Genesis Reflections

We started this journey awhile back. We started April 16, some 165 days ago.

When you spend over 5 months working at something, it pays to reflect.

When we began, I wrote: “And sometimes it's messy. But we need to learn our story. Not facts, but rather our family story. Because at the heart of that story is our God. Reading Genesis, we will come face to face with evil and good; hatred and love; and law and grace. What we will find is not just the story of humanity, but of how our God loves us.”

As I reflect a few things stand out.

God does indeed approach us through a family type of relationship—as compared to a legal one.

We see God take the initiative. He called to Adam in the garden. He called to Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and Joseph. There is no suggestion in the text that humans evolved spiritually to have an awareness of Almighty God. No, it, rather, HE, has been in our hearts and minds, because He is the Prime Mover of relationships. We read in John 15:16, “You did not choose me, I choose you.” Seems a fitting summary of our God in Genesis.

We see God’s purpose: to bless His creation through His crowning achievement—humanity. God’s purpose is to bless, not to curse. Here we came front and center with Adam, Noah, and all the way to Joseph. When His creatures sought to obtain the blessing for themselves—disaster followed. When they lived for God’s purpose—blessing. Again, in John 10:10, Jesus says, “I have come to give you life, and life more abundantly.”

We see God’s method: through a person. He does not use a nation. The narrative is about a person, and a person’s family. We even see that God’s method is with a person (and people) who do not consistently do His will. (You might say they/we occasionally do it.)

We see God’s offer of all of this as—a gift. There is no written Law. There are no negotiations. There is merely God electing His people. Salvation is for all who turn to God—and it is in the context of FAMILY.

Is it messy? Heck yes.

Does God give up? Heck no!

Do you have a moment with your earthly family when you felt this sort of love? Perhaps you do not. I have one. It is when I believe I had failed my family to the point where they had every right to abandon me—and they didn’t. More pointedly, my father didn’t. He was not perfect, as God our heavenly Father is perfect. Yet, that moment of unconditional love is with me.

I have felt in over-and-over with Jesus. I find it at the Cross.

My prayer is that you have learned, not simply facts about the family story, but more about the family DNA.

We are a family of flawed humans. Perhaps I should write that we are a family of spiritual beings, that in this physical chapter of our lives, display our flaws—all while our Father in heaven offers His love.

Feedback and Giveaway

Thanks for joining me on this journey through Genesis and the story of our family! I’d love to have your feedback on this Genesis series. (When we finished the Gospel of John together, I asked the same. Your responses helped me immensely!)

If you haven’t already done so, please fill out the form here by Sunday, September 30. Three people will be chosen to receive a special surprise gift. Winners will be announced next week.