  God has been faithful to speak to me through His Word.  And He has given me peace in the situation, which should not be interpreted as acceptance.  The status quo is still not ok.  I haven't received the answer that my heart desires, that my loved one would be rescued from the stranglehold of sin.  I believe God is good.  I believe He is powerful.  I believe I am praying in accordance with His will, according to His Word.  Because I have the benefit of Job's account, I believe there may be something bigger going on that I don't understand, and I believe that God will work according to His time table and not mine. 

I join with Job in appealing to God (from chapter 10):

Does it please you to oppress me, to spurn the work of your hands, while you smile on the schemes of the wicked? Your hands shaped  [my loved one] and made [him]. Will you now turn and destroy [him]? Remember that you molded [him] like clay. Will you now turn [him] to dust again?

P.S. I do think it's interesting that Job appeals to the fact that God made him.  Just a brief nod to the first three chapters of Genesis:  When we reject creation, we reject this basis for appeal!

Job 6-9

We find Job today in the wake of the destruction that Satan, with God's permission, has wreaked on his life.  It seems to me that the accusations and assaults on Job's faith that come after the tragedy are worse than the loss itself.  And this is no small thing.  Job has lost all of his possessions and all of his children in a single day.  On top of that, his health has been devastated. He has been a victim of violence, natural disaster, and disease.  He can't sleep, can't eat, and even though he wants to die, he can't. This is not because of some evil he has done, but rather because he is righteous and God has chosen him as an example of faithfulness through suffering.  I doubt Job saw this as a blessing and a privilege at the time, and perhaps that is the point of this book. 

We rarely consider suffering to be a blessing and a privilege, yet we are told to "count it all joy" because God is working in us.  (James 1:2-4)  We are also told that there is a "harvest of righteousness" for those who endure discipline.  (Heb.12:11).  But in the middle of the trial, it is very difficult if not impossible to see what God is doing. We expect to see some result according to our time table.  And we expect the result to be one that we would have chosen:  something that fits our limited view of the situation. 

Job's friend Eliphaz advises him to repent and seek God, because such suffering must be caused by some sin on Job's part.  Another friend, Bildad, suggests that Job's faith must be weak "like a spider's web."  If Job were truly good and faithful, God would restore him right away.  Job, for his part, says he is too weak to plead his case before God, and God probably would not listen to him anyway.

These ideas are still around today:

• What comes around goes around.  If you are suffering, you deserve it.  Karma's a b*****.

-or-

• God is powerful, but He is not good, or fair.  Otherwise He would do things the way I think He should.  A good God would not let good people suffer.

-or-

• God is good and fair, but He is not powerful, and therefore can't act on my behalf.  He's busy helping someone else who is more deserving or has stronger faith than I do.

These are the only explanations open to us when we define for ourselves what good is.  We define what God's help and favor should look like in our situation.  We should be healthy, happy, wealthy, safe, wise or ______ (you fill in the blank) .  If we aren't, one of the above must be true.  I, for one, am thankful for the account of Job, which tells us there is more to the story than we can see, a purpose beyond ourselves. 

Do yourself a favor and skip ahead to the last chapter.  Job has new understanding of God's power and mercy.  God restores Job and forgives Job's friends for their foolish comments.  Job lives out his life even more blessed than he was before.  But even more important, I think, is who is missing from the end of the story.  Satan, who was so proud and boastful at the beginning, is nowhere to be seen.  I think he ran away with his tail between his legs when God showed up on Job's behalf. 

Lord, may I desire Your glory and the triumph of good over evil more than my own comfort and my own definition of what it means to be blessed.  

Confession

Ok, time for confession.  Obviously, I didn't post a blog yesterday.  Yes, I did the reading, and had even begun my blog post early enough in the day (I thought) for my friends in the Eastern time zone.  Then I got sidetracked.  And now I sit here wondering what made me think I would have something to say every day.  And what made me think anyone would actually want to read it. And yes, there was definitely pride thinking I would somehow bless you all with my vast knowledge and wisdom.  And that people would flock to my blog.  Oh, well.  Better that those delusions of grandeur are crushed early and often.  Let's make one thing perfectly clear:  this blog is about God speaking to us from His Word.  "Great and Unsearchable Things" are what HE promises us when we ask, and when we search the pages of the Bible.  (See Jeremiah 33:2-3)  So, if you are still here on Day 4, good for you.  You are well on your way to hearing from Him. 

A couple of notes from Day 3 (Genesis 8-11):
The genealogies after the flood are designed to give us an overview of the peoples of the world.  All nations descend from Noah and his three sons, but there is one branch of the family tree that is particularly important:  the one from which the Savior will come.  The others are mentioned only for context.  The ones who will play supporting roles are mentioned here:  the descendants of Canaan (the Hittites, Hivites, Jebusites, Gergashites, etc.); Nimrod, the founder of Babylon; the Philistines.  These descendants of Ham will show up later in the story as enemies of Israel, the main branch of the family tree. 

Israel and ultimately the Savior descend from Noah's son Shem.  We are given a little detail about some of the peripheral lines, but the main focus is on the the line that extends from Shem to Abram.  You might find it interesting that there were 10 generations from Adam to Noah, spanning approximately 2000 years.  There are also 10 generations from Shem to Abram, but these generations span only about 600 years.  The average lifespan has decreased dramatically.  In fact, in these 10 generations, only one (Eber) outlives Shem.  Shem was still alive when Abraham was born and, in fact, is still living after Abraham dies!  Even Abraham's son Isaac could have heard the account of the flood firsthand from Shem. 

