Bible 365: Week 1

I mentioned that one of my resolutions for 2013 was to read in entire Bible in 365 days.  And I'm proud of the progress I've made so far.  I've only missed two days of actually reading but I read Sunday night and made up for the missed day.  I would love to be able to read everyday from here on out without missing a day and will try my best to do so.

However, in the end I will be happy to just have completely read the Bible from cover to cover in 365 days no matter how much or how little I have to read to accomplish that.  I know that life happens and I might be overwhelmed and forget.  I'm just being honest.  And I know that God will understand.  He knows that my heart is in the right place and that I'm serious about my journey to grow in my faith.

So, this week I read Gensis chapters 1-20.  No better way to start off the New Year than reading about how the world was formed and mankind was created.  Like Coldplay said, "I'm going back to the start."  And I'm glad I did because I came across some scriptures that really spoke to me.  Here are just a few:

"And the Lord God said, 'It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.' "

~Gensis 2:18

It's always nice to have a reminder that I am "comparable" or equal to my husband.  Sometimes, I find myself wishing had certain aspects of personality.  However, the truth of the matter is that my differences and me being who I am is the way it's so suppose to be.  I'm the Yin to his Yang and if we were the same, I wouldn't be much of a helper because we'd most likely be bumping heads 24/7.

This scripture also stood out to me because I've received so much criticism from certain family members about knowing at a young age that my husband was one.  There were times that I was made to feel bad about wanting to be in a relationship.  I wasn't one of those women who thought having a man was everything, but at the end of the day who wants to be alone?  And to have people trying to convince me that being alone until they felt I was old enough to be a relationship was what was best for me was just nuts.  Everybody deserves to be with somebody if you're an adult (kids have to abide by the dating rules their parents set).

"I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the shall be blessed.'

~Gensis 12:3

This scripture couldn't have come at a better time.  Right before Thanksgiving, I had someone close to me tell a lie about me and someone I love dearly that resulted in me not only cutting them off but the person they told it to.  Now, I could have gotten on FB or called around to lay all their trash bare so to speak, but that's not my style.  God already had our backs and I knew that.  Karma is real folks and they already reaping what they consequences of their actions.

And did you all know there was Baby Mama and Mistress Drama in the Bible?! Whoever says the Bible can't be juicy read, clearly didn't read Gensis 16, the story about Hagar and Ishmael.  Long story short, Abram (God later changed his name to Abraham) and Sarai (God changed her name to Sarah) wanted kids but couldn't have any.  So, Sarai came up with this grand idea that she would offer up her lady's maid, Hagar, to be her husband's second wife (bad idea already) so that she could birth him an heir instead of letting their legacy and land go to some stranger.

Well, Abram went along with this scheme and got Hagar knocked up.  That's when it all went south.  Sarai got jealous that Hagar was having Abram's son and not her.  She started treating Hagar so bad that Hagar ran away.  Pregnant and all folks.  But then God sent an angel to her and told her to return back to Abram and Sarai and to name her son Ishmael.

The angel also told her that Ishmael would "be a wild man; his hand shall be against every man, and every man's hand against him" (Gensis 16:12).  But then God and Abram had a talk.  Abram became Abraham and Sarai became Sarah would give birth to a son who would be named Isaac.  While in conversation with God, Abraham asked Him to bless Ishmael. 

After all, it wasn't his fault that the situation under which he was conceived and born into wasn't pleasing to God.  And God agreed with Abraham and reassured him that Ishmael would be blessed and would have 12 sons. And they would all be princes!  Talk about a blessing! Just proof that just because a situation starts off messy, it doesn't have to stay or end messy.

Oh and I read about the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.  I always get said that Lot's wife looks back and ends up getting turned to salt.  However, this just lets you know that if God has said or says don't do something, then don't do it.   I know we often times like to thing that God won't let bad things happen to us for disobeying Him, but this story proves that some rules are NOT made to be broken!

Whelp, that's it for this week.  I'm looking forward to seeing what other juicy tidbits I'll uncover that I've forgotten were in the Bible as I continue with my challenge.