Then God said to him, “I am the Sovereign God. Be fruitful and multiply! A nation–even a company of nations–will descend from you; kings will be among your descendants!
Genesis 35:11
As we move on our journey, remember that God promised to make Abraham’s family a great nation. Here we meet one of Isaac’s sons, Jacob. Jacob’s name means ‘deceiver,” and he lives up to his name.
On our journey this week, we have been introduced to or reacquainted with Abraham and his son Isaac, and today’s passage introduces the third patriarch, Jacob. Jacob was one of the sons of Isaac and a twin brother to Esau. If you’ve read their story, then you know that in his younger years, Jacob was both a manipulator and a deceiver. Not only does he manipulate and deceive his twin, Esau, by tricking him into giving Jacob his birthright for a measly bowl of stew, but he also tricks and manipulates his father, Isaac. into giving him the blessing of the firstborn son, which was rightfully Esau’s.
The LGG Journal entry says it best:
Jacob is one of the most unlikely people God could use to bring glory to His name and from whom the promised Rescuer would come. But God is in the business of doing the impossible.
Later in Genesis 35, God meets Jacob and changes his name to Israel. God reaffirms the command to Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply as well as the promise to Abraham that his family would be a great nation.
God would keep His promise and provide Jacob with twelve sons. These twelve sons would become the twelve tribes of Israel. Here again, God gives us another puzzle piece to find the Savior. Now we know that He would be an Israelite.
You may read this and feel similarly to Jacob. You may feel like the most unlikely candidate for God to use. Remember, you were born with a purpose, and God uses the most unlikely of people, places, and things in His story of redemption.
LGG Journal, From the Beginning to Forever/p181
Because I know all too well who I was before God changed my name, every time I read this story, I am reminded how good it is to know that God redeems even the worst of us! Even me.
Friends, if you read this and find yourselves feeling like the most unlikely candidates God to use – remember these final words of encouragement from today’s journal:
Remember, you were born with a purpose, and God uses the most unlikely of people, places, and things in His story of redemption.
Based on the LGG Study, From the Beginning to Forever/w2d3
Read: Genesis 22:1-14; SOAP verse 13
1Some time later, God tested Abraham’s faith. ‘Abraham!’ God called. ‘Yes,’ he replied. ‘Here I am.’
2Take your son, your only son — yes, Isaac, whom you love so much — and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.’
3The next morning Abraham got up early. He saddled his donkey and took two of his servants with him, along with his son, Isaac. Then he chopped wood for a fire for a burnt offering and set out for the place God had told him about. 4On the third day of their journey, Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5Stay here with the donkey,’ Abraham told the servants. ‘The boy and I will travel a little farther. We will worship there, and then we will come right back.’
6So Abraham placed the wood for the burnt offering on Isaac’s shoulders, while he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them walked on together,
7Isaac turned to Abraham and said, ‘Father?’ ‘Yes, my son?’ Abraham replied. ‘We have the fire and the wood,’ the boy said, ‘but where is the sheep for the burnt offering?’
8God will provide a sheep for the burnt offering, my son,’ Abraham answered. And they both walked on together.
9When they arrived at the place where God had told him to go, Abraham built an altar and arranged the wood on it. Then he tied his son, Isaac, and laid him on the altar on top of the wood. 10And Abraham picked up the knife to kill his son as a sacrifice.
11At that moment the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, ‘Abraham! Abraham!’ ‘Yes,’ Abraham replied. ‘Here I am!’
12Don’t lay a hand on the boy!’ the angel said. ‘Do not hurt him in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld from me even your son, your only son.’
13Then Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in a thicket. So he took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering in place of his son. 14 Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means ‘the Lord will provide’). To this day, people still use that name as a proverb: ‘On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.’
Genesis 22:1-14 NLT or KJV
What a beautiful love story of faith and provision we see in Abraham’s life and his ongoing encounters with God.
Abraham had placed his faith in God many years before this experience. He had remained in, and even grown in, his habit of listening for and responding to God obediently. Because of this, when the call came for Abraham to sacrifice his son – the son God had promised him – the son through whom the ‘rescuer’ would come -the son through whom would come a great nation and make the name of Abraham great … he did not hesitate to answer obediently, despite what it meant. Keep in mind, Abraham’s obedience wasn’t because he knew the exact outcome; he obeyed because he loved God more than family and self, and because he knew he could trust Him.
