Belief

Readings for today: Genesis 14-16

What does it mean to believe God? Too often, we apply a modern lens to our reading and interpreting of Scripture. We fail to acknowledge that though the Bible was written for us, it was not written to us. It was written to a particular people who lived at a particular time in a particular culture with a particular worldview. One that is far different than our own. We live in a post-Enlightenment world. A world shaped and formed by rational processes. A culture built on the dictum, “I think therefore I am.” Therefore, when we talk about “belief”, we shift into the realm of philosophy. Abstractions. Theories. We ask a set of questions that would never have even crossed Abram’s mind. We ask things like, “Is there a god? How would I know? What evidence is there for or against god?” These questions are the hallmarks of what Charles Taylor calls the “disenchanted world.” A world where the bias is against God. A world where God has to prove His own existence. A material world where “reality” is confined to what our five senses can confirm.

Abram lived in a far different world. An “enchanted” world where the spiritual was just as “real” as the material. God was taken for granted. His existence provided the foundation for all of life. “Belief” in Abram’s world was not philosophical. Those questions were assumed. It was deeply practical. Abram didn’t just believe in God as an abstract concept. He trusted God with his life. He trusted God would make good on His promises. He was fully convinced God was able to do what He said He would do. So when God tells Abram he will have a son, Abram believes God. He trusts God. He puts it in the bank. And this is why Abram is declared righteous.

Faith does not make one perfect. Abram is obviously not a perfect man. One chapter after he is declared righteous for believing God will provide a child, he takes matters into his own hands. He grows impatient and decides to follow his own plan and the plans of his wife, Sarai. The Hagar/Ishmael story is a tragic one though God eventually brings good out of Abram’s sinful decision. Hagar will be saved. Ishmael will become great in his own right and the father of many nations. Sadly, many of those nations will become the blood enemies of the descendants of Isaac, the promised child. But still Abram is lifted up as righteous. And this is the insight that hit the Apostle Paul like a thunderbolt. His righteousness must come by faith not by sight. It must be dependent on Abram’s trust in the Lord not the works of his hands. Despite his many mistakes and failures, Abram truly believed God. He trusted God. He followed God. He put His life in God’s hands over and over again. This is what it means to believe in a biblical sense and it remains our challenge to this day.

Readings for tomorrow: Genesis 17-19

I Will

Readings for today: Genesis 12-13

I will. Such powerful words. Especially in a world where we too often expect “I won’t.” It’s one of the biggest lessons I’ve had to learn in my life. God’s will for me is good not evil. God’s will for me is blessing not curse. God’s will for me is joy not sorrow. God’s will for me is peace not conflict. God’s will for me is love not hate. God is positively disposed towards me. He wants to give me good gifts. He has an eternal inheritance stored up for me. He has a plan for me. A plan to give me hope and a future.

For most of my life, I believed God’s primary words to me were “I won’t.” You can’t. Thou shalt not. It shaped how I perceived God. I perceived God as a stern judge. A harsh taskmaster who didn’t tolerate failure. I had an unhealthy fear of the Lord. A relationship based on fear and shame and trembling. I assumed God punished me for every misstep. Every mistake. Every wrong turn. I assumed God was just waiting to cast me out. Send me to hell. Torment me eternally. The pressure to perform was immense. The pressure to be perfect was overwhelming. To be honest, I cratered under it. I collapsed. I couldn’t do it. I didn’t have the strength or ability to manage it. So I turned to all sorts of things to cope with my failure to live up to God’s commands. None of them satisfied. Not for very long. Then I heard the gospel for the first time. I heard about the unconditional love of God. The free gift of God’s grace. The infinite depths of God’s mercy. It was life-changing.

I cannot begin to express how much the shift from “I won’t” to “I will” impacts my life. Every morning I wake up and my first thought is to say “Good morning” to God. I sit quietly in the warmth of His presence. I sense His smile upon me. No matter what I am facing that particular day, I know my Father already knows and has it handled. I may not have it all figured out. I may not have the wisdom or strength to handle the challenges. But I walk with confidence because I know God’s power is made perfect in my weakness and He will work all things to my ultimate good.

Abram must have experienced something similar in his own life. Look at all the “I wills” in these two chapters. I will make you great. I will bless you. I will make your name great. I will give you this land. I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth. These are powerful promises, especially for a man who has experienced so much grief and hardship in his life. A man whose wife is barren and whose future prospects seem dim. A man whose legacy will end with his death. Abram must have thought his life was full of “I won’ts.” But God was faithful. He turned Abram’s “I wonts” into “I wills” and the rest is salvation history. What would it look like for you to approach today with the understanding that God “wills” your good? Are you willing to trust Him?

Readings for tomorrow: Genesis 14-16

Family

Readings for today: Genesis 10-11

God loves families. God created the first human family. He ordained the first human marriage. He created humanity to be fruitful, multiply and fill the earth. So He commanded Adam and Eve. So He commanded Noah and his children. So He will command Abram and Sarai in just a few chapters. God’s desire is for humanity to fill the earth. Rule in His name over all He has made. This is why the Tower of Babel is such a problem. The people would not scatter. They were refusing to “fill the earth.” Instead, they sought to make a tower that would stretch to heavens. A physical signpost they could look to as they wandered so they always knew they would be safe. Much like ancient mariners who always tried to stay within sight of the coastline, the people were too scared to accomplish the mission God had set out for them. So God, in an act of grace, confused their languages and scattered them Himself. He pushed them out of the nest. And the people spread out across the globe, each developing their own language and customs. However, no matter how far afield they went, they still remained part of the same family. A family God loves with all His heart.

God loves the human family. In fact, He loves us so much He chose one particular family to bring about His covenant promise. They don’t know it yet but God has great plans for them. If you stop at Genesis 11, there is nothing remarkable about this family that would suggest what’s to come. Nothing foreshadowing the miracles and signs and wonders God will do in and through and for them. In fact, there are problems with this family. Sarai is barren so it seems the family name will be carried on through Nahor rather than Abram. Haran, the father of Terah, has died in Ur and something prompts Terah to take his clan to Haran. What it is, we don’t know. God has yet to reveal it to us. While they settle in Haran, tragedy strikes again and Terah dies, leaving childless Abram and Sarai, along with Nahor and Milcah, to decide what to do next. Should they return to Ur? Stay in Haran? Continue on to Canaan? Again, if you don’t know the story, these are open questions.

