Genesis 1-3
Verses that stuck out to me...
Gen. 1:3 - "Then God said…"
Gen. 1:26 - "Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness."
My thoughts on this passage:
As I embark on this journey that I have never finished before, I am reminded of New Year's Resolutions that I make that always fail. I will lose X amount of pounds this year. I will watch what I eat. I will be more diligent with my time. And so on and so on. But, the reality is, I fail 99% of the time. I do good for a few weeks, sometimes even a few months, but, eventually, I forget what I resolved to do. While all these resolutions are good in nature, the most important one I can make is to know my Creator better. This is one that I'm not willing to fail at this year. My church challenged us as a congregation to read through the whole Bible this year. We even had a contract to sign, pledging to follow through with it. I have never actually read the Bible cover to cover…I am ashamed to admit. However, come January 1, 2012, I plan to mark that off my "bucket list." So, here we go…
When I got done reading Genesis 1-3, there are several things running through my head. The first thing that stuck out to me in this passage is the fact that my God is so creative. The second verse of the entire Bible talks about God hovering over the surface of the waters. He is about to speak creation into existence. It's like a painter standing in front of a blank canvas. I once heard that a famous sculptor (I don’t know which one) was asked how he went about making his masterpieces. He said that he just chips away things that don't fit. In other words, the sculptor is already there, he just needed to move away the material that didn't fit. So, God is hovering over the surface of the water about to take a breath and speak light into existence! That is mind boggling! With all the technology, advancements in science and medicine and human intellect that is in our culture today, we aren't anywhere close to being able to replicate something like that.
As I look around God's creation, I see what an artist my Heavenly Father is. When I visited Hawaii and saw the beautiful colors of the sunset, the sounds of the ocean, and the tranquility of swimming with sea turtles, I am reminded of my Father's imagination. When I visited Northern California and Oregon and see the beautiful streams and mountains, the towering trees, and the serenity of listening to a stream weave its way over smooth rocks, I am reminded of how intricate my Father's detail is. Even as I live here in Mississippi, an d I see the beautiful trees, curious wildlife, and listen to the sounds He created, I am reminded of my Father's love. Then, I read in verse 26 of Chapter 1 that God created us/me in His image.
Allow me to delve into that for a minute. I am created in God's image! I can be creative too! I can also enjoy God's creation on a different level because I am a child of God. I can truly say that I connect with God on a totally different level when I am experiencing His creation. Too often, I take it all for granted…the colors and sounds, the beauty and serenity, the awe and wonder of it all. My prayer is that God will give me a new found appreciation for what He has created. According to Genesis 1, it is my responsibility to take care of what He created. I also pray that God will give me more moments where I experience Him at another level through the things He created.
My thoughts:
ReplyDeleteGenesis 1: God spoke, and the worlds came into being. There's no magic trick, no special formula, no fortuitous occurrence. God SPOKE. This is just such a reminder to me of who God is. When Christ said "It is finished" - it was; he spoke. And when He returns, out of his mouth will come a sharp sword with which He will strike down the nations; He’ll speak. It thrills me! He’s God.
Verse 24: "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh." This just reminds me how sacred marriage is to my God. My husband and I have been separated for almost two years, and in that time, I’ve learned quite a bit about how God feels about marriage. This verse is proof that it is His creation – and God loves His creation. It is more confirmation to me about what I need to do and meditate on to be obedient to God, regarding my own marriage.
Genesis 3:1-6: Eve was attracted to the fruit because it was good for food, pleasant to the eyes, and desirable to make one wise. Eve perceived this fruit would meet many of her needs: physical, emotional, mental, and possibly even spiritual. Yet it provided none of what she had hoped for and everything she would have desperately wanted to avoid. It is very easy to look toward something temporary for immediate relief. The thing is, all three reasons that Eve ate the fruit are true. The fruit could be eaten and was nourishing. The fruit looked good. She would gain the knowledge of God – the knowledge of good and evil. Satan seems to have told them nothing but what was true. They didn’t fall over dead. Their eyes were opened to knowledge and they did become aware of good and evil. Satan will tell us what is true, which leads to the deception we’re all too often captivated by. However, Satan will never speak truth. And in order to stick with the truth, we have to know it. That is why I decided to go on this journey with you – I want to know truth and I want to know God.
- Abbey