Day 1!

Today was my first day on the Bible in 90 days program with the Mom's Toolbox crowd!  I've really been looking forward to it for a few weeks now, so I was glad to get reading today.  I read Genesis 1-16 in one sitting, and really enjoyed it.  I noticed that as I was reading, since I was reading for reading's sake, I wasn't distracted by the hope of something profound. 

I don' t know if you ever do this, but I tend to read and wonder what the Lord has for me.  If I'm not on a reading plan, I'm kind of lost and wonder if I've "landed" in a divine spot.  (I know that's ridiculous, but I'm just being real here!)  But today as I read, I just enjoyed reading what was there.  It made me think I probably have this whole thing all backwards.  Rather than reading for my benefit, I should probably read as an act of worship and wait on Him to reveal what He may (or may not) have to highlight on any given day.  It was just an interesting paradigm shift for me, one that I hope sticks.

I had to get up and grab a notebook, because I quickly started having a list of things I wanted to check out later or just remember.  I'm reading in the Holman Christian Standard Version (the new Bible I got a few months ago) so it's all "new" to me.

I was surprised at how much stood out to me, as these chapters were not new to me... at all. 

It's still amazing to me that God said and there was.  That's it.  The entire UNIVERSE  was created at His spoken word!!

In Genesis 7:7 I noticed that Noah was on the ark for 7... seven! days before it rained.  In the stories we hear they always make it sound like it started sprinkling as he's loading up the animals, you know?  I just think to say my faith would be wavering on day 6 1/2 would be the understatement of the year.  I don't always have the guts to obey for 2 hours without proof, much less seven days with my entire town mocking me!

The one other thought I had (and I haven't had time to look into it at all) is that Noah's grandson, Canaan, basically is chosen to be "cursed" with slavery (Gen 9:25) because his father, Ham, blows it and mocks Noah when Noah gets drunk (by accident?) at the planting of the first vineyard.  I just thought it was interesting that from this one sin of disrespect committed by Ham, his son is chosen to bear the punishment and in turn ends up fathering the nations that (I think, but haven't checked my history) will basically all be conquered as God leads His people into the promised land years later.

I will certainly not have random thoughts to post every day, or the time to do it, but I wanted to share about it now that I got started.  I had one person tell me yesterday she's decided to read with me after I wrote about it here, so if you're reading too, let me know so we can pray for each other!!