January 2nd

Tonight's reading was:
Genesis 3:1-4:26 - The fall. This passage went through the decision of Adam and Eve to eat the one fruit from the one tree that God had ordered them not to. Isn't that just like a human to do the one thing they've been told not to do. Crazy. I just wonder if they'd had any perspective at all, would they change their minds. The serpent even says, when he's in the middle of enticing them, "when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." If they had taken a second to think about that statement, would they have realized or considered that maybe they didn't want to know evil? They obviously were already experiencing good. It just blows my mind. But then again, who hasn't been tempted by something that is forbidden? What follows is a total change in order. They now know they're naked, and life has to change. They have to leave this beautiful garden, their relationship with God changes, the serpent is cursed with slithering on the ground and eating dust all his days (yum), the woman is cursed with pains during childbirth (crazy that this would have been a breeze before?) It also says of the woman that her desire will be for her husband and he will rule over you. Makes me wonder if the relationship had to change at this point, with the husband taking on more dominion over the wife because of her need for instruction or accountability? Just interesting that this is listed with the curses of the wife. And then Adam is left with toiling hard in the fields for not much gain. My imagination just starts running and I wonder if crops just grew on their own before this? I don't know. Maybe silly. :)

This is also the chapter where Cain murders Abel. It's amazing how quickly humanity became unruly. Within the first generation we have murder. The passage continues on to talk about the descendants of these first people. It ends saying "At that time men began to call on the name of the Lord".

Matthew 2:12-3:6 - This section of Matthew talks about how God continues to warn Mary and Joseph about people wanting to kill Jesus and to where they should flee. Just the intimate relationship they must have had with God to be able to distinguish his voice and trust it so assuredly that they could depend on him to keep Jesus safe. Pretty cool. They end up fleeing to Egypt, and then to Nazareth, where they settle in. Then enters John the Baptist, preparing the way for Christ.

Psalm 2:1-12 - Talking about the nations and the rulers speaking against the Lord, wanting to "break their chains and throw off their fetters" as if the life that the Lord calls us to lead is the one that is binding. When will we realize that walking in the path the Lord sets out brings more freedom than walking outside of His will. He created a perfect order. The Psalm ends by talking about serving the Lord with fear and trembling. The Proverbs for the night 1:7-9, reiterates that statement by saying that "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline." Again, there's the idea that it is wisdom, not foolishness, that is developed out of a healthy fear, awe and respect of God.

Excited about digging in and jotting down some notes. Enjoying this.