January 2 - Genesis 4:1-5:32, 1 Chronicles 1:1-4, Genesis 6:1-22

Good morning everyone,

As we begin today, because of their disobedience to God, Adam and Eve have been asked to leave the Garden of Eden. Life as they had known it will never be the same. Where their daily tasks had been relatively simple and refreshing they would now struggle against all the forces of nature and roughness of the world in order to provide food, clothing and shelter for themselves and their family. True pioneers.

Today we also read about the first pregnancy. Imagine, if you will, what that must have been like for Eve. Seriously, there were no reference books to allow her to learn about the transformation her body was going through or how long it would last or how it even came about, for that matter. She could have been waiting for God to come and take a rib from her, right?

We also read about the first murder. The Bible doesn’t say why God did not accept Cain’s offering, perhaps his attitude was all wrong or it could have been instead of the first fruits of his labor Cain brought the spoils of his crop, but whatever the case may be the Lord looked only at Abel’s offering with favor and this made Cain very angry. So much so that he killed his brother over it. Then …. then, when asked, he totally lies to the God about it. What!?

We were introduced to Enoch today, the first of two in today’s Scripture who made the Hall of Faith in Hebrews. Enoch was the father of Methuselah who, of all the people in the Bible, lived the longest, 969 years. Yeowzer! Enoch, were told, “walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.” Now that’s the way to go! 

By chapter six the population is growing and God puts a ceiling on man’s years, numbering their (our) days to 120. With this population explosion came great wickedness and you know what, even though He knew it was coming, it hurt God’s heart and He regretted making human beings and decided to wipe us from the face of the earth. However, but Noah, the second person in the Bible who can be found in the Hall of Faith, found favor in the eyes of the Lord. Thank you Noah :-)

God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth. Make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out. This is how you are to build it ……..” Friends, use your  mind’s eye to imagine the look on Noah’s face at those words that were crazy, unrealistic, and unimaginable; was it one of total confusion? Did his jaw drop and hit the ground? Did he cock an eyebrow and say, “What?” Or perhaps our loving God graciously and immediately allowed wisdom and understanding for task at hand to wash over Noah. Who knows? But it goes without saying, he received a lot of flack from the rest of the population who had grown so far from our Lord. They most likely gave him grief every day. Having said that, we read, “Noah did everything just as God commanded him.” I love that! 

”Jesus said, “For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.” It begs the question; “Are you doing everything God is asking you to do? Ephesians 6:1 says, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.” God is our parent, our heavenly Father. It is our responsibility as children of God to be obedient to His will. I would encourage us all, as this new year gets going, to take time to talk with our Abba. Set a small space in your house where you will meet with the Lord each and every day to learn what His will for your life is. Then as He speaks to you, be disciplined in your obedience to do His call. Amen?

Have a great day and to God be the glory.

God bless you all …..