God loves the human family. God loves Abram and Sarai’s family. God loves your family. Perhaps you’re facing some open questions today? Perhaps the future of your family seems unclear? Perhaps you’re wrestling over what to do next? A relocation? A career change? Kids leaving home? Parents moving into graduated care? There are so many open questions in life. The other day, one of my daughters left for Australia for six months. We put her on a plane with no idea what she will experience while she is over there. She is nineteen years old. So much of her life in front of her. So many different directions she could go. So many things she could see and do. We have no idea what God has waiting for her only that God IS waiting for her over there. And He will be faithful. Just as He was faithful to Abram and Sarai and all who have come before us.

Readings for tomorrow: No readings on Sundays

Memory

Readings for today: Genesis 8-9, Psalms 12

Remember. It’s an important word. Even more, it’s an important spiritual practice. As we begin a new year, it’s important to look back on the previous year and remember all that God has done for us. Perhaps even make a list. Count our blessings. Recall to mind the number of ways God made Himself known to us in our struggle, heartache, grief, and pain. 2024 will forever be the year I lost my father. He died suddenly on a Saturday morning in March. As we gathered at the house to wait for the coroner to finish her work, I felt the presence of God. I remembered how God brought my father to faith when we were in Israel. I remembered his baptism in the Jordan River. I remembered the many ways God had softened his heart over the years. And I am thankful. 2024 is also the year my son left for college. I remembered the struggles we went through in high school. I remembered the challenges he overcame. I remembered the people God brought into his life to help him change. Grow in his self-confidence. And now he is launching out on his own. I am thankful.

And God remembered Noah. Does this mean God had forgotten? Noah and his family had slipped God’s mind? God lost track of them as He ran the universe? Not at all. God remembered Noah is another way of saying “God was faithful to Noah.” God would not forget Noah. God would remain true to His promise. The floodwaters recede. The earth reappears. The act of new creation is completed. Noah is given a renewed creation mandate to be fruitful and multiply. But I imagine the PTSD of what they went through was strong. So God gives them a sign. A rainbow in the clouds. Every time the clouds gather and they feel the fear inside - “is this going to be another flood?” - God makes the rainbow appear so they will not worry. They will know God has not forgotten His covenant. God will never again flood the earth in an act of judgment. “I have placed my bow in the clouds,  and it will be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I form clouds over the earth and the bow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant  between me and you and all the living creatures: water will never again become a flood to destroy every creature. The bow will be in the clouds, and I will look at it and remember the permanent covenant  between God and all the living creatures on earth.” God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and every creature on earth.” (Genesis‬ ‭9‬:‭13‬-‭17‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

What signs has God given us of His faithfulness? A child born in Bethlehem. The cross. The empty tomb. Jesus Christ is the ultimate sign that God will be faithful to His covenant. Jesus is the sign that God always remembers. He will not leave us or forsake us, much less forget us. He loves us with an everlasting love. He has made a permanent, eternal covenant with us through the blood of His Son. Seed time and harvest. Cold and heat. Summer and winter. Day and night. None of these shall pass away until God’s covenant finally comes to completion when Jesus comes again in glory. Until that great day comes, we are called to remember God’s covenantal works. Cling to God’s covenantal signs. Trust God’s covenantal love.

Readings for tomorrow: Genesis 10-11

Favor

Readings for today: Genesis 6-7

Favor. It’s a core human need. A primal desire within all of us. We all want to be looked on with favor. We all want the approval of others. We all want to be supported, blessed, encouraged, esteemed. A friend of mine reached out the other day. He’s got an important interview next week. I told him I would pray for him to have favor with the interview team. Another friend is seeking to close on a home. She needs her mortgage application to come through. I told her I would pray for her to have favor with the lender. A couple I’m working with is struggling. One of the things I pray regularly over them is favor. I pray they would favor each other even as they seek the favor of one another.

Noah found favor with God. What an incredible statement. In the midst of all the pain and heartbreak in the world, one man still seeks God. One man still walks with God. One man is found righteous with God. Blameless in his generation. Does this mean Noah is perfect? Of course not. Part of our problem is we always think favor has to be earned. We think favor is something we achieve. If I do something for you, you will look with favor on me. But that’s not really favor at all, is it? Not at least the way the Bible talks about favor. Favor flows from relationship. Favor is the natural response of God to a heart that is turned towards Him. Abel’s heart was right with the Lord so He looked on his offering with favor. Noah’s heart was right with the Lord so God chose Him to be a new Adam. As such, he represented a fresh start. A fresh start for humanity. A fresh start for the world.

How does one find favor with God? The same way Abel did. The same way Noah did. The same way all the saints of the Old and New Testaments did. By faith. We look to God by faith. We seek God by faith. We nurture a relationship with God by faith. We follow God by faith. We trust God by faith. We orient our hearts towards God by faith. A man named Augustine once wrote, “our hearts are restless until they find their rest in God.” Restlessness is what happens when we aren’t sure we are favored. When we aren’t experiencing favor. When we have lost favor. It could be with our spouses or children or friends. It could be with colleagues at work or at school. It could be in our community. Most of all, our hearts will be restless until we find favor with God. Make it your aim in 2025 to seek favor with God above all else.

Readings for tomorrow: Genesis 8-9, Psalms 12

Communion

Readings for today: Genesis 3-5

Communion. It’s what God created in the beginning. Communion with Him. Communion with one another. Communion with the world He had made and all that is in it. Communion is a blessing. It is sweet and intimate. It connects us. It is marked by joyful and mutual submission. It serves as a blessing to all who enjoy it. It’s a relationship that benefits everyone. When humanity lives in communion with God, we live openly, freely, transparently. We are protected from any kind of shame or guilt or coercion or manipulation. We have nothing to fear. Nothing to be anxious over. Nothing to worry about. And these benefits flow into the other relationships we enjoy in life. Relationships with family and friends. We find our communion with one another deepening and becoming more rich and full and sacred. Furthermore, these benefits convey to the work we do in the world. Our gratitude for the blessing of being able to enjoy and exercise dominion over all God has made. The land flourishes. Society thrives. God is honored. This is what God intends for us.