Abraham had not forgotten God’s promises. He had even seen some fulfilled, and he lived and hoped accordingly.
Me from the Inside~out🦋
Friends, throughout the six decades of my life, I have seen the hand of God. I have known His goodness, seen His protection, been blessed by His provision, been comforted by His compassion, experienced the realities of His promises, and in both the chaos and fear of anxious-filled moments or the unsettled stillness of a long night, I have heard His ‘still small voice’. Each event has drawn me closer to Him and helped (even caused) me to trust Him more. Don’t get me wrong, doubts and fears still arise – like when I can’t see a way out of a problem, or a health crisis arises; and I’m still prone to drag my feet when He leads in a direction out of my comfort zone… but this one thing I know, like Abraham, I may not know the exact outcome of any situation, but I know I can trust in the name of the Lord my God.
My prayer for you, dear readers, is that you will remember how He has shown Himself to you. I pray you will watch for Him daily and listen for His still small voice. May we, like Abraham, respond to His call, whatever it may be, with obedience, trusting that God is in complete and perfect control.
The More We Know
Consider these words of encouragement from today’s LGG Journal entry:
“While God never again asked anyone to kill their child, He was willing to sacrifice His very own Son, Jesus Christ, to rescue and redeem humanity from their sin. He gave of His very self, perfectly paying the price we deserve.
Do you trust God to the point that you’d be willing to give up everything, even the things you value most? As God did not hold anything back for us, we, too, are to be willing to give everything to Him.”
LGG Journal/From the Beginning to Forever, p77
Do you know the God of Abraham? I invite you to read, Know These Truths, at the link below.
Based on the LGG Study, From the Beginning to Forever/w2d1
Read: Genesis 12:1-9; SOAP: verses 1 & 2
The Call of Abram
12 The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. 3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”
4 So Abram departed as the Lord had instructed, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. 5 He took his wife, Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all his wealth—his livestock and all the people he had taken into his household at Haran—and headed for the land of Canaan. When they arrived in Canaan, 6 Abram traveled through the land as far as Shechem. There he set up camp beside the oak of Moreh. At that time, the area was inhabited by Canaanites.
7 Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your descendants.” And Abram built an altar there and dedicated it to the Lord, who had appeared to him. 8 After that, Abram traveled south and set up camp in the hill country, with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. There he built another altar and dedicated it to the Lord, and he worshiped the Lord. 9 Then Abram continued traveling south by stages toward the Negev.
Genesis 12:1-9
Oh, how I love this passage of our journey. It’s easy to gloss over if you’re familiar with the Scriptures, but I encourage you to take the time to really read it and take in the beauty and specific details of God’s first-ever conversation with Abram (later named Abraham).
God’s first word to Abram was “go”. Yes, God called this man, whose father and his people worshiped false gods (Joshua 24:2) and whose former homes had been located in “the center of moon worship.” Some commentaries suggest that “Abram was pagan in every sense of the word”, and admittedly it seems logical given their surroundings and no mention of faith before this. However, as gotquestions.org points out, when God called to Abram, “Abram knew and recognized the call of Yahweh, the LORD.” God called him to leave everything and everyone he knew – to go to an undisclosed place that He would show him. Keep in mind that God was not simply moving Abram; He was sending him out of a pagan culture and away from his family. In doing this, God was saving Abram from influences that would have been at the very least a deterrent to the life God was calling him to – a life that called him to commit himself, his time, and his ways to God.
Along with the call to “go,” came a promise from God to make Abram into a great nation, to bless him and make his name great, and to make Abram, himself, a blessing. Not only would God bless Abram, but He also promises to bless those who bless Abram and to curse those who dishonor him. It is worth noting that the only notable condition to the call/promise is that Abram “goes”. “God’s promises here are not dependent on Abram’s actions, obedience, goodness, or worthiness. God simply says He will do these things to and through Abram. Period. Abram’s character is irrelevant to the purposes of God in this instance.1“
What would you have done? Would you stay put with your ‘people’ and their/your gods? Or, at seventy-five years of age, would you have packed up and left it all behind for the unknown destination, trusting a God that you neither know nor worship to lead you who knows where? If you know the story, then you know Abram trusted God and left it all behind. His response is a beautiful picture of walking by faith and not by sight – for he had no idea if anything God said would come to pass.
