Today’s Reading: Genesis 11:1-26, 1 Chronicles 1:24-27, Genesis 11:27-14:24
It’s not too late to jump in our read through the Bible in 2010 if you are just now catching today’s post. The pdf printable file for reading through is linked on the January 1st post.
Thoughts from today’s reading:
Gen.11 – The Tower of Babel – STINK! Can you imagine how the Lord was pained to see the people ALREADY falling into disobedience and sin?! This was even during Noah’s lifetime! The people wanted to, once again, be like God. God reacted differently this time. He had, afterall, promised to never flood or distroy the earth again. So instead, He scattered the people ALL OVER the Earth. Don’t you wonder what THAT looked like?! They weren’t scattered to the next neighborhood–but countries and countries away! Let’s add that to my question list for the Lord one day. I have always had this picture of me getting to heaven and the Lord sitting us all down in a ginormous cinema to see the way it all really went down. And seeing people scattered “safely” (after all, they were still alive when they got there) to other countries…now that would be one thing I’d like a replay on. YET…I can’t imagine how this must have saddened the Lord.
On an interesting note for those of you concerned about the small population (sisters, brothers, cousins, etc) having to marry one another check out verse 11:29–Nahor married Milcah. Milcah’s father is Haran…and um–Haran is Nahor’s brother. OK…so if you are slow–that means Nahor married his niece. OK…just a little interesting point there.
Gen.12This chapter is when Genesis takes a turn. You go from broad creation to general run down of who’s who–and then in chapter 12 God narrows in on Abram. And chapter 12 is like the best and worst of Abram all in one. He obediently drops EVERYTHING and follows the Lord. The Lord says He will bless Abram and his discendents will populate the earth…and everything is going great–UNTIL…he decides to lie to Pharaoh because he is scared Pharaoh will kill him to take his wife. Abram is always noted for his faith–but here it is his distrust in the creator that leads him to sin (lie) and expose both his wife and the Egyptians to sin. I don’t know about you–but makes you wonder what Sarai was thinking during all of this!
Gen. 13 and 14 Much can be said of these two chapters but the highlight to me is Lot’s choice, Abram letting him chose and then coming to rescue him from his bad choice. I thought Matthew Henry’s commentary of these verses said it best:
Abram having offered Lot the choice, he at once accepted it. Passion and selfishness make men rude. Lot looked to the goodness of the land; therefore he doubted not that in such a fruitful soil he should certainly thrive. But what came of it? Those who, in choosing relations, callings, dwellings, or settlements, are guided and governed by the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, or the pride of life, cannot expect God’s presence or blessing. They are commonly disappointed even in that which they principally aim at. In all our choices this principle should rule, That is best for us, which is best for our souls. Lot little considered the badness of the inhabitants. The men of Sodom were impudent, daring sinners. This was the iniquity of Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness, ( Ezekiel 16:49 ) . God often gives great plenty to great sinners. It has often been the vexatious lot of good men to live among wicked neighbours; and it must be the more grievous, if, as Lot here, they have brought it upon themselves by a wrong choice.
OH…that I will cling all the more tightly to the Savior! Help me Lord to look to you and not to the world. Help me to make decisions based on what is best for my soul and the souls of my husband and children rather than appearances. When I mother my children throughout the day–help me to remember that I am impacted souls. I need you Lord!
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