Genesis 4:25-26
Adam and Eve had another son, named Seth. He was named by Eve, and given Seth which means "granted". She states that God gave her Seth in the place of Abel.
Yet, God doesn't give replacement children to us. He gives us children because He has a purpose for them. It is never okay to call one of your children a "replacement".
The passage ends by telling us that Seth had a son named Enosh, and during that time humans began to worship the Lord by name.
Dear God,
Help parents not to make replacements out of children, but to treat each child as the unique individual You made them to be.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
Monday, January 27, 2014
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Cain's Children
Genesis 4:17-24
This passage starts with the birth of Cain's first son, Enoch. It goes on to say Cain then founded/started a city, which is the very first city started in the Bible, named Enoch after his son. It is interesting. Cain's first action after having his son was to do something to honor that event.
When God, first made the place His children would grow and live, and then made His children to put into His "City". It shows us based on these verses, God wanted us to have a home that was perfect. Yet, the first sins ruined it. Now the best we (humans) can hope to accomplish for our kids is to make a city/home, "after", the child is already here, then to try and fill it with the best choices we can to care for and protect our kids.
The passage goes on to name Enoch's first son's name, and then his son's name, and so on. Till Lamech, who married two women. It, further, states Lamech's children were the first ever farmers, campers, musicians, and metal forgers. It's amazing how detailed the Bible is in recording history.
The last verse, tells us Lamech came clean to his wives about killing someone who attacked him. He goes on to say someone who kills Cain is punished seven times, and the person who kills him would be punished seventy-seven times. The meaning being, it is just as bad to kill those who first killed, as it is to kill in the first place.
This passage starts with the birth of Cain's first son, Enoch. It goes on to say Cain then founded/started a city, which is the very first city started in the Bible, named Enoch after his son. It is interesting. Cain's first action after having his son was to do something to honor that event.
When God, first made the place His children would grow and live, and then made His children to put into His "City". It shows us based on these verses, God wanted us to have a home that was perfect. Yet, the first sins ruined it. Now the best we (humans) can hope to accomplish for our kids is to make a city/home, "after", the child is already here, then to try and fill it with the best choices we can to care for and protect our kids.
The passage goes on to name Enoch's first son's name, and then his son's name, and so on. Till Lamech, who married two women. It, further, states Lamech's children were the first ever farmers, campers, musicians, and metal forgers. It's amazing how detailed the Bible is in recording history.
The last verse, tells us Lamech came clean to his wives about killing someone who attacked him. He goes on to say someone who kills Cain is punished seven times, and the person who kills him would be punished seventy-seven times. The meaning being, it is just as bad to kill those who first killed, as it is to kill in the first place.
Saturday, January 25, 2014
Jealousy - Not Welcomed.
Genesis 4:1-16
The story of Cain and Abel is well known by most Christians. God had it put in the bible; A) to tell the true history of His creations and B) to show us, those who read it, the consequences of jealousy.
Cain suffered for his jealousy against his brother.
We know God's acceptance of Abel's gift to Him, and His rejection of Cain's gift caused the jealousy to gnaw away at Cain. It wasn't God's or Abel's fault. It was all Satan's and Cain's wrong doing. If Cain had been willing to be happy for his brother, and prepared to ask the Lord what he could give instead. Cain probably wouldn't have been punished, so harshly.
Why is that??
God is a merciful and forgiving God. He wants us to succeed. To flourish in this world and life He made.
He is like any parent though. When their children mess up, they punish them, but never without mercy.
Punishment from a parent is always, or should always, be done with and in love.
God's punishment for Cain was substantial, but even when Cain thought it was to immense to bare. God gave him Hope.
How?
By giving him a mark that told others, even in his banishment, he (Cain) was not to be touched by them. Even when Cain was punished God never stopped loving him.
God won't stop loving us either. When we mess up ( in other words.. Sin) God doesn't quit loving us. He'll be disappointed, and need to punish/correct us, but if we ask for forgiveness and truly mean it. He will be merciful.
We have a forgiving and just God. Who is our heavenly Father. No matter what we do He'll always love us as His special children.
God is our Ultimate Parent. No one is better than Him. He can turn our wrongs into His rights!!
The story of Cain and Abel is well known by most Christians. God had it put in the bible; A) to tell the true history of His creations and B) to show us, those who read it, the consequences of jealousy.
Cain suffered for his jealousy against his brother.
We know God's acceptance of Abel's gift to Him, and His rejection of Cain's gift caused the jealousy to gnaw away at Cain. It wasn't God's or Abel's fault. It was all Satan's and Cain's wrong doing. If Cain had been willing to be happy for his brother, and prepared to ask the Lord what he could give instead. Cain probably wouldn't have been punished, so harshly.
Why is that??
God is a merciful and forgiving God. He wants us to succeed. To flourish in this world and life He made.
He is like any parent though. When their children mess up, they punish them, but never without mercy.
Punishment from a parent is always, or should always, be done with and in love.
God's punishment for Cain was substantial, but even when Cain thought it was to immense to bare. God gave him Hope.
How?
By giving him a mark that told others, even in his banishment, he (Cain) was not to be touched by them. Even when Cain was punished God never stopped loving him.
God won't stop loving us either. When we mess up ( in other words.. Sin) God doesn't quit loving us. He'll be disappointed, and need to punish/correct us, but if we ask for forgiveness and truly mean it. He will be merciful.
We have a forgiving and just God. Who is our heavenly Father. No matter what we do He'll always love us as His special children.
God is our Ultimate Parent. No one is better than Him. He can turn our wrongs into His rights!!
Thursday, January 23, 2014
God's Worry - Paradise Lost.
Genesis 3:20-24
As short as this passage is, it has a rather large impact for us. It starts off unobtrusive, telling how Adam gave Eve her name, and that God made/gave them both clothes. From there it gets very personal with God and His thoughts.
This passage gives us a little glimpses at how damaged the trust between humans and the Lord God was made, by sin.
He worried for us that we would grow greedy. For now we knew both the knowledge of Good and Evil of the world. With the knowledge we could make both permanent and devastating decisions.
Like, disobeying God, further, by eating of the Tree of Life. Which would make us live forever, and we weren't then, and we're still not now, ready for that. God knew/knows this which is why He banished us from the Garden of Eden. He knew Adam and Eve (humans) were weak though. So, He posted guards, He could trust, to enforce His directive of banishment.
By doing all of this He has insured that only those who have an honest desire to serve Him can ever have eternal life.
As short as this passage is, it has a rather large impact for us. It starts off unobtrusive, telling how Adam gave Eve her name, and that God made/gave them both clothes. From there it gets very personal with God and His thoughts.
This passage gives us a little glimpses at how damaged the trust between humans and the Lord God was made, by sin.
He worried for us that we would grow greedy. For now we knew both the knowledge of Good and Evil of the world. With the knowledge we could make both permanent and devastating decisions.
Like, disobeying God, further, by eating of the Tree of Life. Which would make us live forever, and we weren't then, and we're still not now, ready for that. God knew/knows this which is why He banished us from the Garden of Eden. He knew Adam and Eve (humans) were weak though. So, He posted guards, He could trust, to enforce His directive of banishment.
By doing all of this He has insured that only those who have an honest desire to serve Him can ever have eternal life.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
A Sunday Psalm!!
Psalm 100
A psalm of thanksgiving.
1 Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth!2 Worship the Lord with gladness.
Come before him, singing with joy.
3 Acknowledge that the Lord is God!
He made us, and we are his.
We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving;
go into his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the Lord is good.
His unfailing love continues forever,
and his faithfulness continues to each generation.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)