Exodus 4:14 - I stutter...can't speak well in front of people. God becomes angry---makes me wonder how much I anger God? And God's response: "Tell your brother and I will act as your mouth." I love that God didn't give up on him. There were some places in Moses' heart where Moses loved success more than he loved God. Exodus 5:23 seems to be an example; "From the moment I spoke in your Name, things have gotten worse." What does rescue look like? As I have become older, ahem, more mature, my definitions of Christianity are changing. I wonder if we miss being rescued a lot because we don't recognize it is actually God. I wonder how many times in our day that we think if we do the right thing, then life is going to get better. It may not...it didn't for Joseph not until he was 30 or so...
A question for each of you...
As we close the book of Genesis, what is one thing that God continually brought to your mind as you listened to Him in the Book of Genesis?
The thing that kept coming to my mind was "timing". His timing is right, always even if we don't see it. He's at work in the wait as well and I need to wait upon Him.
ReplyDeleteI need the reminder that "He will be right there with me, with my mouth" (4:12). I need to yield it to Him.
For everything we lack and everything we are not...He Is!
As we finished Genesis, two lingering words begin the theme of man, and a passage from Zechariah continues to fulfill God's faithfulness in His promise--
ReplyDeletethe two words: Remember and Return
The passage is from Zechariah 10:
6 "I will strengthen the house of Judah and save the house of Joseph. I will restore them because I have compassion on them. They will be as though I had not rejected them, for I am the LORD their God and I will answer them.
7 The Ephraimites will become like mighty men, and their hearts will be glad as with wine. Their children will see it and be joyful; their hearts will rejoice in the LORD.
8 I will signal for them and gather them in. Surely I will redeem them; they will be as numerous as before.
9 Though I scatter them among the peoples, yet in distant lands they will remember me.They and their children will survive, and they will return."
And to this very day, the theme continues--God redeems, man remembers and returns, and God is so lovingly faithful.
This is such a beautiful love story, and the best part is it's ours.
Your comments have already touched me deeply. I love the way you can get in the Word, and roll up your sleeves, and grapple with each story, just as Jacob wrestled with His God.
First, I have this question that won't be answered on this earthly side, is why God, being all powerful and all knowing, would continue to create earth and people knowing that we would turn away, time and time again. But when I think on this, I become overwhelmed with God's overwhelming love for me, personally. God, the King of all Kings, the GOD of all gods, desires to have a personal relationship with me! Wow!
ReplyDeleteSecond, I am left with hope. God is faithful even when His people are not. I have hope because God uses ordinary, sinful people to accomplish His purposes. Despite our sin and shortcomings, He still chooses to use us. God continues to provide a way of deliverance.
The theme for Genesis for me was, over and over again, how much sin and broken relationships there are when people choose to live life their own way and apart from God. It was constant in Genesis and I see it in my own life as well.
ReplyDeleteIt makes me so grateful and humbled that God chose to rescue me from myself and from the god of this world, even when I wasn't looking for Him. What an incredible story He has written, and is writing, through the lives of ordinary, sinful people!
I answered my own question about what God continually brought to my mind under my Jan. 17th post. But I want to say a quick word here. "God is behind this to expose my heart" (44:16) is what God continually brings to my mind and heart this past week. The truth that HE does anything for us in all our messes is simply overwhelming (16:13). I'm a mess but a glorious mess because the God-Alive is in me opening my eyes to see water in my drought (21:19) a little bit more every day. I cannot act for God (50:20) and change my world. God-Alive in me and you is moving in our mess!
ReplyDeleteI guess the thing that pops out at me is this:
ReplyDeleteIt's not the man that performs miracles, it's his God.
I've started blogging on my new blog about my thoughts on these books of the bible. Here's a link to today's passage thoughts:
http://twinkle-lovelettersfrommylord.blogspot.com/2010/01/its-not-man-who-performs-miraclesits.html
Deborah - I couldn't get your link to work. Maybe it's my computer.
ReplyDeleteHope is one of the lingering words I take away from Genesis. I was created by God and for His Purpose to worship and glorify Elohim.
ReplyDeleteAlso the Faithfulness of God "no matter what" to Abraham and his decendants.
The Love of God overwhelms me and encourages me toward obedience for The Maker of Heaven and Earth especially when I mess up which happens all too often.
I so agree as Nise' wrote "For everthing I lack and everthing I am not...He is!
Genesis had 4 "themes" that truly spoke to me, and brought clarity and comfort to my journey with the Lord at this stage in my life:
ReplyDelete1) Those God uses Greatly seem to Greatly Battle Fear. (Gen. 26:24, Gen 46:3, Gen 15:1)
2) Nothing is More Isolating than Grief.
3) Jacob is a good picture of how God changes people, SLOWLY, through problems in their lives and failures on their part, and an infinite amount of patience and grace on God's part.
4) Communication is the essence to every relationship.