For we walk by faith not by sight.
2 Corinthians 5:7
Prayer of Response
Father, You know the whole store, from the beginning to forever, and as you promised Abram, when we choose to follow You, You will show us the way to go. Your Word will be a lamp to guide our feet and a light for our path. The blood of Your Son has saved us, and Your Spirit empowers us to live as You have called us to live. Help us to listen for Your still small voice and to follow where You lead – even if You call us to something new, help us to faithfully and obediently follow You. – To Your Glory – Amen 💜
The More We Know
Abram may have been the first called to “go”, but many others came to mind as I was wrapping up today’s notes. While we will likely encounter many of these on our journey, I believe they are worth noting now. As they reveal how God’s plan is from beginning to end, a beautiful picture of His sovereignty, and how He always intended to use Abram and his family to carry out His will. Seeing and understanding God’s sovereignty and intentional involvement in our lives is another game-changer, as the reality of it strengthens and builds our faith.
Isaac … called to stay where he was and was blessed to have God reaffirm the covenant with him. (Genesis 26)
Jacob … sent out and called to go back (Genesis 27:43;28:13-15; and 31:3)
Moses … protected at birth, positioned, and called to “save his people”. (Ex 2-4)
Even Jesus … sent to be the Savior of the world (John 3:16)
The Disciples … called to leave all for the sake of Christ (Luke 9:23-24; 14:26-33; Acts 1:8; and Matthew 28:18-30)
All followers of Christ … called to go and spread the news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to make disciples, and baptize (Acts 1 8 and Matthew 28:18-30). We are also called to live and love like Jesus (John 13:34; Eph 4:32)
“Even when we can not see what is ahead, we know that God does, and He will direct us along the way.”
Love God Greatly/From Beginning to Forever/journal p69
The More We Know
For more insight in today’s journey, read today’s Love God Greatly blog
based on the LGG Study, From Beginning to Forever/w1d5
Read: Genesis 11:1-9; SOAP: Genesis 11:8-9
At one time all the people of the world spoke the same language and used the same words. 2 As the people migrated to the east, they found a plain in the land of Babylonia and settled there.
3 They began saying to each other, “Let’s make bricks and harden them with fire.” (In this region bricks were used instead of stone, and tar was used for mortar.) 4 Then they said, “Come, let’s build a great city for ourselves with a tower that reaches into the sky. This will make us famous and keep us from being scattered all over the world.”
5 But the Lord came down to look at the city and the tower the people were building. 6 “Look!” he said. “The people are united, and they all speak the same language. After this, nothing they set out to do will be impossible for them! 7 Come, let’s go down and confuse the people with different languages. Then they won’t be able to understand each other.”
8 In that way, the Lord scattered them all over the world, and they stopped building the city. 9 That is why the city was called Babel, because that is where the Lord confused the people with different languages. In this way he scattered them all over the world.
“My God is so big, so strong and so mighty there’s nothing my God cannot do.The mountains are His the oceans are is, the stars are His handiwork to. My God is so big, so strong and so mighty there’s nothing my God cannot do.”
As I wrapped up my study and notes from today’s journey, this little chorus that I sang to and with my girls as they were growing up, ran through my mind and then flowed from my tongue. Here’s why: Today’s journey begins with the people of the “whole earth” sharing a common language, settling on a plain in Shinar, and eventually coming up with a plan to build a city and a tower that reaches to the heavens. I suppose this isn’t a bad plan, I mean, my grandson loves to build things with blocks and tiles, he finds the activity fun and exciting to see how high he can go before they topple over, or he knocks them down, whichever comes first. His objective is purely from a creative mind and a desire to have fun. However, this was not the case for the people who had settled in Shinar.
Scripture clearly says their goal was to make a name for themselves. Clearly, they enjoyed and/or knew the benefit of their unity through one common language; they realized that there was power in numbers and did not want to be scattered. Some commentators suggest that their motive was born out of a deliberate attempt to guard against another flood by making a structure specifically intended to protect mankind from God’s judgment.
