The Ten Commandments

Reading 18: Exodus 20

I keep coming back to the very first phrase of this chapter:

"And God spoke all these words"

It was important to the writer that we understand these are God's rules, from God's very mouth. These are not arbitrary laws, created to oppress a people just escaping from oppression. These are encouragements to pattern a lifestyle.

If I could take these commandments to heart in my own life, think of how much easier life could be? I heard a sermon once on the fact that the first 4 govern my relationship with God, and the last 6 govern my relationship with other people.

1. No other gods
2. No false images
3. No misusing God's name
(in other words, just 'cause you tack God's name on to it doesn't mean He endorses it.)
4. Keep the Sabbath
5. Honor mom and dad
6. No murdering
7. No adultery
8. No stealing
9. No lying
10. No coveting other people's stuff

Under Water

Reading 5: Genesis 7

"Build an arky, arky!"

The flood waters came and everything was gone. The "slate" was wiped clean, and we started over.

It's interesting that we don't necessarily associate getting rid of something completely as a "mature" way of dealing with a problem. Yet here, God got rid of everything as the best way to deal with the issue that was happening: man's increasing wickedness.

In ministry, we all too often fight tooth and nail to hold onto something that really should be let go. Perhaps there are moments when we need to let it go, wipe the slate clean, and start fresh? That kind of decision is not made lightly (God didn't just jump to the flood, He tried other things see Genesis 6.) It's not an endorsement to cancel whatever it is you're doing that's not working. It's not an excuse to give up on trying to work things out and make amends. But there must come a point when you realize that it's not working, it's time to start over.

The Story Begins

Reading 1: Genesis 1

It's always a struggle to not just skim through relatively familiar passages of Scripture. As I start this 'adventure' of letting God turn my life around, I want to make sure that I don't miss anything. I have to be paying attention if I'm going to see God do His 'brand new thing' (Isaiah 43: 16 - 19).

So, Genesis 1. The story of creation, the story of the beginning. As I continue to read through the rest of the 179 days remaining, why does God start His story this way?

Besides the fact that every story must have a beginning, I think that God is setting up a model of how He works.

Note how God's Spirit was always there. He was hovering above the surface. God is always here. He's always present. We don't have to find Him, we have to pay attention and SEE Him.

Note the order, rather than chaos that He creates. He takes nothing and makes something. I can attest in my own life that He took nothing and created something, something with purpose and direction only given by Him. He brought me out of the chaos.

He also called everything GOOD. In God's eyes, all of His creation is good. ALL of His creation was formed by His hands and His work. And He said it was good.

I also noticed that God typically only worked on one project a 'day'. That could be a major lesson for me. Too often I try to take on lots of various things, and end up frustrated at the end of the day when I've not finished any of them.

As I continue to read, I wonder how these themes will pop up again???