Alienation. Sadly, we chose to chart our own path. We chose to go our own way. We allowed the lust of the flesh - the fruit of the tree was good for food - and the lust of the eyes - the fruit of the tree was delightful to look at - and the pride of life - the fruit of the tree was desirable for obtaining wisdom - to warp our perspective. The result was alienation. We became alienated from God as we sought to hide from Him in the Garden. We became alienated from one another as we sought to shift the blame and entered into a power struggle. We became alienated from creation itself as it became resistant and hardened to our desire to exploit it for our own benefit. As one African theologian put it, this is what happens when we choose communion with the “ancient serpent” over communion with God.

Communion and alienation. We make choices every single day to pursue one or the other. From the moment we wake up in the morning until the moment we lay our head down at night, we are making decisions that lead to deeper communion with God, one another, and the world around us or greater alienation with the same. And we cannot claim ignorance. God has shown us what a life lived in perfect communion looks like in the Person of Jesus Christ. He has literally come to earth to show us the way. To mark the path. To map it out for us. The fundamental question for us is the same as it was for Adam and Eve. Will we believe God or will we trust the serpent? Will we trust God or will we trust ourselves to discern right from wrong, truth from error? Will we rely on the wisdom of God or will we seek to be wise in our own eyes?

Readings for tomorrow: Genesis 6-7

Genesis

Readings for today: Genesis 1-2

Genesis = origin, creation, in the beginning. Studying the opening chapters of the Bible gives us a window into God’s realm. It gives us a picture of what our world was intended to be. It gives us a glimpse of what our world one day will be when God Himself returns to make all things new. As such, it is worthy of our most intense study. This is the world our hearts long for. This is the world that echoes in our genetic memories. It’s the world we were made for which is why our world feels so foreign, strange, and alien at times.

What is God’s world like? It is a world of order. A world where everything has a purpose and place. The sun, moon, and stars in their courses above. The birds in the air. The fish in the sea. The mammals and insects and other creeping, crawling things on the earth. It’s world full of life and beauty and biodiversity. Each plant and animal reproducing according to its kind. It is a world designed by God specifically for the enjoyment of humanity. The creatures He made in His own image. The creatures He set in the world to care and to keep and to steward it towards ever-greater heights of fruitfulness. Note how God carefully crafts the environment so that humanity can flourish. Light. Atmosphere. Land. Water. Flora and fauna. Animals galore. And God sets us in this world to be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and exercise dominion over all He has made. Not domination. Dominion. This is a critical distinction. We are not set up as tyrants but as servants. We are not given authority to rule but to serve. The world doesn’t exist for our pleasure alone but for the glory of God.

God’s world is a community. It is the place where the dimensions of heaven and earth meet and God walks with us in the cool of the day. It is the place where God and humanity engage in deep, covenantal friendship as humanity lives out her purpose and obeys the commands of her Creator. It is the place where human beings find intimacy with other human beings. Adam and Eve. Bone of my bones. Flesh of my flesh. And all of it is good. Very good in fact. This is the world God designed. This is the world God desires.

Yes, we are far from this world. Yes, chapter three will bring disruption to this world. But today we sit, if but for a moment, and imagine the world as God intended it to be. A world without chaos, violence, injustice, suffering, or pain. A world of perfect peace and grace and generosity and service where those bearing the image of God perfectly serve their Creator with joy and satisfaction, stewarding the life of the garden God has planted. Partnering with God to help all of creation thrive. And so we join our voices with church since at least the 4th century singing the ancient hymn, Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. World without end. Amen. Amen.

Readings for tomorrow: John 1:1-3, Psalms 8, 104

Turning Evil to Good

Readings for today: Genesis 48-50, Psalm 16

God specializes turning what we intend for evil to the good. The history of humanity is replete with example after example of humanity making decisions that serve their own selfish purposes. The problem with this approach to life is that it creates a ripple effect that invariably impacts others in a negative way. All of us fall prey to it. All of us struggle with it. There is no such thing as a decision that has no consequences. Every decision or even non-decision creates conditions that others experience as frustrating, painful, or disappointing. Some even create conditions that are harmful or life-threatening. The more power and influence one has, the greater the ripple effect but even those who have little to no power or influence can still have an impact.

Several years ago, I was traveling with a team to one of the poorest places on earth. As we ministered all week alongside and among those living in life-threatening poverty, one of the members of our team pulled me aside and asked how God could allow such conditions to exist. It was a great question. One everyone should ask when they come face to face with extreme suffering. As we talked, I asked her why she was so quick to blame God. She replied with the classic theological answer that since God was in control over all things, He must be responsible when things go south. I then asked her if she felt any responsibility herself for the conditions of the people we were serving. She did not. I asked her why. She shared with me that her life was lived on the other side of the world, in a different country, and she didn’t have either the power or the opportunity to change things. I challenged her on this line of thinking. Imagine, I said, if she reoriented her entire life around relieving conditions like what we had just experienced. Imagine if she recruited friends and family and neighbors to the cause. Imagine entire communities or even nations rallying together to provide clean drinking water and food security to every single person on the planet. It certainly could happen. We simply lack the will because we all ultimately want to take care of ourselves first. And therein lies the problem. Thankfully, God is faithful. He works through His people in all sorts of amazing ways to meet the needs of the poor and powerless and marginalized and broken. Billions of dollars are given each year to relieve life-threatening poverty and provide access to education and all sorts of other opportunities for people around the world. God promised Abraham that it would be through him that all the nations of the earth would be blessed and God has never wavered on that promise. It is through us that God will work His perfect will for the world, turning what we often intend for evil for His good.

This essentially is the narrative behind Joseph’s story. God takes what Joseph’s brothers intended for evil - selling him into slavery - and turns it to the good. God takes what Potiphar’s wife intended for evil - falsely accusing him of rape and throwing him in prison - and turns it to the good. God takes what the cupbearer intended for evil - by promptly forgetting Joseph once he was restored to his position at court - and turns it to the good. God takes a massive famine - a natural evil - and turns it to the good by providing an opportunity for Joseph to step into leadership. Over and over again, God uses the circumstances of Joseph’s life to mold and shape and prepare him for the good that was to come. As a result, Joseph was able to not only save his family but all of Egypt from a mass starvation event.

When one looks back at Joseph’s life and takes each incident in isolation, it would be tough to see where everything was headed. However, once the full picture is in view, one can easily see the hand of God at work. The same is true for us. If we focus on the isolated events of our lives, it’s hard to see the impact - good or bad - that we make. However, if we step back and look at the big picture, we can see how God is at work using all things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.

