December 28, 2010 (Genesis 1-8)

I went back and forth as to what to do next for my quiet time. I started a study book on prayer and was going to do that, but decided to do that in addition to reading through the Bible again. It's God's word that He promises to bless. And even though the study book references scripture, I felt like something was 'missing'. So, here I go again on a journey through God's word. My blog may take on a different feel though this year - not sure yet.

The thing that hit me through these first few chapters of Genesis was the depravity of the human race because of sin. But also the grace of God and the ability to have a close relationship with Him. God's words to Cain after he brought his sacrifice had a powerful effect. His word doesn't tell us why Cain's sacrifice was unacceptable - perhaps he didn't bring his best? We don't really know. But when Cain's offering wasn't accepted he was angry and dejected. Here is God's response:

^4:6 “Why are you so angry?” the Lord asked Cain. “Why do you look so dejected? ⁷ You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.”

It all comes back to us and our response. In this age of lawsuits and lack of personal responsibility, we are breeding sin and depravity. We are breeding a generation of people who have no moral absolutes and therefore have no feeling of responsibility to one another, or to God. But we were not created for this. We were created to have fellowship with God and to bring glory to Him. We have strayed so far from that path, we forget that is our purpose. I was struck in the above verses by God's instruction to Cain - He told him that it was his own response that made him unacceptable. He told him that sin was waiting to destroy him, but that he must subdue it. We are responsible - we are accountable. We HAVE to subdue the sinful nature in our lives, and there is only one way to do that. We know because of the 'end of the story' that Christ has done that for us, as shown to us in Romans 8:

¹ So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. ² And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. ³ The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. ⁴ He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.

But even before Christ there were people who walked in obedience to God. Two men are singled out - Enoch and Noah. We see that both enjoyed a close relationship with God.

^5:23 Enoch lived 365 years, ²⁴ walking in close fellowship with God. Then one day he disappeared, because God took him.

^6:9 This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless person living on earth at the time, and he walked in close fellowship with God.

So, after all that rambling I think the thing I am trying to say is that we are responsible for our own actions. God has given us His word - He has given us His Son - and He has given us direction for our lives. We are accountable to either submit to His word and His authority, or to live life 'on our own'. For me personally, I want to experience a close relationship with God. I want to spend time with the Creator of the universe because He has created me to do just that. Just that one fact blows me away. The Creator and Sustainer of life loves me and wants to 'be my God'. May my love for Him be evident in my life this new year.