Bible 365: Week 2

This past week I have done much better with my goal to read the Bible every day.  I only missed one day.  JJ's asthma was acting up and by the time I finally got him settled after his breathing treatment, I was tired and went to Dream Land with him snuggled in my arms on the bed.  I wrapped up the book of Genesis reading chapters 21 to 50.

Week two's reading continued with even more drama involving Abraham's wife Sarah, her lady's maid Hagar and Abraham and Hagar's son Ishmael.  So, Sarah gave birth to Isaac like God told Abraham she would.  And I guess they held weaning parties instead of sip and sees back then.  Genesis 21:9 says that while at the weaning party for Isaac, "...Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, scoffing" at Isaac.

Of course, Sarah was not having it.  She went to her husband and told him that it was time for Hagar and Ishmael to kick rocks pretty much because she wasn't going to have Ishmael getting jealous and trying to overthrow Isaac to become Abraham's heir.  And if you've ever read the story of Cain and Abel then you can't really blame Sarah for feeling this way.  Cain killed his full blooded brother Abel because of his jealousy.

However, at the same time Sarah wouldn't have been in the situation she was in if she hadn't pushed Abraham to sleep with her lady's maid from the start.  Just a lesson that it's better to tell God what you want and be patient until He gives it to you instead of trying to solve the problem yourself.  Hey, they had to live and learn back then too.

Now I know you all have heard the phrase the 'cousins make dozens.'  Gross, I know but apparently it wasn't so gross back then because Isaac married his father's niece Rebekah.  Let me just say that I couldn't even imagine or entertain the idea of JJ marrying my niece.  But such was the norm in that time.  From what I gather, this was done because sometimes those families who were supernaturally blessed and virtuous by God moved from their homeland, they settled in areas where it wasn't good for the different cultures to mix or the suitors there weren't from suitable families. So, you had to go back to your hometown and your own family to find a mate for your child that was worthy.

And while we're on the subject of love, Jacob fell in love with Rachel at first sight.  So, the Bible does in fact confirm that there is such a thing as love at first sight for those who say it's not possible!  And yes, the it actually said that "he loved her" because I know somebody is going to argue that it was just sexual attraction.  Anyways, Jacob told her father, Laban, "I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter" (Genesis 29:18).  Talk about true love!

This man committed to being a shepherd for seven years before he could marry Rachel.  And if that isn't romantic enough, Genesis 29:20 says "So Jacob served seven years for Rachel and they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her."  Wow!  Like now days just asking a guy to wait a year or two before you get married to have sex seems like a lifetime to them (and us).  This is the kind of love I think that we all desire and that I'm praying God will send my children when they are ready to get married.

Jacob's fight for the right to marry Rachel doesn't end there. You'll have to read his story to find out what goes down on their supposed wedding night!  Also, this week I read about Joseph being sold into slavery by his 11 brothers.  Again jealousy was to blame.  However, as Joseph put it, God let what his brothers meant as an evil plot work for his best interest.  And boy did it ever.

Joseph became the governor of Egypt and Pharaoh's right hand man pretty much.  Just proof that when people do things out spite to hurt you that if you keep your trust in God, He'll work it out so that you come out victorious.  I'm really focusing on that after my fall out with certain family members.  I don't know why they did what they did, but I do know that since then the separation from them has given me a new found sense of peace.

Jacob does end up reuniting with his entire family.  He ends up saving their lives during the seven year famine and helps them to get in good with Pharaoh who gives them the best of the best just because they're Jacob's relatives.  I'm really looking forward to starting the book of Exodus.  It's known as the book of deliverance because it's about Moses helping to deliver the Hebrews from Pharaoh.  Back then Egyptians and Hebrews were like Whites and Blacks during slavery and the Civil Rights time.  

Would you work for your in-laws 7 years just be able to marry your spouse like Jacob did?

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.