Readings for tomorrow: Exodus 1-3, Psalm 17

God’s Tenderness

Readings for today: Genesis 46-47, Psalm 15

There are moments in the Bible when we see the tenderness of God on full display. I cannot imagine how Jacob must have felt when he first received the news that his beloved son was alive. For years, he had grieved Joseph’s death and it has taken its toll on him. When he appears before Pharaoh, he describes his life as short and hard and not on the same level as his ancestors. “My pilgrimage has lasted 130 years. My years have been few and hard, and they have not reached the years of my ancestors during their pilgrimages.” Jacob has endured a lot of emotional and relational turmoil. He grew up in conflict with his brother. He took advantage of his ailing father. He deceived his uncle. He buried a beloved wife. He believed he lost a beloved son. And yet, God has been faithful. He has never left Jacob’s side. And now at the end of his life, God has one final surprise for this man He loves so much.

“I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you back. Joseph will close your eyes when you die.” (Genesis‬ ‭46‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭CSB‬‬) Jacob will get to see Joseph again. Not only that but Joseph will be the one to close his eyes in death. Joseph will be the one who will secure his body and make sure he is buried in the Promised Land. Joseph is the one who will make sure all of God’s promises come to pass because Joseph is God’s chosen instrument. The one God sent before Jacob and his entire family in order to preserve God’s plan of salvation. God could easily have accomplished all this without giving Jacob this special gift but God loves Jacob. God has loved Jacob from before he was born and God will love Jacob all the way to the end. In His tender mercy, God allows Jacob to see His plan come to pass. It’s a beautiful and tender scene.

Friends, God looks at us with that same tenderness in His heart. The Bible says it is God’s kindness that leads us to repentance. It is God’s love that drives His relentless pursuit of us. It is God’s desire that all should be saved and none perish. As we move into Exodus in the coming weeks, we will see God literally define Himself as the God of compassion. Slow to anger and abounding in steadfast, loyal love. This is who God is, friends. Today, yesterday, and forever. As you approach God in prayer today, come with the sure and certain knowledge that God loves you with such deep tenderness. His heart is for you. It breaks for you when you go through pain. It rejoices with you when you have success. It mourns with you when you experience loss. It is stirred for you when you are excited. God loves you, friends. There’s no greater news in the world!

Readings for tomorrow: Genesis 48-50, Psalm 16

Full of the Spirit

Readings for today: Genesis 41-42, Psalm 13

When I played lacrosse in college, my coach would often talk about how all the great athletes had “it.” You couldn’t really define “it” but you knew “it” when you saw “it.” It was a special quality. A character trait that gave a person confidence to step up in critical moments like when the game was on the line. An instinct that not everyone possessed that allowed a woman or man to take advantage of a moment and elevate not only themselves but those around them as well. In today’s vernacular, we talk about an athlete being “Him” or “Her” and we marvel at their greatness. They always perform at their highest when the lights are brightest.

Joseph had “it.” Joseph was “Him.” He found success wherever he went whether it was in Potiphar’s house, the prison, or before Pharaoh. He never missed a moment. Never failed to take advantage of the opportunities God was giving him along the way. Why was Joseph so favored? It wasn’t because Joseph was especially smart or strong or gifted in any way. There’s nothing in the text to suggest Joseph was anything but an ordinary man. No, the one thing that set Joseph apart was the Spirit of God. After spending years in prison, Joseph appears before Pharaoh. His life is on the line. If he fails to perform, he could easily be thrown back in prison for the rest of his life or even executed. But when the lights were brightest, he turns to God. He doesn’t claim any special powers for himself. He doesn’t try to steal any of the credit or any of the glory from God. He doesn’t promote himself at all. He simply stands before the most powerful man on earth at the time fully trusting in God’s ability to deliver an interpretation. And after he does so, what is the response of the pagan king? “Can we find anyone like this, a man who has God’s spirit in him?” (Genesis‬ ‭41‬:‭38‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

Do you have God’s Spirit in you? He’s really all you need. If you want to live a life full of blessing and favor from God. If you want to experience God in a profound way on a regular basis. If you want to walk in close companionship with God. Then you need the Holy Spirit. He is God’s faithful, abiding presence. He indwells the heart of every believer. He grants us the gifts and graces to live in complete contentment and fulfillment and joy. When we are full of the Spirit, we are given access to divine wisdom and strength to tackle the most difficult problems and overcome the most challenging obstacles. So how do we be filled with the Spirit? We must deny ourselves daily and follow Christ. We must empty ourselves of “self” and ask the Lord to fill us with His Spirit. We must keep in step with the Spirit every day of our lives, walking in obedience to His will and His way. Most importantly, we must allow the Spirit to sanctify our character and nature so that we become more and more like God.

When I think of the greatest people I have ever known, the number one quality that stands out is that they are full of the Spirit. They are people no one has ever heard of who played a critical role in my life. They are men and women of deep faith who taught me more about Jesus than I ever thought I’d learn. They showed me by the way they lived what it meant to walk in the Spirit and be full of the Spirit and, as a result, they lived some of the most extraordinary lives. Most of them were not rich or well-known. They were not influencers by any stretch of the imagination. They were simply ordinary people who had given their lives to an extraordinary God and God blessed them immeasurably. That’s what I want for my life as well.

Readings for tomorrow: Genesis 43-45, Psalm 14 (No devotionals on Sunday)

God with Us

Readings for today: Genesis 38-40, Psalm 12

One of the things we celebrate every Christmas is the idea of Immanuel, a name that literally means “God with Us.” It’s a powerful idea that continues to captivate each and every generation. We love the idea that the God of the universe would humble Himself to come and stand at our side. We love the idea that God would care for us so much He would walk with us through every season of life. We love the idea that God is so faithful that no matter where we go or what we do, He is always with and for us. He never walks away. He never abandons us. He never forsakes us. This is one of the unique features of the Christian faith.

God didn’t just become “Immanuel” on the day Jesus was born. He has always been Immanuel. He is Immanuel for Tamar as she wrestles over the cultural expectations of her day which would have her wed multiple men of the same family when the one who is her husband dies. He is Immanuel for Judah when he seeks comfort, unknowingly, in the arms of Tamar after the death of his wife. He is Immanuel for Perez and Zerah as they wrestle in the womb for supremacy. He is Immanuel for Joseph when he’s raised up to rule Potiphar’s house and then brought low through a false accusation. God is with us in the good and bad and ugly of life. Hopefully, you are beginning to see this as one of THE major themes in Scripture and it is what gives us hope even in the face of our own challenges and fears.

