On Saturday, I had my class on Genesis. This is the seventh time I have taught it, and this time was the best yet. I know, as a teacher, you get better the more you do it, but for me it was not my teaching that had improved but instead the preparation of the students. We went one by one through Genesis, and everyone shared what they learned and how it applied to their lives.
Today I will share it with you:
Creation: We learned that God gave us the precious gift of rest. When creating the universe and the way it worked, he could have designed a life of unending work. He could have created a gut-wrenching schedule, but he didn’t. It is not only suggested but commanded that you rest. Taking rest into account when making your decisions is vital. Does that mean you might miss out on a few things? Yes. But that is the way he designed this beautiful world. He designed it especially for you to miss out to focus on prioritizing rest.
Adam and Eve: We learned that shame came into the word at first bite. Shame was not meant to be part of our human experience. God knew we would not handle it well. He did not want to impose that upon us. When we insisted and brought shame into the world, he clothed us and has been comforting us ever since. Shame was not a part of His design, don’t let it be part of your story.
Cain and Abel: We learned to give first and our very best to God every time. When He comes first in our lives everything else will work out. The sacrifice that this requires is the spiritual message in this story. When we struggle to give freely, our very best, and put God in fist place, we lose. What do we lose? We will never know.
Noah: We learned that when God says to do something. Do it. He is a good God. He is a loving God. You can trust that what He is asking you to do is part of His perfect plan. Trusting in His plan is better than trusting in your own lack of plan. Do you think you have a plan? Is it going to work out perfectly? God’s plan will.
Tower of Babel: We learned that God created us with talents and capacities. These can lead us down a path of pride. We can use them to bring glory to ourselves. When we do that, we put ourselves at risk. Risk of what? Risk of deviating from God’s plan. He gave you those talents because you will need them along the way. Use those gifts like beacons of light on a pitch-dark night.
Abraham: We learned that we should all want to have Abrahams strong faith. I dream about it. I wish I could give up everything and anything. He left his home, sacrificed his family, made mistakes and cleaned up his own messes, but ultimately, he got it right- faith.
Sarah: We learned to have a profound respect for God. We need to step away from the world and live closer to Him in mind, body and spirit. Even though His promises might seem improbable or even impossible, we can trust Him.
Lot: We learned that our decisions mark us. Each choice makes a difference in our lives. We do not control the outcomes, but we do control the choices we make. Don’t worry. God always has people assigned to take care of us if we get lost along the way.
Isaac: We learned that God keeps His promises. It can be difficult to wait. It can be frustrating to be patient. You can replenish your spirit resting on the fact that God keeps his promises.
Esau: We learned not to throw away our relationship with God. We should protect and cherish it. Later in life, those little things that seem more important than God, will become insignificant. Your relationship with God will only grow in value.
Joseph: We learned that pain is part of everyone’s story. Despite the pain that we might feel daily, we should never let it separate us from Him. God comforts us. He supports us. By pushing Him away, we lose His relief and only the pain remains. Living a life connected to God reminds us that everything that happens to us, struggles and accomplishments, have a divine purpose.
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