As I continued on in today’s journey, moved past the people of the plain, and read about God’s reaction to their plan, I noted that God was paying attention. There is no plan or motive that He does not know or see, and He is in perfect control of it all. It was then that I zeroed in on verses eight and nine, where we read that the people stopped building the city, now known as Babel, because the Lord had confused the people with different languages and scattered them all over the world. It is important and helpful to note here an observation by Bibleref.com concerning God’s actions in this matter:
God points out to the Trinity or the angels (it is unclear who He is speaking to) that “mankind is capable of enormous evil, when their sinful natures become aligned. God is not attempting to stifle mankind’s potential to accomplish ‘anything’ good, but He is very concerned about their potential to accomplish ‘anything evil.”
It was here that the chorus began playing in my mind, and I jotted down the following note in the margin of my journal – a good reminder for us all:
We cannot protect ourselves from the power of God. No matter the language or the location or the power and control we obtain, no person or group of people will ever be greater than God or clever enough to outsmart Him. There is comfort in this truth.
Me~from the Inside-out🦋
May the words of the chorus ring through your mind and penetrate your heart. May it be an encouragement to lean into the power of God, to rest in His power, and to depend on it – rather than to run from or attempt to overcome or go around His plan and will for your life.
“My God is so big, so strong and so mighty there’s nothing my God cannot do.The mountains are His the oceans are is, the stars are His handiwork to. My God is so big, so strong and so mighty there’s nothing my God cannot do.”
based on the LGG Study, From the Beginning to Forever/w1d4
Read Genesis 6:11-14 and 17-22 or KJV; SOAP: Genesis 8:1
Now God saw that the earth had become corrupt and was filled with violence. 12 God observed all this corruption in the world, for everyone on earth was corrupt. 13 So God said to Noah, “I have decided to destroy all living creatures, for they have filled the earth with violence. Yes, I will wipe them all out along with the earth!
14 “Build a large boat from cypress wood and waterproof it with tar, inside and out. Then construct decks and stalls throughout its interior.
“Look! I am about to cover the earth with a flood that will destroy every living thing that breathes. Everything on earth will die. 18 But I will confirm my covenant with you. So enter the boat—you and your wife and your sons and their wives. 19 Bring a pair of every kind of animal—a male and a female—into the boat with you to keep them alive during the flood. 20 Pairs of every kind of bird, and every kind of animal, and every kind of small animal that scurries along the ground, will come to you to be kept alive. 21 And be sure to take on board enough food for your family and for all the animals.”
22 So Noah did everything exactly as God had commanded him.
Genesis 6:11-14, 17-22 NLT
But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and livestock with him in the boat. He sent a wind to blow across the earth, and the floodwaters began to recede.
I recently went with a friend to the “Sights and Sounds” production of Noah, so it is very fresh in my mind, making today’s portion of the journey a bit more 3-D in my mind’s eye. Watching it play out on the big screen certainly made me realize, at least in some small way, the depth of courage, faith, and work it must have taken for Noah and his family to actually live through the reality of it…not to mention the fear and agony of knowing the earth would be destroyed and all life with it. The unknown factors, such as whether the boat would truly keep them safe, and what would happen afterwards, not to mention the thought of being trapped on an enclosed vessel for that long, would have been added concerns, at least for me. Reading the story on the pages of Scripture has never been less than a marvel, but seeing it portrayed in the theater, was an impressive revelation to Noah’s complete trust in God, his commitment to this strange call of God, and his family’s commitment to work with him and follow Noah’s lead despite the unknowns.
While the theatrical production embellished the story for effect, the reality is we only know the short version of what God tells us in His Word, where we see God’s utter disappointment in humans and what they had become and what they had done to His once tranquil and beautiful creation. Adam and Eve’s sinful choice to trade life for death had indeed brought about death and destruction, except for Noah and his family, because Noah had found grace in the eyes of the Lord. As I poured these words out on the pages of my journal, I couldn’t help but thank God for the grace He has shown to me/us, through the righteousness of Christ alone, and the salvation extended to all who abide in Him.