There are so many people in the world today processing all kinds of pain and suffering and heartache. There are all kinds of people living around us today who have all kinds of doubts and questions and fears. Lots of people who formally might have identified as Christian are deconstructing what they formally believe as they seek some kind of peace and wholeness and beauty and love in their lives. They want to be seen. They want to be known. They want to be free. They want to be affirmed. And the great news of the gospel is that God is with them every step of the way. He does see us. He does know us. He does set us free. He does affirm as His beloved. He also confronts us and convicts us and seeks to conform us to the image of His Son. Not through manipulation or coercion or by force but by loving us and comforting us and drawing us near. No matter where these opening weeks of 2024 find you, trust God is with you. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He will never leave your side.

Readings for tomorrow: Genesis 41-42, Psalm 13

Beautifully Broken

Readings for today: Genesis 32-34, Psalm 10

There is nothing harder than having to face the serious consequences of the decisions you’ve made in your life. You have no one else to blame. Nowhere else to go. Nowhere left to hide. It’s just you coming to grips with the choices you made and the ripple effect they created for your family, friends, and community. I can’t tell you the number of times this has happened in my life. It’s never easy. It’s always painful. It creates all kinds of shame and heartbreak. And though I’ve often tried to run away from it all, God is faithful. He brings me back. He sets me in front of the mirror. He forces me to face myself in all my failures. He breaks me so that He might build me back up.

Jacob finds himself between a rock and hard place. He has burned every bridge possible. Laban, the father-in-law he defrauded, is behind him. Esau, the brother he usurped, is in front of him. For all he knows, he and his family are about to be wiped out. He’s under tremendous pressure. His fears and anxieties have gotten the best of him. All his scheming and manipulation have brought him to this point. God has him right where He wants him. He meets Jacob down by the river. He wrestles with Jacob all night long. He forces Jacob to come grips with all his failures. He breaks Jacob utterly to the point where he is given a new name and a new identity. He will now be known as “Israel”, the one who struggles with God. The one who walks with a limp for the rest of his life as a reminder of his encounter with the Holy One.

Perhaps you know how Jacob feels? Perhaps you too have wrestled with God? Perhaps you have been broken by Him? I know I have. My life is not the same as it was prior to 2009. I wrestled with God for months, spending almost every night pacing and arguing and cursing out God in prayer. I fought with God. I battled God. And I was utterly broken before Him. God did to me what He did to Jacob. He was faithful to stay in the fight. He never overwhelmed me. Never forced Himself on me. He simply waited until I exhausted myself struggling against Him. Once I came to the end of myself, He held a mirror up to my soul. There I saw all the ugliness of my pride and anger and frustration and bitterness and selfishness and fear reflected back at me. God gave me a choice in that moment. I could choose to continue fighting or I could surrender to His will for my life. Thankfully, I chose the latter but believe me when I say I walked away from that encounter with a serious limp.

Friends, God’s plan for your life is simple. He wants you to become more like Jesus. He is like a master sculptor taking up his hammer and chisel to break those parts of you that don’t belong. He is molding and shaping you in ways you cannot see. He is always at work using everything you’re going through in your life to complete the good work He’s begun in you. This is not an easy process. It is not a clean or neat process. It is not a linear process. It is often painful and hard and confusing. We often resist His sanctifying work in our lives. But God is faithful. He is patient. He will keep wrestling with us until we finally surrender to Him.

Readings for tomorrow: Genesis 35-37, Psalm 11

Best Laid Plans

Readings for today: Genesis 29-31, Psalm 9

I don’t know about you but I am a planner. In fact, I make backup plans to my backup plans just in case my original plans don’t come through. I plan out each day. I plan out each week. I plan out each year. I have three year plans and five year plans. I have a professional plan. I have a financial plan. My wife and I have a plan for our family. We teach our kids to plan. We are working with our parents on their plans. Planning is a good thing, of course, but only if it is surrendered to the Lord. Ultimately, we can put together our best laid plans but it is the Lord’s plan for our lives that matters most. That’s why I try to hold onto my plans loosely. Walk with open hands before the Lord because He has a way of changing my plans along the way.

In our story today, it’s clear that everyone has a plan. Jacob has a plan. Leah has a plan. Rachel has a plan. Laban has a plan. Each of their plans is based on what they believe is best for them. Each of them is after something and they are willing to do just about anything to achieve those ends. Jacob has a plan for a wife and a family. Leah has a plan to earn her husband’s affection and love. Rachel has a plan for children to end the shame over her barren condition. Laban has a plan to use Jacob to grow his wealth. They compete. They deceive. They lie. They steal. They scheme. It’s striking to note that none of them seeks the Lord for His plan for their lives. They simply assume God is with them. (As an aside, how often do we make the same mistake in asking God to bless our plans rather than seek His plan?)

Finally, God intervenes. He makes His plan known to Jacob. Once again, it involves returning to the Promised Land. Returning back to the original plan God first gave to Abraham and Sarah. Returning back to the place God has given him and his family. “I am the God of Bethel, where you poured oil on the stone marker and made a solemn vow to me. Get up, leave this land, and return to your native land.’” (Genesis‬ ‭31‬:‭13‬ ‭CSB‬‬) No matter where we go or what we do, God is faithful. He will use all our decisions and all our choices and all our experiences - good, bad, or ugly - to bring about His sovereign will for our lives. God’s plan is for Abraham’s family to inherit the Promised Land. God’s plan is for Abraham’s family to establish themselves in the Promised Land in order to bless the nations of the earth. God’s plan is to grow Abraham’s family until they outnumber the stars of the sky and the sand on the seashore. No matter what Abraham’s family does, God will make sure His plan comes to pass and this should bring us great comfort.

God has a plan for your life as well. He has made promises to you that He will bring to pass no matter what. This doesn’t mean we should take Him for granted or ignore Him or dismiss Him and do our own thing. There are consequences for the choices we make. The consequences for Jacob and Laban and Leah and Rachel were significant and painful. But when we align our plans with God’s plan for our lives, there is blessing and joy and fulfillment and peace. Before you make your plan for today, take some time and ask God to show you His plans for you.

