GENESIS 13-18, MATTHEW 5-6

​The winter Metra crowd is a lot different!  People plying music without headphones, talking loudly - it’s like the L!

I was looking forward to a nice quiet ride where I could read the Bible and just kind of focus.  That was not to be the case, but as I was reading - that will never be the case.  We live in a world that is crazy (and I feel like it was even crazier back in OT days).  But, what Jesus calls us to be is peace and love in that craziness - not by showing off our spirituality or by impressing people with our knowledge.  

Let’s just be real, be simple, and amongst the craziness, see God.

GENESIS 13-15, MATTHEW 5

I think our attitude on war has changed.  In Genesis 14, everyone was at war.  Heck, when one of the kings captures Lot, Abram gets 300 soldiers and "goes to war" against that king.  War seemed to be a natural part of expanding the land you owned.  

And I have to admit, I've got a little war in me.  When I read the Psalms about punishing my enemies, I don't cringe.  There is definitely a part of me that wants to see the people who don't like me suffer or to see bad things happen to them.  I would never do anything physically (too much of a wimp), but I think a lot of the anger that builds up inside of me is from people who have hurt me and wanting to see them hurt.

I guess there's also a part of me that wants to expand my territory.  There's part of me that wants more power, more respect, more popularity....just more!  

And I guess that was the root of the problem back in Old Testament days.  People were willing to do anything for what they thought was important.  Power, respect, Cash.

Then Jesus comes along and reminds us what is really important, and He also says to be willing to do anything to get it.  But, His list includes people.  That's it!  That, He might even say, is willing to go to "war" over. 

GENESIS 11-13, MATTHEW 5

 The Beatitudes are weird.  They make no sense.  Blessed are the poor in spirt.  Blessed are those who mourn.

I think I am living my best life when I am happy, when there is a lot of joy flowing.  I look forward to things like trips and special sporting events.  Basically, I live for pleasure.

Oh, now it makes sense.  Jesus is teaching us that life is more than fun and parties and going on trips.  There will be down times.  We will not always happy and joyful.  That doesn't mean that there is anything wrong with us.  That is life.  That is what happens.  

And if we are living for Him and living for others, it will not be this glorious life that everyone else envies.  Nobody says, "I want to be like him - look how much he has sacrificed."

Honestly, I think I have become way more worldly over the years - valuing rest and money and things.  But, The Beatitudes remind us that there are more important things, and those things are what are important to You.  There will be joy, there will be even be happiness - some now, and a lot more in the future.  But, we can't live for that.  Our goal is to live for You.

GENESIS 8-10, MATTHEW 4

​To a pre-Jesus Jew what would have been important was how many sons you had and how much territory you owned.  How do I know that?  Look what’s recorded.  Whenever they talk about someone they tell how many kids they had, who their offspring was and what their territory consisted of.

What would we mention today?  How much money we have, our recognitions, the stuff we own?  Maybe, if you were trying to impress “the world.”

But, in Your eyes, what’s important?  How we’ve loved?  Wow!  I think that’s it.  Tony Melton - he loved well.

GENESIS 5-7, MATTHEW 3-4

 Weird how some people take some things in the Bible as literal and some things not so much.  "Homosexual" (which wasn't even translated that way until 1960) - oh, that is exactly what is meant.  Divorce - not so much.  Look at Genesis.  These guys lived like 900 years.  I've heard that years were different back then.  I hope so.  Can you even imagine living for a century?  Then, there were two of every animal on the ark.  Really?  Two of every animal?  Noah found two of everything?  

Why is it that when we read stuff like this or "If your eye causes you to sin, cut it out" we know that it might not mean exactly that and we are ok with it.  We get the general meaning.  People lived longer, God doesn't like violence, He wanted to start over.

But, then some things that are in the Bible, people get all crazy about.  Homosexuals are going to hell.  If you "confess with your mouth" you'll be saved.  

I am not saying that a literal or liberal interpretation of the Bible is right or wrong.  What I'm saying is, "What really matters?"  What is God trying to tell us, or maybe, just maybe, He just wants us to read it to spend time with Him.  Maybe what it means is not as important as Who gave it to us.  

Love God and Love People - start with that.  And then just read it.  God will help us understand.

GENESIS 3-4, MATTHEW 2-3

 (Side note: I do not know what your belief about the creation story is.  It may have happened like it says in the Bible, or it may not have.  To me, it's not that important.  But, if it did....)

So, people were talking to God directly at the beginning.  Adam and Eve are having direct conversations with God.  Cain has a straight up conversation with Him (and lies to Him and makes himself look like the victim after he killed his brother).  Then, at the end of Genesis 4, it says that people began to seek the Lord.

This year, my goal is to spend time with You.  It seems to be the way.  The wise men did it and kept Jesus out of trouble.  Joseph did it and saved his family.  Heck, Proverbs even says to listen to Your wisdom today.  

Sure, it would be a lot easier if we just had the audible conversations that You had with the early folks, but I believe there is still wisdom there.  I believe that we can still hear from You.  But, it's kind of on us these days.

And I'm going to test this theory.  It's not so much about how you do it or what you do, it's mostly about just spending time with You and You'll do the rest.

THE BIBLE IN A YEAR

 I'm doing it!  I kept on thinking, "Maybe I should read the whole Bible again."  As New Year's Resolutions popped into my mind, the only thing that stuck was, "Spend more time with God."  Well, reading the whole Bible will help me do that, so here we go!

Today, I read Genesis and Matthew (I'm not counting the Psalms and Proverbs because I think I do those every day!).  I was kind of amazed by the water.  It said that God separated the water from the sky from the water from the ground.  The whole thing started as water.  And water really does flow in an everlasting circle.  Water gives us life, and water refreshes us.  In baptism, we go into the water and come out of the water.  

There is meaning in water.  I feel like every time I shower, every time I drink, every time I wash my hands - I should use that as a reminder of the life we've been given.  The new life.....everyday!  And the cleansing of our souls.  Water - pretty important.

Another thing that got me was Genesis 1 starts with Adam and Eve. Matthew 1 gives the genealogy of Jesus.  It's always perplexed me.  Why does that matter?  But it must.  The people that come before us prepare us to be who we are to become.  Now, I'm not so sure it's the same with Jesus,  but it does seem there is some significance in who He came from.  Prophecy wise - sure, but I do think even the Rehohabs of the world mean something.  Just like us.  

Sure, it may seem like we are not doing much, but if you zoom out and look at the totality of our family history, who knows?  There may be some pretty impressive people that come after us, and they may just have been influenced a little bit by who we were.