The Book of Genesis

This year, my church is diving into the bible one book at a time... Sunday we started with the book of Genesis and here is the devotional my pastor put together in case you want to follow along. I hope to be able to post these weekly. Enjoy!

Genesis Project Life Week 1 Devotional : Genesis

The book of Genesis is all about God's story of Covenant lived out in the lives of men and women. In the beginning we see a Creator with a passion for relationship, so much so that He created us in His own image and gave him the gift of choice. What a risk to take for an all-powerful God. To create a being that is so intimately tied to you and give him the ability to hate, reject, and walk away. But real relationships cannot exist outside of that choice. Love is all about choice and God chose to love us! How would we respond to that selfless of an act?

Well, we know how Adam and Eve responded, they wanted more! Didn't they have it all? A beautiful garden they could call their own, all the resources and luxuries of creation, daily walks in the cool of the garden with God himself. Sounds like Heaven on Earth.....it was. But it wasn't enough. Or at least it didn't seem to be when the serpent made his infamous sales pitch.

Of all the spoils of the garden there was ONE tree God asked Adam not to eat from, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Can you imagine how awesome it would be to not know evil? To not be plagued by its taunting voice? To be free of its scars, its baggage, its worry? This was the innocence Adam and Eve enjoyed. Living life naked and happy with no idea of the world of horrible possibilities that laid outside the presence of God.

But the serpent was clever, "Did God really say 'you must not eat from ANY tree in the garden'?" Here was the beginning of a long line of liars who would try to rob, kill and destroy by adding to God's Word. It is just like our enemy to try to use legalism to make God's Words sound ridiculous. The truth was God's lone commandment was to preserve and protect the innocence of his beloved creation. To protect them from a sure death. "Surely You will NOT die" said the serpent, Gods word was clear and absolute and the allure of sin stood in direct opposition to it. Adam...Eve, what will you choose? Who will you serve?

That day in the garden Sin won. Adam and Eves eyes were opened to the horrors of a life away from God. Sin replaced the intimacy they once lived in. Toil replaced paradise. No more walks with God. No more innocence. No more life as God created us live. Sin was unleashed upon a perfect creation and the world would never be the same.

The next 47 chapters of Genesis walk us through the implications of this mighty fall. Death, murder, destruction, debauchery, lies, laziness, lust. Sin was multiplying as rapidly as man. But God didn't quit on us! Maybe He should have. This wasn't his mess to clean up it was ours. He clearly warned us that the wages of sin was DEATH. Yet in spite of our rebellion God continued to peruse men. In spite of our atrocities God continued to spare us from complete destruction.

He continued to call out men like Noah who were still willing to walk with Him and offer salvation when He could have just ended it all and put humanity out of its misery. God's heart

for relationship beat on. He made a covenant with Abraham that was passed down through Isaac and Jacob and even when they broke that covenant God upheld His promises. God's heart for relationship beat on. From old women past their prime, to deceivers and liars, to young shepherd boys in colorful coats God's plan to rescue his fallen creation marched on.

Time after time, generation after generation God continues to seek and save men and women from the curse of sin. And time after time, generation after generation we continue to choose that same old tree of sin and rebellion. We find ourselves naked and broken because of that choice and there is the God of love, actively waiting on His creation, His people, His Sons and Daughters to come home. And He fights for us, calls to us, perfectly loves us the entire way!
Pastor Matt

Suggested Reading for 1/9/12 - 1/15/12

Monday - Genesis 1-4, 6-9 &11

Tuesday - Genesis 12-19

Wednesday - Genesis 20-26

Thursday - Genesis 27-33

Friday - Genesis 37-41

Saturday - Genesis 42-45, 47-50