So....why on Day 4 do we move to the book of Job (chapters 1-5)?  There are a couple of clues from Genesis 10.  One of the descendants of Shem that is NOT part of the Messianic line is Jobab, son of Joktan, son of Eber (Gen.10:29).  Some scholars think this is the one we know as Job.  Job lives in the land of Uz, and Uz was one of the sons of Shem's son Aram (again, not part of the Messianic line -- see Gen.10:23)  So, Job fits here in the chronological view.  He comes after Noah but before Abraham.  Even though his story is categorized with the books of poetry (Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon) it fits here in the chronology. 

Just a few observations:

1. Satan is spending his time walking on the earth.  After Adam and Eve sinned, the Serpent was cursed to crawl on his belly in the dust.  That is essentially what he is doing here.  He doesn't enter the presence of God unless summoned. 
2. Job, like Noah, is blameless but not sinless.  He believes God and offers the acceptable sacrifices for his sin, and for this reason is counted righteous.  Satan has been observing Job, and is itching for an opportunity to counteract the good that God has accomplished through His servant Job.  This reminds me of something I've read:  Live your life so that when your feet hit the floor in the morning, the devil says, "Oh, shoot, she's up!"
3. The harm that comes to Job's family is permitted by God but not caused by God.  It is the devil who kills and destroys.  Satan deceives himself into thinking he is more powerful than God.  Given this opportunity, he gleefully does whatever he can to Job and his family.  But God will use this opportunity to demonstrate His greater power in the faithfulness of a true believer.  Do we believe God's power is greater, and are we willing to let it be demonstrated in us?
4. Job curses the day he was born, and says he wants to die.  But he does not, as his wife suggests, curse God.  In his mind that would be worse than death.  Have you ever suffered so much you would rather die, or wished you had not been born?
5. Job's friend Eliphaz assumes that Job is getting what he deserves for some unknown sin.  He says that if Job will just confess to God, everything will be alright.  He thinks he has it all figured out.  "According to what I have seen..." (Job 4:8).  How often do we make judgments of others based on what we have seen? 

So....sorry for the long post.  How are things going with you?  What have you learned?  Are you, or someone you know, going through a trial and in need of prayer? 

Day Two

Well, I don't have anything profound to say today, and I'm still stinging from an ugly loss this morning by my Huskers.  On the other hand, I'm thrilled to have 35 page views for this blog, and 4 subscribers in the first day.  That means we are building a support group, which is our goal. 

In two days we have covered roughly 2000 years of the history of the world, and it got ugly just about as quickly as the football game this morning did.  It only took one generation past the Fall for the first murder to occur.  In ten generations mankind's sinfulness progressed to the point where God had to, as Pastor Barry Mahler says, hit the reset button. God says that His Spirit will not strive with mankind forever, and we must recognize that this applies to us today as well.  His Spirit DOES strive with us and with our loved ones for a time, giving us every opportunity to repent, but at some point He will let us have our way if we continue to harden our hearts.

Since this blog is about support and accountability, I thought I'd ask a couple of questions: 

• What methods have helped motivate you in reading God's Word in the past?
• What resources do you use? 
• How can we help support each other in our common goal of reading through the Bible this year?

I find that journaling helps me a lot.  I always have a pen and spiral notebook available.  It's an act of faith.  If I am prepared to hear God speaking, He will speak, and I will be ready to write down what He says.

It is also a way of involving all of my senses in the learning process.  Sometimes I am just writing down facts or a paraphrase of the passage.  Sometimes I am writing down my questions, and sometimes I am writing down God's answers to my questions or an application to my current life situation.  I don't feel that I am getting the full benefit of reading if I don't write something down.  Today I created the chart below to help me visualize the generations.  Notice that Adam survived through the birth of the ninth generation.  That means that Adam was still alive when Noah's father Lamech was born.  This is one of the ways that the account of creation was preserved:  Noah heard it from his father, who very likely heard it directly from Adam. 

When I have learned something new, when God has revealed some "great and unsearchable thing" to me, that is what keeps me coming back.  What new thing did you learn today? 

In the Beginning....blog

So, this is my first attempt at a blog, and I don't really know where to start.  The reading for today was Genesis 1-3, which covers a whole lot of territory.  My first inclination is to start in with Eve and the Serpent.  That account certainly highlights the need for us to read God's Word for ourselves, and to know what it says.  Eve's failure to hold fast to what God said led to her sin just as surely as Jesus' reliance on "It is written" kept Him from it.  The enemy of our souls will do everything he can to get us to disbelieve what God has said and to follow a lie.  Hopefully that is one reason that you are reading along with me this year.

That being said, this is probably a well-known passage for you.  Did you find something new this time through?  This time, when I read that "the earth was formless and empty" I asked, why did God create the world formless and empty?  I think it is because He wanted the joy of interacting with His creation.  He creates emptiness so that He can fill it.  He could have created the earth complete, full of life.  Instead, He made it formless and empty, and then filled it with good things for the crowning jewel of His creation, mankind.

He could have created Adam and Eve perfect, without any needs, but they would never had known the joy of having God meet those needs.  Instead He created Adam alone, and then, once Adam recognized his need for a helper suitable for him, God made Eve, bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh. 

The time after the Christmas holiday is often an empty time.  The decorations have been packed away.  The presents have lost their newness and you can't even look at another turkey sandwich.  I am resolved to be thankful for emptiness, because it makes more room for Him in my life.