So like I said - I'm 10 days behind. So I'm starting with January 1 and working my way up to the present.
Alright - reading the entire Bible...NOW!
Reading for Jan 1:
Genesis 1:1-2:25
As I read the creation story for the billionth time I am seeing it with new eyes. This may be a silly analogy, but I am currently playing a PS3 game called "Little Big Planet" where players can literally create entire worlds and populate them with anything they want. Just staring at that blank level creator screen and thinking about what to create is such a joyous process. Spending the time tinkering and adjusting your creatures and hazards and aesthetics, and then seeing everything come to life is so rewarding. God was looking at the blank canvas of the entire solar system - the possibilities were literally endless. Then seeing that the result of his work was our world - despite its problems - must have been incredibly rewarding. Thinking about God in the context of not just a Creator, but a Creative being is very interesting and helps me relate to Him in a way.
Matthew 1:1-2:12
I am writing this blog with the assistance of the blog being written by the associate pastor of our church. This entry talks about how the current king of the region, King Herod was jealous of Jesus' birth because others were already starting to worship him. He actually ordered the three wise men to find little baby Jesus and report back to him "so that I too may go and worship Him" (Matt 2:8) What a jerk. Note to self: don't pull a Herod.
Psalm 1:1-6
Nothin stands out.
Proverbs 1:1-6
1 These are the proverbs of Solomon, David’s son, king of Israel.
2 Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline,
to help them understand the insights of the wise.
3 Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives,
to help them do what is right, just, and fair.
4 These proverbs will give insight to the simple,
knowledge and discernment to the young.
5 Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser.
Let those with understanding receive guidance
6 by exploring the meaning in these proverbs and parables,
the words of the wise and their riddles.
Very cool. I like the context it sets up.
Alright, 1 day down, 9 to go...let's hit it.
It's cool to read Gen 1 then read the beginning of John. John purposely evokes Gen. 1 with "In the beginning" as well as the whole structure. All things were created through the Word, which is God's revealing of Himself to us. Just as God says let there be light at the beginning of Gen, John declares there be light in the world through Jesus Christ.
ReplyDeleteThen flip through John 20, where it says "Early on the first day of the week." John is again evoking Gen 1, saying that when Jesus is raised from the dead, that is a new creation and new life, renewing the Creation story for a redeemed world.
That John is a clever one. When I learned these things it showed me how important and essential it was to read the Old Testatment, which is so important and essential to the Christian story. The gospel makes no sense without the context of Israel pinning for a Messiah, which you have to know the OT to truly comprehend.