Thursday's Thoughts on... familiar Scripture

One of my Resolutions is to follow our Church's Bible Reading plan and read through the Bible in a year. This is also one of my Bucket List items, so...killing 2 birds with one stone and all that good stuff.

If you're like me, you've started reading the Bible numerous times. Even if you haven't, most people are familiar with the first chapters, or at least the first verses, of Genesis. (In the Beginning...)

It is tempting to just skim over the familiar verses, isn't it? It is tempting to think "whew! Today's reading is a breeze!" It is tempting to assume that we are familiar enough with these verses. Honestly, it's tempting to just skip them all together.

Don't just skim (or skip) over familiar verses. 

Over the years I've noticed something super cool about God's Word. It reveals something new to me as I mature in my faith. I am seeing it clearly right now as Izzy and I read Scripture together. (We read, we journal, and then we discuss.) 

She notices things a new Christian would notice...

• God spoke everything into existence until man... He breathed life into man 
• God said "Let US make him in OUR image" - speaking of the Trinity
• God made everything "GOOD"

I noticed these same things, but realized a few other things as well...

• God is a planner (not a god of chaos)
• He created things in the order that they would be needed
• water before plants
• plants before animals
• He created things to be self sustaining
• seed bearing plants
• the blessing to animals (and man) is to multiply
• God created the heavens (plural) and the earth. Later He creates heaven (singular). 
• I'm still sorting through this
• Satan doesn't always lie...he just twists the truth...
• In Genesis 3:4-5 the serpent tells Eve "You will not surely die" (which is true...they did not drop dead) "For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God knowing good and evil." (also true)
• Satan has been excellent salesman from the very beginning. Sometimes I forget this and assume that he will come to me with an obvious lie. 
• Satan excels in half-truths- Adam and Eve did NOT drop dead when they ate the fruit of the tree, but they DID die spiritually...they were separated from God the moment they knew sin. Not only that, they DID know good and evil (like God), but Satan didn't tell them the price they would pay for that knowledge.
• After Cain kills Able in Genesis Ch 4, God gives him (and us) a priceless piece of insight:
• "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it." Genesis 4:6-7 
• It desires to have you, but you must rule over it
• First of all, sin desires to have us...to own us, to consume us, to take us captive, you get the idea
• Secondly, we are not helpless against sin's temptations, in fact, God tells us to  RULE OVER IT.
• That's pretty strong language

All this is to say, there is much to be discovered in God's Word, whether you are reading it for the first time or the 1000th time. 

I've noticed over the years that the Holy Spirit reveals what I need to know or be reminded of depending on the season I am in. This doesn't mean that God's Word changes, but IS a lovely example of how it is living and active.

Much love and Big hugs!!!

K