Readings for tomorrow: Genesis 32-34, Psalm 10

The Will of God

Readings for today: Genesis 25-28, Psalm 8

What is the will of God and how do I stay within it? It’s a common question. One I get a lot by virtue of my profession. So many people - especially Christians - want to know what God’s will is for their lives and how they pursue it. At the same time, there are a lot of misconceptions out there about the will of God. Especially when it comes to how God’s will relates to our will. God did not make us robots. He endowed us with the inalienable right to make our own decisions. This is what is commonly known as “free will” and it is very real. Human beings have the ability to make real choices and God holds us accountable for those choices. At the same time, God has made a choice. He has made a decision to love us and love the world in which He placed us and He is at work to bring about the renewal of the world through us. But how does all that work together? How does God’s sovereign will and our free will interact? Where do they intersect? What does that actually look like in real time? Glad you asked…;-)

Think about what we read today. The family of Abraham is a dysfunctional one just like all human families. Abraham practiced polygamy which was common in his day, especially for wealthy men, but it wasn’t wise. It put the inheritance of Isaac in jeopardy so he had to essentially exile his other sons in order to secure Isaac’s position as head of the family. He sends his servant to find a wife for Isaac within the extended family or clan but she is barren thus creating yet another threat to God’s salvation plan. Isaac could have chosen a second wife but instead chooses to pray to the Lord and the Lord opens Rebekah’s womb. But the two children begin fighting before they are even born thus setting in motion a competition that will last most of their adult lives. Jacob steals Esau’s birthright and inheritance. There is favoritism in the family between dad and mom. Esau gets angry and threatens to murder his brother and it appears we may be headed for another Cain and Abel situation. It’s quite a mess and it leaves one wondering if God made the right choice when He chose this family out of all the families on earth to be His chosen people.

Despite the many bad decisions of Isaac and Rebekah and Esau and Jacob, God is faithful. He continues to intervene to keep His sovereign plan on track. He opens Rebekah’s womb. He reaffirms His promise to Isaac and provides miraculously and abundantly for him in the Promised Land. He establishes Isaac at Beer-sheba and meets Jacob in a dream at Bethel. Through it all, God is working His sovereign will in and through and over and among the people He has chosen for Himself. All of Isaac’s decisions - even the sinful ones - are used by God to further His purposes. All of the choices Jacob makes - even the deceitful, manipulative ones - are used by God to accomplish His will and move His salvation plan forward. This doesn’t make their choices any less real nor does it make them any less responsible.

The same is true for us as well. We too make decisions each and every day. Some are good. Some are bad. Some are ugly. Thankfully, God is sovereign. He will bend our decisions to serve His perfect will no matter what and that should give us all hope.

Readings for tomorrow: Genesis 29-31, Psalm 9

The Patience of God

Readings for today: Genesis 19-21, Psalm 6

God is the most patient being in the universe. He has to be if He’s going to stay in relationship with us. We are fickle creatures. One day we are strong and growing and humble in our faith. The next we are weak and struggling and full of doubts and fears. One day we are willing to take extraordinary steps of faith and the next, we try to manage life on our own. Through all of these ups and downs, God is with us. He works with us and through us and in us to bend every single decision and action - good, bad, or otherwise - to His perfect will.

Lot and Abraham serve as great examples for us. Their lives are case studies that reveal the gentle but relentless patience of God as He works to implement His salvation plan on earth as it is in heaven. Consider the case of Lot. Lot is a deeply compromised man. He lives in a corrupt city among a corrupt people. Their lives are marked not only by sexual violence and abuse and immorality but, according to the prophet Ezekiel, pride, greed, injustice, and terrible neglect of the poor in their midst. Some try to suggest that it was the latter sins rather than the former that called down God’s wrath but that’s parsing things too thin. The reality is Sodom was full of all kinds of sin and deserved her fate and it begs the question why a man like Lot would choose to live there with his family? Not only that but when the angels come to rescue him, he hesitates. He resists. He asks for all kinds of accommodations. Even then, the Lord has mercy. Genesis 19:16, “But Lot hesitated. Because of the Lord’s compassion for him, the men grabbed his hand, his wife’s hand, and the hands of his two daughters. They brought him out and left him outside the city.”

Abraham is no paragon of virtue. Chapter twenty finds him once again acting out of fear and potentially putting the promise of God in jeopardy. He repeats the mistakes of his past as he tries to manage through a difficult situation with Abimelech. Rather than trust in the Lord, he trusts in his own ideas, his own wisdom, his own plans and the result is almost a disaster. Thankfully, the pagan Abimelech is more righteous than Abraham in this story and he returns Sarah unharmed and untouched thereby preserving the sanctity of her marriage. (The fact that he finds an almost 100 year old woman attractive enough to put in his harem is another story for another day.) Abraham’s actions put so much at risk. The promise of God. The inheritance of his clan and tribe. The future of his family. Thankfully, the Lord has mercy. Genesis 20:6-7, “Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that you did this with a clear conscience. I have also kept you from sinning against me. Therefore I have not let you touch her. Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not return her, know that you will certainly die, you and all who are yours.”

What about you? How has the Lord preserved you even in the face of doubt and fear and hesitation in following His will for your life? How has the Lord protected you even in the face of sinful and difficult choices you made along the way? Rest assured, God is faithful. He promises to use all things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. All means all. The good, bad, and ugly of our lives. God takes it all and uses it all to make us more in the image of Christ.

Readings for tomorrow: Genesis 22-24, Psalm 7 (No devotionals on Sundays)

Covenant Faithfulness

Readings for today: Genesis 16-18, Psalm 5

I give God so many reasons to walk away but still He remains faithful. If one were to catalog my sins from a single day or week or month or year, one would have more than enough evidence to cut bait but God does not. My life is a series of ups and downs, successes and failures, good and bad decisions and still God is with me through it all. This is what it means to live in covenant relationship with God. A covenant is not a contract. It is not an agreement between two equal parties. It is not transactional in nature. A covenant is eternal because God is eternal. A covenant cannot be broken because God never breaks faith no matter what we say or do. God guarantees His covenant with His very life. He refuses to walk away no matter how bad things get. He never leaves us or forsakes us even if we leave or forsake ourselves.

