Tag: Genesis

Thoughts in the Pit

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Journal Entry // February 2, 2022

Then they sat down to eat. And looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt.

Genesis 37:25 ESV

This morning I was reading through the beginning story of Joseph and his brothers. I have always been fascinated by Joseph for a lot of different reasons, but mainly because of his faithfulness and steadfastness to be content with where God has placed him. In this beginning part of Genesis I see a sort of naivety to Joseph in how he relays his visions/dreams. He does it in such a way that his brothers hate him. They hate him so much that they conspire against him and throw him into a pit. Then, as Joseph is in the pit before them, they sit down and have a meal together.

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Bound Faith

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Journal Entry // January 21, 2022

When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.

Genesis 22:9 ESV

Faith like Abraham. This is the model of faith that is presented throughout the Bible meant for me to emulate. This picture from the life of Abraham is written and preserved in God’s holy word to teach me about faith and trust in the Lord above all else. There is so much to learn about the nature of faith and the character of God in this chapter of Genesis. It is far too rich to look at it all in this short morning time. There are the actions of God, the faith and response of Abraham, as well as the faith and response of Isaac. Groundbreaking thoughts that would all penetrate and and be beneficial to my heart.

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Return to Harshness

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Journal Entry // January 15, 2022

The angel of the LORD said to her, “Return to your mistress and submit to her.”

Genesis 16:9 ESV

Does God want me to be happy? That seems to be a constant question in my life as I work out my faith and move more towards Christ in holiness and obedience. For the path of obedience seems to be constantly in conflict with my happiness. Maybe a better way of phrasing that is that my perceived understanding of what will make me happy is typically in conflict with obedience in Christ. That’s where we find Hagar in this passage. Her mistress was treating her harshly, so she fled. Which is understandable and I would probably make the same decision. Yet God’s word to Hagar is the opposite of what I expect. Instead of meeting Hagar where she was and providing for her needs to move forward on this new path, God tells her to return to her mistress and the harsh mistreatment.

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Faithful Obedience

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Journal Entry // January 6, 2022

Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.

Genesis 6:22 ESV

Faithful obedience without hesitation or question. The Bible introduces Noah by telling us that he is righteous and blameless in his generation. God then proceeds to express to Noah his determination to destroy all of life save for his family and pairs of animals. He then assigns to Noah the task of building the ark that will protect his family and those pairs of animals from the coming destruction. After this word from God, this terrifying word of judgement upon the world, the chapter ends by simply revealing that, “Noah did this.”

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Lingering Gaze

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Journal Entry // January 4, 2022

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.

Genesis 3:6 ESV

I always find this story of Adam and Eve so helpful in understanding how easily sin comes into my life and corrupts everything in and around me. There is a lot in this chapter to contemplate and reflect about God’s law as a hedge of protection and my response, but this morning I just want to focus on this final giving in to sin. I want to think about my own battle with sin and the lies I believe.

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Holy Rest

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Journal Entry // January 3, 2022

So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.

Genesis 2:3 ESV

The seventh day, the Sabbath day, the holy day of rest. This is a day that I have trouble truly understanding how best to honor and be obedient. There seems to be a good variety of opinions and interpretations and understanding of what God has called his people to with the Sabbath. God blessed this day. God made it holy. God rested from all his work of creation. The Sabbath was set up for us.

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