40 Days with God

               

       We kicked off the new semester with a 40 Day Challenge to our student leaders.  It is a Bible reading plan that lasts for 40 days, with the idea that if you do something for that many days in a row it will become an ingrained habit.  I can think of nothing more important to teach another believer than the regular habit of reading and applying God’s Word.  Nothing will impact them more for a lifetime than applying what God has to say about them and Himself in the Bible.  

Right now we are reading through Genesis covering 3 chapters a day.  Some of my thoughts are:

•   Mankind was charged to take care of the earth and all the animals in it.  When man rebelled and sin entered the world, not only did he suffer but ultimately those under his care.  Along came the flood that wiped out not only mankind but all the animals and creatures on the earth save a few.  The animals never sinned – nor are they capable – but they suffered right along with mankind. 

The same premise applies today – if I rebel and sin, those under my care will suffer. When I make bad choices those around me are affected.  The most vulnerable to my wrongdoing are my children and that pierces my heart like nothing else can.

•  God put a rainbow in the sky after starting over with mankind.  He did this to remind them that He would never again flood the whole world.  It must have been a horrifying experience to be in that ark knowing what was happening outside of it.  I’m sure more than once when it rained Noah and his family were tempted to start running for the Ark, but the rainbow reminded them of God’s promise. 

•   Despite Abraham’s best efforts to mess up God’s plans and foil His promises to him, God perseveres in faithfulness to Abraham.  He rescues Sarah twice when Abraham hands her over to another man to protect himself (which I also noted a future Pharaoh was much more unwilling even after plagues to let go of Abraham’s descendants).  He also overlooks Abraham’s attempts to fulfill the promises of an heir himself with Hagar.   

                God’s graciousness and faithfulness to us in some of our weakest moments is what stands
          out the most to me in these chapters.  His love for me and the fulfillment of His promises are
          not based at all on what I do but entirely on Him and what Jesus accomplished in my stead on
          the cross.

Check out what our student friends think about Genesis on FB - look for the "40 Day Challenge" group.