Thanks for checking out this blog. If you have ripped off the plastic and cracked the binder on your Daily Walk Bible, you will see that today's reading isn't a Bible reading at all. It is a rest stop of sorts allowing us to review what the prior six readings covered. Tomorrow's reading will pick up in Genesis 18-20. But, for today, let's pause and think about the story told by Genesis' first seventeen chapters. Understanding these first few chapters is critical to understanding the entire biblical story. As such, this post will be longer than most.
The story in the first seventeen chapters is rather simple, very tragic, yet thick with hope. Here's the deal: "In the beginning, God created . . . " He created. He made. He began the story, and in Genesis 1 and 2 everything was very good. Life then was what we so often long for now.
In a moment, however, everything changed. Everything. Genesis 3 tells how humans were deceived into thinking that God was holding out on them. They thought that life would be better if they did what they wanted instead of what He wanted. They were mistaken. They disobeyed, and that disobedience shattered the relationship they had with God. It filled their lives and this world with pain (See Genesis 3:14-19). There was nothing they could do to restore themselves to God. There was nothing they could do, through their own efforts, to fix the mess in which they found themselves. They were in need of rescue. That is where Genesis 3 leaves them, all of humanity, and all of creation.
The great news for them, for us, and for creation, however, is that our Daily Walk Bibles do not end with Genesis 3. There are many other chapters, events, and characters. Nearly all of those chapters, events and characters (from Genesis 4 through Revelation 19) reveal one theme and goal--God's unfolding plan to rescue and restore what He created for His glory. All of what we will read in the coming chapters unfolds His plan to rescue us.
So, God rescues Noah (Genesis 5-10). He then chooses a man named Abram/Abraham to be a key player in the rescue plan. God makes promises (Genesis 12, Genesis 15) to Abraham, which form the foundation for God's rescue plan. God promises to give Abraham children, who will grow into a nation that will be blessed by God. God further promises that a person from that nation will eventually bless and rescue all people in all nations. Tomorrow, we will read about how God continues to work with Abraham.
For now, though, let's think about this idea of rescue. Do you think of the Bible as revealing a rescue plan? Do we think that we need to be rescued? Or, is there a tendency to think that we pulled ourselves up by our bootstraps and, somehow, worked our way into a relationship with God? God rescues us...should we do or think anything differently today because of that?
5 comments:
God Bless the pastors at the Bridge Church! What a wonderful blessing Sunday's service was, the Holy Spirit was rocking To top it off all who attended were given the opportunity to receive "The Daily Walk" Bible. Thank you!
I often wrestle with the idea that I need to be rescued. I was created as an imperfect person, so why should I be punished for acting imperfectly? Why should I need to be rescued from what I consider to be an unfair punishment?
Though I have the intellectual understanding that we do not need to earn a relationship with God, emotionally this concept is difficult to understand sometimes.
My first couple of years as a Christian, I was more focused on doing good out of obligation instead of love. Once I made this transition, doing good became less painful to do and more rewarding.
This blog rocks dude,
Bill Hnat
I definitely need to be rescued. I have struggled with a broken heart for a very long time. I so very much want to have a life that pleases God, and I believe his promises, but it has been so hard to bear this burden. I have begged God to take this away, to help me deal with it, to give me an answer and I have felt he has been silent. Saturday I read a quote that said if God could use your heartache to further his plan, thank him for it and I began to pray and ask if that were possible. Sunday morning, I asked God to give me the TOOLS to help me to deal with this - and Phil preached about Starting Well and the Bridge staff gave us the greatest tool we need to rescue us - God's word - and the community of support to help us make it through. John Allen preached one time that we sometimes just have to live through it but God doesn't leave us alone in it.He showed me that on Sunday.
I find that what I need rescuing from...is myself. God continues to try to get my attention but I won't listen, or won't believe Him...much like Abram or Sarah. Hearing what seems to be impossible, yet with God it is possible. - The question becomes ..when will I believe it ?
Do I need rescuing ? Yes. Do I need saving ? Yes.
The question is....why won't I let Him ?
To comment on what Helficon has posted, I was right where you are 1 month ago (February 2008) I took this Bible that the church gave us and made a decision to read it. But, I did put it aside, untill I had some counsel with my Dad and he told me how important a relationship with God is and through talking with him,(ie.. complaining about my problems.), his listening and caring and counsel made me realize how much his counsel helped me and then I realized that if his counsel and a relationship with a fellow christian (Dad, the pastors teachings at the church) helps me so much, then JUST IMAGINE the help and strength and saving and wisdom and love that a relationship with God my HEAVENLY adn ETERNAL Father will give me. At that point I started to be quiet and be still and to listen to God. I always asked myself , how do I listen to God? How do I pray to God? How will I know if what I think HE is telling me to do is really God talking or the Devil in disguise? I really didnt trust my judgment. Then I learned that I just need to listen.
For instance, I was having confilict in a relationship. I had just had an argument with that person and that morning before approching them, I asked myself, what should I say to them? What should I do? I began to worry and kind of get panicky. Then I thought that God will guide me if I let him, If I seek Him. He does not want me to suffer in my worry , So, I lied there and asked him God what should I do? Do I do this? and I though about it and thought about how much I love this person and how much God loves this person and I asked how does God want me to treat this person? How would God treat this person? And the next course of action came to me and I followed through with it and although it did not of course provide resoulution to our entire relationship problems, My kindness (by God's command) planted a new seed of trust and love and respect between us.
I have realized how easy God makes it to listen to Him to Hear Him if we are still and LISTEN. And to know that the love and the answers that we seek are always in us because our love our caring and compasion is a Gift from God and as soon as we tap into that gift and realize in acting on the answers that HE provides us through prayer and contemplation, we are in turn being how God wants us to be (a mirror of him, HE made man in HIS own image -The Book of Genesis).
If We listen to HIM are sharing His love and spreading His love and praising the gift that God gave us, the life of HIS only son Jesus who suffered death on the Cross.
Seeing your goodness inside of you as God's Gift of His only Son will make you want to listen to HIM before you speak, act , before you do anything and HE and only He will save you because HE wants your love. He wants your praise. He needs you to glorify him by being an example of God on this Earth. Just as Pator Tuttle says that we are all examples of God in our every day life.
Just as much as you need Him.. In listening to him and using your God giveN gifts of intellect you can use your brain and heart to think about what HE wants you to do. Use His wisdom in your life and HE will give you peace and comfort and He will Save you -
That is HIS gift. YOur only obligation to him as HIS son is to listen to HIm, to Know HIM and to follow HIM and to be an example of HIM on earth and to share his teachings. We are already HIS children, Our obligation is to Honor his LOVE. In doing so you will seek him more and more because only HIS love is forever and only HIS love can change you for the better.
-Kristen
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