Genesis 1-5

Genesis 1
What stood out today: v1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. v28 God blessed them and said to them... v29 Then God said, I give you every seed bearing plant...They will be your food.

My response: God, you are eternal and you created time, "In the beginning." A clock started, a rhythm began. A pulse, a beat. And then...You made us male and female, You blessed us, You spoke to us, You provided food for us. And in verse 31, You saw all you had made and declared it very good. We were pleasing in your sight. The whole earth is beautiful to you.

Holy spirit, help me to see what God sees. Help me to see and know the creator through the creation.

Genesis 2
What stood out today: v7 The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of Life, and the man became a living being. v23 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife and they will become one flesh. v25 The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.

My response: Lord God, I love the intimacy of you blowing "the breath of Life" into Adam's nostrils...face to face. You created body and soul together - we are living beings. We are different from all other creations. Adam knew it. Even with you, he still felt alone, unique, not quite like you and not quite like the animals. And then...WOMAN. WOW! Adam and all men since have been WOWED by a woman, a wife. A suitable helper, a completer, a living being to be united to, to become one flesh. Lord God, you are so good. Thank you for Nancy, for marriage, for sex, for children, for family. Thank you for Jesus, the ultimate husband loving his bride, the church - even me.

Thank you, Jesus, for loving me by laying down your life, paying for my sin, that I could stand before you naked and feel no shame. That we could spend eternity in Heaven, a place of perfect Shalom. A place where shame is not known or even remembered.

Genesis 3
What stood out today: v1 Now... v7 then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized that they were naked. v9 But, the LORD God called to the man: "Where are you?" v 10 I heard you in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked and so I hid. v11 Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree ...? v13 to the woman "What is this you have done?" v24 guard the way to the tree of life.

My response: What an ominous word "Now" is. A horrible turn in the story. A terrible brokenness in the garden, the man is afraid of the LORD his God. The man rebelled. The LORD still loves and cares for the man and the woman. And You still do. A Holy love that is above above and beyond beyond. Your questions LORD God search us out. O LORD my God search me and know my heart. Test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psa 139:23,24

Genesis 4
What stood out today: v3,4 Cain brought some of the fruits... but Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. v7 but if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you but you must master it. v26 At that time men began to call on the name of the Lord.

My response: Lord God, Jesus, you are worthy of our best, first fruits. Not just some fruit. Father God, verse 7 sounds like the best counsel to a young man. Yet even with this knowledge, we do not have the power in the flesh to stand against sin. Yet you have the power and in verse 26 men begin to call out to you. Jesus, I call out to you. Jesus, I need you! Rescue me...

Genesis 5
What stood out today: v24 Enoch walked with God, then he was no more, because God took him away.

My response: Jesus, what a world you created. The rhythm of generations, long lives around 10 times longer than now. There were people that began: When ____ had lived ____ years, he had a son or he became the father of... Noah was 10th generation and his story starts: After Noah was 500 years old he became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japeth. Its interesting that Enoch lived 365 years, walked with God and God took him away. 365 / 10 =36. Close to Jesus' age. Jesus and Enoch walked with God. Father, Oh I long for home, I long for Shalom, I long for you.