In the show about Noah, there were a few scenes where he would warn others about what was coming. He pleaded with them to listen, so that they would not perish. Whether or not this is how it actually happened, in the years it took to build the ark, possibly 120 years, Noah certainly had the time to “preach righteousness1” Gotquestions.org points out an interesting and convicting truth, saying: “In addition to Noah’s proclamations to the unbelieving world of his day was his “wordless preaching.” In the very construction of the ark, Noah bore witness to righteousness. Every hammer blow, every pounding of a nail was a call to repentance and a declaration that judgment was coming.
May our hearts be burdened for those who are lost and in danger of perishing. May God find us faithfully sharing His message of love and gift of grace, and bearing witness to righteousness – so that no one will perish.2
Friends, as Noah’s family entered into the Ark, trusting God to save them, we must enter into a relationship with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. When we do this, we receive the promise of eternal life, the Holy Spirit comes to live in us, enabling us to abide (live in) Christ. Because of this act of love and grace, when this earth is again destroyed,3 those who are found “in” Christ will be saved from the destruction to live with God for eternity. 4
The More We Know
Jesus called out the fact that Noah’s contemporaries ignored the message that would have saved them. At the same time, the Lord warned us of making the same mistake: “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all” (Luke 17:26–27).
The point of Peter referencing Noah and others like him in his second epistle is that, if God did not spare the ancient world who rejected Noah’s warnings, how much less can He be expected to spare those who dismiss His calls to repentance today?
based on the LGG Bible Study, From the Beginning to Forever/w1d3
Friends, I realize that this passage is not only familiar but long. However, it is a beautiful part of the Love Story that God has written for us. Pray for fresh eyes, an open mind, and yielded heart to the characters, the good – the bad – and the ugly. Study the enemy’s ways so that they do not trip you up – because he is still prowling around like a lion, looking for someone to devour. Let yourself imagine the innocence and true joy of those first days before sin entered the picture, then choose to look forward with hope to the eternity that awaits us – because Christ triumphed over the grave, not only striking the head of the enemy but securing his doom!
The prince of darkness grim, we tremble not for him; his rage we can endure, for lo! his doom is sure; one little word shall fell him …
Read: Genesis 3:1-15; SOAP: verse 15 (for further reading – Gen 3:16-21)
The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?”
2 “Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied. 3 “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’”
4 “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. 5 “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.”
6 The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. 7 At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves.
8 When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the Lord God among the trees. 9 Then the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”
10 He replied, “I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.”
11 “Who told you that you were naked?” the Lord God asked. “Have you eaten from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat?”
12 The man replied, “It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it.”
13 Then the Lord God asked the woman, “What have you done?”
“The serpent deceived me,” she replied. “That’s why I ate it.”
14 Then the Lord God said to the serpent,
“Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all animals, domestic and wild. You will crawl on your belly, groveling in the dust as long as you live. 15 And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.1”
What a story this portion of our journey tells. We meet a talking serpent, believed by most commentators to be Satan.2 We get a first hand look at his cunning and deceptive ways to steal, kill and destroy God’s people/creation. We see not only the first temptation but the subsequent sins of Eve and Adam. Sin that brought death to the life they had enjoyed. Their innocent, beautiful lives and relationships with each other and with God, were marred by sin and turned upside down. The couple that once knew no shame or fear were now hiding themselves from God because as Adam told God, “I heard you moving about in the orchard, and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.” We also see the first blame shifting as Adam blamed Eve and Eve blamed the serpent. We also witness the first consequences of sin first hand as God confronts each of the guilty parties.
He said to the woman, “I will sharpen the pain of your pregnancy,and in pain you will give birth.And you will desire to control your husband,but he will rule over you.”
To Adam, God said: “The ground is cursed because of you.All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it.”
To the serpent He said, “I will cause hostility between you and the woman,and between your offspring and her offspring.He will strike your head,and you will strike his heel.”
The bottom line of God’s curse on Satan is this: He has been the enemy of humanity since the beginning. He can never be trusted. As Peter wrote, he continues to hunt and seek to devour humans to this very day (1 Peter 5:8), but the good news is he won’t be allowed to do so forever.
Bibleref.com
You see, God made a way where there seemed to be no way. So even though Satan would damage Christ3 and it would look like the cross and grave had the final say, the ultimate victory belongs to Christ on behalf of humanity; and those of us who are in Christ will celebrate the victory with Him for eternity!
