I hope you've had some good reading experiences in Genesis so far. It kind of reads like a Shakespearean tragedy so far. A wonderful set up - but you just know that it's going to get bad. And it does! From sibling rivalry that ends with murder - to the whole world doing evil and getting wiped out for it - to human beings conspiring to reach God - that is, seeking to control him.

You just don't want to read anymore, except that you have to find out what happens. And actually there are hints already about what's going to happen. I was thinking about that verse in Genesis 3:15. I know it's an important one because Bible teachers and professors told me so. But as I read it again it struck me that God had to put a division in place between good and evil. "I will put enmity between you and the woman." God says. Otherwise we would have carried on living in this world without a thought to whether something was good or bad.

Sometimes I'm struck at how even best intentions are stricken with evil. I usually lament that. But I guess we should be glad we can notice that kind of thing. And then turn to God to save us. That's what the stories of Cain & Abel, the flood, and the Tower of Babel are about - not just retelling the tragedy, but turning our faces back to God who meets us not to condemn but to save.

Week 1

Hey, I'm really excited about the responses I've received on this summer reading project. There are quite a number of people following through with the readings. Excellant. Sorry if you have tried to follow on the blog and can't comment. I'm no expert in these things and don't know what the problem is. You can email me, like Olaf Marcus did. He wanted to comment on the Van Egmond comment on the blog. Here it is.

Wanted to answer the Vanegmond note . . . By telling them that they can
find the geographical place of the tree of life right around their diningroom
table , When they read their Bibles.

That may well be the best answer since attempts to determine Eden's geographic location are pretty unsuccessful. The description of Eden in 2:10-13 seems pretty detailed, but we just don't know the rivers that are called Pishon and Gihon. We do know about the Tigris and Euphrates, and assuming that they were downstream from the river that flowed through Eden (see vs.10) a best guess might be that Eden was in northern Mesopotamia or Armenia.

I hope you enjoyed reading the creation accounts again. I did. Putting aside all the controversey about "creation-science" (which I don't think Genesis 1&2 are at all about) I found it inspiring and worshipful. I liked that experience.

This post marks the beginning of another message series at New Life Church: "Ploughing through the Pentateuch." Let me suggest some questions that you might want to answer and post back. But I'll answer them first for myself and give you a sense of what I'm thinking and anticipating with this series.

What do you think of reading through the first five books of the Bible in one summer?

I want us to know the story of salvation. The good news shows up in the
Bible already "in the beginning" not just in the New Testament. I hope we
get a sense of that story - maybe in a fresh way. To read the Bible
as a story helps us to avoid treating it like a rule book - which is how it
often is applied - especially the Old Testament.

What about reading through bigger chunks of the Bible - or do you normally read 5 chapters at a time?

I get kind of annoyed with myself that I can sit and read a good novel - big
chunks at a time. But when I read the Bible I can't wait to finish my daily
reading so I can get on with the day. So this is going to be some
discipline for me. I also have to realize this isn't a modern novel.
The modern novel has been perfected for marketing and movie-making purposes
(think about the term, "a quick read" - something the Bible isn't!).
It definitely helps to have the observations of others to guide us in that
reading. For example, in reading Genesis 1 it helps to recognize a
structure in the chapter otherwise it doesn't make sense. If God created
light on the first day, what was he doing creating light on the fourth
day? Well otheres have observed that the chapter starts off with a
comment - "the earth was formless and empty" (vs. 2). Then the rest of the
chapter outlines how God formed the earth and filled it. Days 1-4 have to
do with structure (forming). Days 5 & 6 have to do with filling the
structures of creation. Recognizing this feature helps me to
read the chapter with a sense of greater expectation, that it's not just a
newspaper article. Something bigger is being told here.

Are you scared about getting to Leviticus?

Yes. I read the whole thing once before in seminary and I only remember having a
miserable time with it.

Well, let me know what you are thinking. I'll do my best to keep you inspired to read, but I'm going to depend on your comments back to keep me inspired to keep on blogging. Whew. It's going to be quite the summer! Keep on ploughing!