Don’t believe me? Consider what happens in Abram’s life. Consider all the factors in play that put the covenant God has made with him in jeopardy. Family dysfunction. An illegitimate heir. Strife between Sarai and Hagar. Age considerations. Physical limitations. The shame of barrenness. And what does God do? He meets Abram in the middle of the mess. He sees Hagar in the wilderness. He blesses Ishmael as well as Isaac. He gives them new names and new identities. Abram will now be Abraham - “Father of a multitude.” Sarai will now be Sarah - “Princess.” Both will be blessed. Kings and nations will come from their family line. Through their family and household, all the nations of the earth will be blessed. There could be no greater promise for an ancient near east patriarch than to know the future of his family was secure. And if this were a contractual arrangement, Abraham would have no hope. He’s already proven he can’t hold up his end of the bargain. God would have every right to walk away. But it’s a covenant. An eternal arrangement made by God Himself. All these things will come to pass in Abraham’s life because God is faithful even where Abraham is not. And the same is true for us.

Jesus Christ invites us into a new covenant. A covenant sealed by His own body and blood. A covenant guaranteed by His own life. This covenant involves the forgiveness of sins. It includes the gift of eternal life. Those who enter it will always be part of it. No matter where they go or what they do. Why? Because Jesus is faithful. He chases down every single lost sheep. He searches for every single lost coin. He never rests until every single lost child comes home. This is His promise to all those who believe in Him.

Readings for tomorrow: Genesis 19-21, Psalm 6

Spiritual Journey

Readings for today: Genesis 12-15, Psalm 4

One of the things I’ve learned as I’ve traveled the world and interacted with Christians from different cultures is to integrate rather than segregate my life. The physical is not separate from the mental. The mental is not separate from the emotional. The emotional is not separate from the spiritual. Our lives are not like lunchables. We are not made up of hermetically sealed compartments. No, our lives are fully integrated so what happens to us emotionally impacts us physically, mentally, spiritually and so on. I cannot tell you how freeing this perspective has been for me. For years, I believed the lie that I could segment out my life. I ignored the warning signs in my physical body when I would bottle up my emotions. I dismissed concerns over how the things I was exposing my mind to impacted my soul and heart. I found myself striving so hard to compartmentalize a life that was meant to be integrated. That’s when God stepped in. He reminded me that His great desire is that I would love Him with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. In other words, love Him in a fully integrated way. As I began to embrace this new perspective, my life changed pretty radically. I felt a freedom I had never experienced before. My life got a lot more healthy and whole and I found myself growing in all sorts of ways.

As I read Abraham’s story for the umpteenth time, what struck me this year was the number of times Abraham encounters God or hears from God or builds an altar to God or calls on God as he makes this journey from Haran to the Promised Land. Genesis 12 begins with the call to Abram while he’s living with his family in Haran. Abram obeys God’s call and starts out on his journey. God shows up again at the oak of Moreh outside of Shechem so he builds an altar. He keeps walking through the hillside and comes to Bethel where he builds another altar and calls on the name of the Lord. Because of famine, Abram disobeys God, leaves the Promised Land, and enters Egypt. Notice he doesn’t meet God there. Doesn’t call on God there. Doesn’t build an altar there. Instead, he trusts in his own wisdom and almost train wrecks his family. So he leaves Egypt with his family and heads back to Bethel where he again calls on the name of the Lord. Abram and Lot separate and after Lot departs, God visits him yet again after which he moves to Hebron where he builds yet another altar to the Lord. Finally, he returns from winning a great victory in battle, receiving a special blessing from Melchizedek, and once again God meets him in a vision to give him the promise of a child. Make no mistake, the physical journey Abram has undertaken to get to this point reflects a deeper spiritual journey his soul is making as well. Abram is growing in every facet of his life. Every step represents a concrete act of faith in the God who first called him out of Ur and renewed that call when he lived in Haran. Abram has left everything to follow God. His home. His family. His clan. His business. His safety and security. He did it based on a promise that God would make him into a great nation and give him a great name and use him to bless the people of the earth. Abram believed God and the rest is history.

What about you? As you think back over the course of your life, can you see how your physical journey is tied up with your spiritual journey? Can you see the connection between emotional maturity and mental health? Do you seek an integrated life under the Lordship of Christ or are you striving to keep your life segmented and segregated? Let me encourage you to believe as Abram did. Trust God with everything. Hold nothing back. Lay it all down at His feet. Believe me when I say He’ll never let you down.

Readings for tomorrow: Genesis 16-18, Psalm 5

Identity

Readings for today: Genesis 8-11, Psalm 3

Who am I? What defines me? What is my core identity? These are the fundamental questions every single human has to answer on some level. These questions seem to transcend culture and time and place. They seem to haunt every single human being who has ever lived. Some draw their answers from the culture around them. Some find their answers in their family of origin. Some tie their identities to specific abilities or vocations. Some ground their identities in sexual desire or ethnicity. Some seek to define themselves over and against their biological makeup as in the case of gender dysphoria. All of these fall short, of course, with devastating consequences. Fear and anxiety. Depression and despair. Isolation and loneliness. We experience these feelings because we have sought purpose and fulfillment and happiness in something other than God. We have tried to replace the divine identity He gave us at the beginning with a false identity of our own making.

This is the fundamental issue at stake in the Tower of Babel story. Listen again to the motivation that drives humanity. “Come, let’s build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the sky. Let’s make a name for ourselves; otherwise, we will be scattered throughout the earth.” (Genesis‬ ‭11‬:‭4‬ ‭CSB‬‬) Let us build for ourselves. Let us make a name for ourselves. This is the core problem with the human race. Rather than trust God, we look to our own strength and wisdom. Rather than rest content in our identity as image bearers of God, we have this insatiable appetite for more. Rather than surrender to God and submit to His plan and His will and His way, we believe our plans are better. We believe our ways are what’s best for us. Nothing could be further from the truth, of course, but we seem stuck on an endless cycle of “wash, rinse, repeat.” Every generation repeating the same mistake. Each generation believing they can somehow finally get it “right” without God. We all want the Kingdom without bowing the knee before the King. We want all the blessings but want nothing to do with the Blesser. We want all the benefits of heaven but reject our Benefactor. It’s insanity. Following the same rebellious path over and over again but expecting a different result.