Several songs come to mind here as I close out today’s journey: Up from the grave He arose, Victory in Jesus, and Mighty Warrior (aka: Satan has no authority here!) May our hearts rejoice and sing at the good news of the Gospel storyFrom the Beginning to Forever!
Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.”
27 So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
Genesis 1:26-27 NLT
Made in God’s Image
This verse is breathtaking in its implications and puzzling in the questions it raises.
bibleref.com
Among other questions that it raises, it begs us to explore what it means to be made in the likeness or image of God. As bibleref.com points out: “This statement does not mean that God created humans to resemble Him physically.” John 4:24 makes it clear that God is a Spirit, or as bibleref.com goes on to clarify: “He is not simply a more complex physical being, or a limited creature … restricted to seeing, hearing, or being in a single location, like the false gods of most religions.” In other words, we do not physically look like God, but “we do possess God’s capacity to experience and understand love, truth, and beauty.” Because we share this capacity, He has called us to be His representatives here on earth. We are to share His truth with ‘the world’ (Matthew 28:19-20) and we are to love others just as Jesus (our role model) has loved us (John 13:34). Actually, as Paul taught the Colossians, “whatever we do and say, we are to do as representatives of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. In other words, we are not just to be His representative, we are to represent Him so well that others will see Jesus in us and be drawn to the Father.
As human beings, this side of sin, when we contemplate our “image,” we may not feel as carefree and natural as our ancestors, Adam and Eve. Instead, we may balk at the idea that it is made after the “likeness of God, because unlike Adam and Eve, we were born with sinful natures, inherited from Adam after the fall (Rom. 5:12; Prov 22:15; Ps 51:5 and 58:3). Sin marred the innocence that Adam and Eve knew “in the beginning.” Before the fall, Adam and Eve had no insecurities or shame and did not know any evil. As Bibleref.com explains, “Their lack of shame was not due to ignorance: it was due to innocence.” The commentary explains, “As chapter 3 will make clear, the shame we feel over being naked is tied to an awareness of one’s own sinfulness and rebellion.” Now, only when we are made new in Christ1 (born again) is the old sinful nature (that came to us through Adam) traded for the new nature of Christ’s Spirit, who lives in us and was given to us by God.2 So that we no longer have to live under the power of sin.3 You see, God made a way where there was no way! Though we were once slaves to sin, we are now, through faith in Christ, sons and daughters of the living God. He has legally adopted us through Christ and has given us the Spirit of adoption, allowing us to live in a relationship with Him – free from the chains of the old nature.
Wonder and Awe
21 So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. While the man slept, the Lord God took out one of the man’s ribs and closed up the opening. 22 Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man.
23 “At last!” the man exclaimed.
“This one is bone from my bone, and flesh from my flesh! She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken from ‘man.’”
Genesis 2;18-23
From the first ‘sighting’ of the Trinity (1:26) to the first ‘surgery’ by the Great Physician (Genesis 2:18-23), this passage is filled with God’s wonder and leaves me standing in awe of His power and creativity, and praising Him for creating me in His image. Friends, may we never forget that we are made in the image of God so that we might have a relationship with Him and reflect His character to those around us – that He might be made known through us and receive glory, honor, and praise. Oh, that He might continue to work within us through the power of His Holy Spirit so that we do not live by the old nature but faithfully by our new nature through Christ and His Spirit in us.
So the creation of the heavens and the earth and everything in them was completed. 2 On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work. 3 And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from all his work of creation.
I used to be one of those go, go, go people. Whether playing, shopping, or working, “Don’t stop till you drop” was my motto. However, for the past several years, I have been learning to appreciate the gift of resting from our work. Perhaps it is the aging process and a little less spring in my step/knees, but I also believe/know it has stemmed from the need and growing desire to cease striving. Striving to keep up with others…with expectations of the world, friends, family…with standards…work…home life…neighbors…you name it – keeping up is part of the game in today’s world. Keeping up can be mentally and physically draining.
