My husband and I are working through the chronological "read through the Bible in a year" plan... it's extra neat because on the days/ nights when he is home, we sit and read aloud together... He reads from his NIV Study Bible and I follow along in my large print KJV Bible (yeah, I'm getting old - the letters in the other Bibles are just too small for my eyes these days, even with my glasses on!) We have noted several areas of interest thus far, and we're only on Genesis chapter 7! The difference in wording between the two versions is interesting, and has brought up some interesting questions and conversations. I love that I can ask my husband, my spiritual head, when something puzzles me, and learn from his understanding and wisdom! What a tremendous blessing to have a spiritual head who cares that I am in God's word and learning!
(for the record, he has always cared about that, but this is the first time we have purposed to study through God's word TOGETHER)
Some notes of interest...
In the creation account, it states that God told Adam not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil... but when Eve is speaking to the serpent, she says that they were instructed to neither each OR touch... I find this interesting - from all appearances, it seems that she is adding to God's word... Hmmm... that makes one think, doesn't it? Is she indeed adding to God's word? That's something to ponder, isn't it? Then she eats and gives to Adam to eat, and then they play the blame game "the woman that you gave me, Lord, she made me do it!" (yeah, I'm paraphrasing a bit) and then "but Lord, I was beguiled by the serpent" (that's an interesting word, isn't it? beguiled...) She knew what the Lord said, and she knew that she should obey the Lord... you can just imagine that she must have been fighting her conscience as she touched that fruit and prepared to take that first sinful taste... I wonder if it left a bitter taste in her mouth? (I mean, after she gave to Adam, and they both realized that they were naked and had knowledge of good and evil)
Another thought - each day, as the Lord creates, at the end of the day he looks at His work and says "it is good" - but after he has created man and man has named all of the animals, God does not say "it is good", He says "it is not good" that man should be alone, and so He created woman. Now, He isn't saying that His creation of man is not good, He is saying that man needs a helper.. meet, or fit, for him... My husband always jokes that God used Adam's rib to form the woman so that she would always be close to man's heart - I don't know if there's any real truth to that, but I love the imagery! As I've been listening to Victoria Botkin's "She Shall Be Called Woman", she addresses this and says that it's like man is not complete without woman - she complements her husband and makes him complete - if that isn't convicting, I'm not sure what is... have you acted as a completion of your husband lately? Have you complemented your husband lately, or have you clashed with him? Hmmm... that gives pause, doesn't it? TJ and I have a very good marriage, and it is quite rare for us to not see eye to eye on things - but there are occasions where I step out of my God-appointed role and take MY way. Oooh, that's not good, and it usually results in conflict. Now, my gracious husband is wise to me, and he knows that it takes two to quarrel... and he doesn't take my bait when I'm fishing for an argument. Because of him and because of God's grace, we have never fought. Ever. Not in our coming up on 14 years of marriage, not in our over 30 years of friendship. Never. Ever. Ever. And that is sooo not because of any credit due to me. How convicting to think of those times when I was bucking my head, my husband and being un-complimentary... uuuugh... that's something I need to work more on.
Our husbands are our spiritual heads, the leaders God has given us to guide and lead us, to love us, to teach us, to take care of us... our job is to lovingly submit. A good husband seeks his wife's thoughts and opinions, but he still takes the lead and makes the decision he believes is right and best. He may not always be right, but it is his place to make those decisions and the wife's place to accept his leadership over her and submit to his decisions. Obviously, the exception to this is if her husband asks her to sin - God is the higher authority (the HIGHEST authority) and we should always, always live according to His word, but unless our husbands ask us to go against God's word, we are to submit to our husbands. Not be doormats, not be punching bags, not be slaves, but be submissive and loving partners.
So, Eve was created to be Adam's helper... not his head, not his leader, his helper. We wives were given to our husbands by the Lord to be their helpers. How helpful have you been lately? Are your priorities in line with your husband's desires and dreams? If not, why? If not, what do you need to do to honor your husband and make him, his desires, his dreams, a central point of your attitude and actions as his wife?
Moving on...
In chapter 4, Cain has killed Abel and God is confronting Cain about it... God meets down punishment and what is Cain's response? Well, first let's back up a bit... their offerings... Cain works the land for food... plants are his livelihood. Abel raises the animals... Cain beings some of what he has grown... there is no mention of being selective, of choosing the best, or even putting any thought into his gift - he picks some plants and takes them to be his offering. I haven't caught the significance of that before... I always wondered why was God displeased with Cain's offering? It's because it wasn't a real offering... it was just doing what was supposed to be done, without any real thought or effort put forth. Abel, on the other hand, takes of the firstborn of his flock... firstborn of his livelihood... what the growth of his flock depends upon, and he chooses the BEST. He selects a healthy, fat, best of the best. His offering has value, meaning, it has been given thought, and it comes of a personal sacrifice. This gift pleased the Lord. It wasn't just part of the abundance the Lord blessed Abel with, it was the best of the best of the best.
Wow... what part of our lives, of our time, of our thought are we giving the Lord? Is it the creme de la creme of what we have to offer or is it scant leftovers, given as an after thought? I have to confess to being guilty of sometimes giving as an afterthought... and sometimes, to my shame, not really at all. There have been days that I have gone without being in His word... without praying beyond "thank you for this food" or "Lord, give me patience... now, please!!!!" - what kind of relationship builder is THAT? How close would we feel to someone who gave us the time and attention that we so often give (or don't give) to God? Ok, that hurts... so what are you going to do about it?
Now, back to Cain's reaction to God's correction and punishment... my husband pointed this out in our discussion and I think it is profound... Abel does *not* feel regret for his action, he does not repent or seek forgiveness... he argues - but God, it's too much! I can't deal with that, it's too hard! He's worried that someone might do to him what he did to his brother... there's no "God, you're right. I was so wrong, please forgive me, Lord..." It's all fighting the consequence of his action, arguing his case rather than seeking restitution. That says a lot about his heart, doesn't it? How is your heart when God corrects you? It's hard to be admonished, to be punished or given painful consequences for our sinful choices, isn't it? How do we accept (or fight?) that admonishment? Do we pray "Lord, show me my sins that I might confess them to you and turn from them? or do we try to hide our secret sins from the God who knows all and sees everything? Are we willing to give our sins away, to be washed clean, and to be made new... fresh... by His forgiveness, His grace, and for His glory?
Something to really think on...
I like David's prayer - "Search me oh God... search me and know me." In another he asks God to "create in me a clean heart, O God" I pray the same... and ask Him to show me the sins in my life and for His help to turn from them, to walk away from them, to be washed clean... white as snow... to have a clean heart... and a hunger and love for the Lord that can not be equalled.
There's more, but that's all for the moment, since I am out of time for right now... food for thought - and some people say the Old Testament is boring... irrelevant... but if you're looking for food, you will find it there... if you are hungry for the Lord, get in His word... start at the beginning and seek out the challenges... think about what you are reading... look for questions, and when you find them, seek the answers. There's a lot of food for thought in this Book, God's word... how much can you glean from conversing with and listening to the Lord this year? How can you improve your walk with God this year, this month, this week... this day?
He tells us "seek and ye shall find" - I am seeking, and look forward to what I might find that I haven't really found before... and to being reminded of things I have found before and have forgotten. I have so much to learn, but He is a great Teacher - in fact He is the best!
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