Christmas Wonderings

I'm crazy busy preparing messages for Christmas services so as I'm reading Isaiah 40 I have Christmas at the forefront of my mind. My reflections led me to a couple of observations. As I read verse 12 and following I was thinking of the contrast between God described so majestically and what it meant for God to come down - "merely" (but not really) to "comfort" his people. More about that in my Christmas day message. But the contrast arrested my imagination and I was startled with the realization of God's reduction. Wow! And then I was also wondering about that image at the beginning of the passage about making the path straight and making rough places plain, and the rest of that image. I'm wondering what that actually refers to. Why is it "in the desert"? And for exactly what reason are we called to smooth out the valleys etc.? Just caught myself wondering and wandering about that today.

Hey - I hope your Christmas preparations have been going well and that this reading of Isaiah 40 has helped you in those preparations. Peace and blessings to all of you. I'll post one more time on this passage and then we'll move on to other things. Any feedback for keeping this blog going?

Thanks for those of you who have offered some reflections and comments. Very helpful to hear perspectives as we live with the passage. Speaking of which, I'm getting to the point where there's a familiarity and anticipation of the passage that extends beyond reading into everyday life. Last night when I reflected on the days events I thought of the passage and was encouraged with the images of God that came to mind. In the worries I gained assurance that my God is really big. In the satisfaction of achievement I was reminded, "To what do you compare God? (vs. 18). It made me thankful that I actually can know God because he revealed himself through Scripture. That was encouraging because I tend to stay in the realm of critical thinking, always reflecting and challenging my own thoughts of faith. I was glad I could rest in the knowledge of God. Thanks again for the help through the comments that were made.

I find myself eager to read the first part of chapter 40 (1-11). It reveals my kind of God - a God of comfort and compassion (for the times I screw up), a God of promise (for the times I feel insecure), a God of power and strength (for the times I feel discouraged). Curiously I find myself suddenly bored with the passage after verse 12. I know what's coming, after having read it several times now. I can summarize it with a phrase: "God always wins." Maybe that sounds cynical to you (and it is) but I was surprised to read that exact sentiment expressed in verse 27 when Isaiah calls out the complaint of the people: "We think God's forgotten about us." I guess it's a fairly typical response to getting to know God. When he's there for us we are pleased. When it appears that he hasn't done anything for us lately, we easily turn sour with the complaint, "No fair, God, you always win." And I can imagine his response with a twinge of frustration, "You're right, I always win because it's my game." (vs. 28). And then I think Isaiah is right - we start to turn sour because we're recognizing our own weakness, "but those who trust the Lord will find new strength (vs.31)." Good thing it's God's game or I would be forever the loser.

Speaking vs. listening

Thanks everybody for checking out the blog, and for those of you who have carried the convertsation forward. I'm gathering you don't have to sign up to post a comment so go to it. I do like it when you become a follower so I know who's committing to the daily reading. If you've been reading through Isaiah 40, what's your take so far. Pretty cool passage eh?

Already when I was working on the passage for last Sunday's message I had been struck by how often there was a reference to speaking and the human voice in the first 11 verses. Vs. 2 says speak tenderly, vs. 3 says, "a voice is calling..."; vs. 6 a voice is urging someone to speak again, vs. 9 extols the one who makes the big declaration, "Here is your God!" The second half of the chapter is quite different. There's no announcement theme nor an invitation to speak. Rather, there's the sentiment that its time to sit and listen. Especially if you look at vs. 21 and vs. 28, which are a kind of refrain you get the feeling that if you are willing to slow down and reflect a little you'll have a better sense of what God is up to. Or conversely, if you are not willing to listen its unlikely you'll have anything to say but the complaint of vs. 27 - God doesn't hear us, boo-hoo!

Funny eh? That's what we're trying to do on this blog. Sit and listen with a daily reading of the passage, and then post your comments and speak your mind.