My online group Journey Through the Word, has just finished a study called, The Meaning and the Method of True Rest, by Michele Morin@Living Out Our Days. In her study, Michele focuses not on the physical rest (though we do need this) but on “soul rest,” as she puts it. She suggests that “If we want to experience true, biblical rest, we have to be intentional about it. We have to make space for it.” (YIKES! – Right?) Thankfully, she warns her readers right up front that the best method of achieving this goal is to trust God “for grace to slaughter our idols of productivity and effectiveness, all the while asking Him for wisdom to know and then to do what’s most important with the energy and ability He provides.”
As God would have it, I was knee deep in “The Meaning and Method of True Rest” when I received my book for this current study, From the Beginning to Forever.You don’t have to know me very well to imagine the smile on my face when I opened day 1 to find the focus passage was about God resting from His work. (His timing and day-to-day involvement never cease to amaze me.) Of course, I was very familiar with the statement of Genesis 2:2 & 3, but as I stated earlier, I was finishing up a study on finding soul rest for myself, so being reminded of God resting from His work made me wonder what it means for God to rest.
Bibleref.com explains it like this: “What does it mean to ‘rest’ from working, for one with the power to create worlds out of nothing with just His command? It is hard to know, but the passage is clear that it was significant to God. Whether for practical, symbolic, or other purposes, we are meant to see this as a meaningful choice on the part of the Creator. This day of rest will become known as the Sabbath, a central point of God’s Law and essential to Israel’s worship of Him. But even now, before sin enters the world, before the Law exists, this day of rest is already meaningful to the Creator.” While we still may not fully understand what it means that “God rested”, verse three goes on to explain that “God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from all his work of creation.” He not only rested on the seventh day, but He sets it apart as Holy; or as Bibleref.com goes on to explain, “different from the other six days. Even before sin entered the world, God intended from the very beginning for the seventh day to be a special day dedicated to rest. It is the pattern he set for the world beginning in this verse.”
The More We Know
Order Out of Chaos
While I love the reminder that “God rested from His Work,” I also found myself stopping to soak in and contemplate the refreshing words of Genesis 1:1 -2 …
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
2 Now the earth was without shape and empty, (or without form, and void) and darkness was over the surface of the watery deep, but the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the water. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
The Hebrew words used here are tōhu and bōhu, translated as “formless” and “void.”According to this text, the earth was empty and literally in chaos.bibleref.com
Genesis 1:1-3
Then God spoke ~ and by His words He spoke boundaries into places where there were none and light into darkness. God spoke and gave shape to formlessness, separated day from night, sky from water, order among life, and life, rule, and purpose where none had existed.
We have likely all been in chaotic situations, where it seems everything or everyone is out of control. I work in a church office, and even there, some days bring unending phone calls and/or a steady flow of people, noise, and myriad distractions, while the daily jobs still have to get done. While a part of me thrives in this atmosphere, I will admit I am ready for or in need of rest when the day is finished and the work is completed. Friends, whether working in an office, in a classroom, at a shopping venue, or at home with the kiddos, the reality is that almost any scenario of places or events can offer up times of chaos. Let’s face it: We live in a world filled with chaos. Thankfully, as we see in today’s word, from the beginning of creation, we know the One who can (and will) bring order from chaos. So take heart, my friends, “With God, disorder and chaos will giveway to order and peace,” of this we can be sure.
Our God is a God of order, who does all things well. “God is not a God of disorder but of peace” (1 Corinthians 14:33). With God, disorder and chaos give way to order and peace.
Do you know the God who spoke order into chaos? Do you know Jesus, His Son, who died that you might live? I would love to share them with you. Please click on ‘Know These Truths” and let me introduce you to them so that we can share in this hope together. 🦋
And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike.20 I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should.
Final Greetings
21 To bring you up to date, Tychicus will give you a full report about what I am doing and how I am getting along. He is a beloved brother and faithful helper in the Lord’s work. 22 I have sent him to you for this very purpose—to let you know how we are doing and to encourage you.