So what’s the answer? We exchange all our false identities for our true identity in Christ. We stop fighting God and instead, surrender to His love and grace. We resist the temptation to define ourselves apart from God and instead, let His Spirit fill us and sanctify us. In Christ, God redeems our fallen natures. He heals our broken hearts. He renews our fallen souls. He restores His image in us. He makes us a new creation. We find our truest and deepest identity in Him. Our union with Christ becomes the very thing that defines us and this impacts not only who we are and how we live but also those around us. It changes how we relate to our spouses and children and parents. It changes how we relate to friends and colleagues. It changes how we relate even to those with whom we are in conflict. In short, it changes everything because we’ve been changed. How are you living out your identity in Christ today?

Readings for tomorrow: Genesis 12-15, Psalm 4

Humanity’s Choice

Readings for today: Genesis 4-7, Psalm 2

Today we read about the growth of humanity on the earth. It’s important to note this is not an exhaustive, anthropological account. God is not giving us the history of the human race as much as giving us the details important to salvation history. The people listed in this narrative chart the genealogy that will eventually bring forth the Messiah. Furthermore, God is also showing us the impact of sin on each and every generation. The downward spiral of humanity is a direct result of the curse all of us are born under. This curse corrupts us to the core and turns us inward towards self rather than upward towards God and the results are frankly terrifying. Violence. Suffering. Pain. Abuse. Tyranny. Murder. Humanity rejecting the call to be our brother or sister’s guardian.

Why is humanity the way that it is? Why is humanity so prone to violence and anger and outrage and hate? Why is humanity so selfish and narcissistic? Why is humanity so greedy and power-hungry and corrupt? Even a brief, cursory look at history provides plenty of evidence to support the theological doctrine of original sin. Though we like to think of ourselves as fundamentally good, though flawed, people; it seems clear to me both on a macro as well as micro level that the opposite is true. We are fundamentally broken, selfish, sinful people who occasionally are capable of great good. This is the impact of the Fall. It is the impact of the choice humanity made in the Garden to define “good” and “evil” for themselves.

The story of Cain is a powerful one that sums up humanity’s biggest and most persistent challenge. Cain presents his offering before the Lord and it is not acceptable. Rather than choose the path of humility and reflect on the deficiencies of his own heart, Cain blames his brother for bringing the better offering and hatches a plan to eliminate the competition. God sees his rage and knows where it will lead so He offers Cain a choice, “If you do what is right, won’t you be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.” (Genesis 4:7) Sadly, Cain rejects God and murders his brother in cold blood. This elicits God’s judgment. Interestingly enough, it is couched more in terms of logical consequences than arbitrary punishment. “Then God said, “What have you done? Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground! So now you are cursed, alienated from the ground that opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood you have shed. If you work the ground, it will never again give you its yield. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.” (Genesis‬ ‭4‬:‭10‬-‭12‬) Like Adam and Eve before him, Cain will now experience alienation. Alienation from his family. Alienation from his community. Alienation from the very land he must till to survive. Alienation leads to shame as the full weight of sin comes crashing down on Cain’s shoulders. It is no longer crouching at the door, it has fully mastered him, enslaving him from this point forward. Listen again to Cain’s despair. “My punishment is too great to bear! Since you are banishing me today from the face of the earth, and I must hide from your presence and become a restless wanderer on the earth, whoever finds me will kill me.” (Genesis‬ ‭4‬:‭13‬-‭14)‬

As a pastor, I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve sat with people and seen this same dynamic play itself out. Sin is always crouching at the door and its desire is always to enslave us. It manifests itself in all sorts of ways. Lust. Pride. Greed. Selfishness. You name it. It is always there. Every day, we are faced with the same choice Cain faced. Will we do what is right? What is good? What is glorifying to God? Or will we go our own way? Serve ourselves? Feed our own sinful desires? When we choose to submit to God, we choose life. When we choose to surrender to our base desires, we choose death. Take some time today and ask the Holy Spirit to show you those areas of your life where you have yet to surrender to God.

Readings for tomorrow: Genesis 8-11, Psalm 3

How it All Began

Readings for today: Genesis 1-3, Psalm 1

The creation story of the Bible is unique among ancient near east creation narratives. Most of the other cultures surrounding ancient Israel described creation as a war between the gods and chaos. Light and darkness. Good and evil. Typically, the gods prevail over chaos and literally dismember it in order to make the heavens and the earth. It’s a gruesome, violent depiction. Furthermore, it’s a battle that never truly ends as the forces of chaos are always looking for opportunities to re-assemble and overthrow the natural order of things. This requires constant vigilance which is why so much of ancient near east worship was geared towards maintaining the order of the universe and appeasing the gods so they will protect and provide for humanity. It’s very transactional and mutually beneficial with both gods and humanity benefiting from the arrangement.

Genesis 1 tells a completely different story. God doesn’t battle the formless, empty depths of the waters at the beginning of time. There is no war in heaven as God struggles to impose His will on creation. No, God simply speaks and creation comes into being. Light (Time). Heavenly expanse (Weather). Dry land and vegetation (Food). The very building blocks of life for the people of the ancient near east. Sun and moon and stars to rule over time. Birds to fill the heavens and fish to fill the sea. Animals on the earth. All of it designed by God with humanity in mind. For we are the crown of His creation. The creatures made in His own image. Given dominion over all He has made. Called not to hold back chaos - that’s already taken care of - but to live in covenant relationship with God and care for all He has made. There is no hint of conflict. No hint of violence. No hint of heartbreak, suffering, or pain. At least, not until Genesis 3.

There are two critical takeaways from today’s reading that set up the rest of what we will read this year. First and foremost, we were made to live in perfect relationship with God. We were made to live with God in paradise. We were made to reflect His image and glory to the world. This was God’s great desire at the beginning and it remains His great desire to this day. Because we are made in God’s own image, we are created with agency. Free will. The ability to make choices and be held responsible for those choices. In relationships, love must be freely given and freely chosen or it is not love at all. Sadly, and here’s the second key takeaway, we chose “self” over God and fractured our relationship with Him with devastating consequences. Conflict entered the world for the first time. We now live in conflict with God, with each other, with the land, and even with ourselves. We’ve become agents of chaos now and all that has gone wrong in the world is the ripple effect of our sinful decision to walk away from God. From this point forward, God will re-enter the picture to fight the forces of chaos we’ve unleashed and yet He will never let go of His original dream. He will continue to work with us and through us to bring order and love and life to this world, entrusting us as people of faith to fulfill His original purposes. This is our call, friends, and the rest of the Bible is the story of God’s mission to restore all that was lost.

How can you join Him today?

Readings for tomorrow: Genesis 4-7, Psalm 2