23 Peace be with you, dear brothers and sisters, and may God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you love with faithfulness. 24 May God’s grace be eternally upon all who love our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 6:19-24
Paul, who was currently in chains but still preaching the gospel, followed up the list of instructions for God’s armor with the instruction for prayers and petitions (specific requests). He urged the believers to stay alert so they would know how to pray through the battles. Then, Paul gets personal and shares a prayer request for himself. I am always blessed and inspired when I read his words. This man had been changed from the inside out, transformed from a hater and enemy of Christ followers to a bold and faithful proclaimer of the Gospel. Yet, he understands that he is in the midst of a battle that he cannot fight in his own strength. He understands the need for God’s strength and guidance. He understands the power of prayer and calls on the believers to pray for him, that God would give him the right words so that, even in chains, he could boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike. He reminded the believers that he was in chains, but remained God’s ambassador, preaching the gospel message. He asked them to pray that he would keep on speaking boldly for God, as he should.
Gotquestions.org defines Paul before his conversion as “a religious terrorist,” and rightly so, based on Acts 8:3, which states, “Paul began ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison.” However, the narrative of Paul changes in Acts 9:1-22 where we read of Paul’s encounter with Jesus on the road from Jerusalem to Damascus. A road he was traveling for the purpose of bringing any known followers of Jesus back to Jerusalem to put them in prison. However, after meeting Jesus along the way, his life was forever changed1 from that of a “religious terrorist” to a missionary taking the Gospel of Christ to the Gentiles.
Friends, this verse/passage is a beautiful reminder and vivid example that we are never alone in the battle(s) we face. Not only is God with us, but His people, our brothers and sisters in Christ, are a battalion of soldiers (whether side-by-side with us or in the trenches of prayer)’suited up” and ready to march into battle with us. May we, like Paul, understand the importance/necessity of prayer for every battle and never hesitate to share our needs and situations with one another so that we are covered with the prayers of God’s people.
The More We Know
For more insight on today’s journey, read today’s LGG blog
13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. 14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. 15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. 16 In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. 17 Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.
Ephesians 6:13-18
Because we are fighting a spiritual battle against the rulers and powers of darkness and spiritual forces of evil, Paul says for the second time, we must take up the full armor of God! Paul is not simply being redundant here – he is emphasizing the need for the armor. The battle may not be physical, but taking up the full armor of God requires deliberate action on our part. Standing firm…fastening on the belt of truth…putting on the breastplate of righteousness…fitting our feet with the Gospel of peace…taking up the shield of faith…extinguishing the flaming arrows of the evil one…taking the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit…praying…being alert…persevering…and petitioning God for specific needs are not passive actions. We cannot sit by doing nothing while the battles wage around us. If we want to be ready for any assault the enemy brings our way, then we must be engaged mentally, spiritually, and yes – even physically, so that we can stand firm
So, if it is a spiritual battle, why and how can we prepare physically? The first and crucial preparation is spending time with God in His Word. You see, God has equipped us with both the Spirit and His Word; through their power, we are strengthened for victory in every battle. That is why Peter wrote that we have everything we need to live a godly life.1 But friends, we must be invested in His Word, reading it, gaining wisdom for the battles, using it as a weapon to stand firm. We must hide it in our hearts, have it ready on our phones, or in our car to pull out and use as a sword against the enemy’s assaults. We must stay actively engaged in prayer and be devoted to it, as Paul wrote to the Colossians.2 This doesn’t mean we walk around with our eyes shut and our heads down, but that we pray with His promises and Word in mind, for nothing can stop the enemy quicker than the Word of God. We need to stay alert to the Spirit’s prompting3
But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.
John 14:26
Father, help us to stay alert, never forgetting that our enemy, the devil, prowls around, like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Help us to be on guard – to know Your truth and walk in Your ways. The breastplate of righteousness not only offers great protection, but it also identifies believers in the battle. So help us to put it on and wear it well. Help us to truly understand the message of the Gospel, and to be prepared to talk about its good news wherever we go. Help us take up the shield of faith, that we might be protected from the weapons of the enemy, even his fiery darts. May we be faithful to wear the helmet of salvation, not only for protection but for comfort and peace, since the mind is often the easiest and/or primary target. Your Word, o Lord, is a powerful weapon against the enemy (Matt 4:1-11)- train us well that we might use it well. – Thank You for not leaving us defenseless and for the privilege of wearing Your armor. – Amen and Amen!
The More We Know
By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. 4 And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. 2 Peter 1:3-4 ↩︎
Me From the Inside Out 