January 26th: Genesis 42-43, Psalm 46-48 and Matthew 28

Twenty-six days in and one book down 65 to go.

Use the google, and you'll find that it's commonly held that after 21 days of doing something you've formed a habit. I'm not really sure what this "habit" thing is. I think it may be the point where you've done something so many times that you feel guilty when you don't do it anymore. That's kind of depressing.

But, I think it's also the way that look at "religion." Sometimes, I think that God will be angry with me if I don't do something. I focus on this so much that I miss out on all the times that He's proud of me because I did do something.

As I read through the story of Joseph, there is no commentary about the situation with his brothers. No sense of guilt from Joseph, no sense of shame for his actions. No comment that this was bad. He moves through life, never stopping to dwell on things. And this seems to be a pretty good plan. He seeks after God and knows that he's innocent. Pretty cool.

January 25th: Genesis 41, Psalm 45 and Matthew 27

So, should I expect God to speak to me in a dream? If you were reading through the Bible for the first time, would you ask this question? I think you would. Sure in Genesis 41, it's Pharaoh. He's important. The dream is important. It makes sense that someone as powerful as Pharaoh would have a dream from God. But in the previous chapter, there's a baker. That's not so important. I'm not that important either. But am I capable of having a dream from God?

Where do we find the answer? Where does it say that I shouldn't expect God to speak to me in a dream?

January 24th: Genesis 39-40, Psalm 44 and Matthew 26

Interesting thought from Psalm 44 today.

I should give God praise for the things he has done in my parents and grandparents lives, even if my life is currently in a state of suck. And I should trust that God doesn't change and since He doesn't, I need to wait on Him. And be cool with waiting (but feel free to complain about it). And it seems, this Psalm is saying look to the past for proof.

Here is the breakdown:
vs. 1-3: David recounts the works of God in the past.
vs. 4-8: Victory comes through God
vs. 9-25: "Wow, my life sucks...really, really bad... like for serious. I'm not kidding... at all. It's bad (There were a lot of verses with a lot of points for emphasis)."
vs. 26: No matter how bad it is, I know God doesn't change, so c'mon save me already.

David is a complainer. That's established in like Psalm 7. But the fact of the matter is that he was able to tell God that he didn't agree with the coolness of how things were going down. But Dave knew one thing, God had his back. He wouldn't abandon him. Sometimes, I think we as Christians are told not to complain...be content. And if we have joy, everything is suppose to be OK. And we shouldn't be angry about how life is turning out. But here is David, letting God know exactly what he thinks. David has a heart after God.

I think I need to remember that.

January 23th: Genesis 38, Psalm 41 and Matthew 25

I don't even know where to begin with this passage. What do you say about Judah and Tamar? Again, what do you tell your kid when he asks, "What is Genesis 38:9 about." I know that I'm saying, "ask your mom," but I'm a deflector.

By the way Judah, let this be a valuable lesson for you: NEVER GIVE A PROSTITUTE YOUR SIGNET. If I've said it once, I've said it a million times. And I love his response here. He basically says, "Schucks, my bad, I should have let you have my third son already anyway."

What?!?

Doing this blog has been interesting... outside of messed up family tree that is Genesis. In previous attempts to read through the Bible, I don't think I followed a plan like this. I don't think I read this kind of cross section. I'm learning more than I thought I would. I learning more about God's character contrasted between the judgment of the flood and the love Jesus displays to the poor.

I am going back to school ('bout time, I know). It's been a while since I wrote an entrance essay. Here is what I was asked followed by my response. I don't think I would have come up with this answer had I not started this project. Kinda makes me glad I did...

1. Describe your understanding of the plan of salvation.

It’s nice that Paul summarized the gospel in 1 Corinthians 15. The plan is simple: believe that Christ died for your sins and that he rose from the dead. It’s simple enough for a child to understand. Nothing needs to be added, there is nothing that we could do anyway. But I think that there are more layers that can be understood. There is more beauty in the full understanding.

We can see the tragedy of the broken relationship in the garden. Man on the outside. Separated. Fallen. In need of blood to be shed. And all the while, this loving God pursues fallen man from Abraham to Moses to David through Jesus to now. No matter the horrors, no matter the rejection, He pursues us. Jesus offers his blood. It’s beautiful and inspiring and it takes a lifetime to understand and yet, you’re constantly in awe the whole time. It’s salvation; a change in eternity. But it’s also a relationship; a change in quality of life.

Do you need to understand that to be saved? No. But it helps.


(I hope I get in.)

January 22th: Genesis 34-35, Psalm 39-40 and Matthew 24

You know what the Bible doesn't say? That Joseph's coat was many "striped" colors. That's an evil lie from the flannel board people. OK, I can't back up the "evil lie" part. Seriously though, where does it say vertical stripes? No where! I have a new hypothesis... Joseph's sweet coat of many colors was hypercolor. Think about it. That's a lot of colors. So much so, that you could call it a coat of many colors. See where I'm going with this? Go ahead, mock... you don't know.

I was going to say that it was tie-dyed, but c'mon! Hypercolor? That's so rad it's 1980s rad. No wonder the brothers were jealous. Give that dude some snap bracelets and a pair of British Knights and 4th-grade-me would have been jealous too.

Guess I never thought about it before. I just took Superbook's word for it when it came to the visual (or was it Flying House... which one was Old Testament?).

By the way, look at Genesis 37:2. What's with this random line about the sons of Billah and Zilpah? It says, "And Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father." That's it? Is this Asher and Gad? Or is it some random other tribe of Israel? And why is it here? Just as a side note? To point to Joseph being the good son?

Now jump to Matthew 24, who makes up the generationt that Jesus references? Was it the current generation? Cause they passed away and I'm not so sure this happened. Can I get a little help?

January 21th: Genesis 36, Psalm 38 and Matthew 23

Dear Genesis 36,

I opened you today and was so excited to see how I could grow spiritually. And you, Genesis 36, gave me the genealogy of Esau. Why did you do this? What was I supposed to learn from you?

Mr. G-3-6, I really want to know about certain things... things about stem cell research and deepening relationships and Daniel Diets. But you, provided me with "Timna was the concubine of Eliphaz." How, please tell me, does this help?

There were 42, nay, 43 verses that adorned your chapter. Was there a verse loaded with publishing gems like the Prayer of Jabez? No, no there was not. Simply name after uninspiring name. How will I inspire books with titles followed by "for the kids" (just so you know, I tried writing, Anah Who Found the Hot Spring for the Single Mother in Jersey, but I'm waiting to hear back from Zondervan... keep your finggers crossed!!!).

So I leave you with one simply question. Why Genesis 36? Why are you in the Bible? What value did you hold?


Sincerely, Jon


P.S. Think, Anah Who Found the Hot Spring for the Old Cat Lady at Church Who Always offered Me Gum as a Child and Had a Really Worbbly Vibrato, would be a better bet? Two lines of dialogue and I'm golden.

January 20th: Genesis 34-35, Psalm 37 and Matthew 22

OK. Genesis 34. Right. You can't make this stuff up. That's some serious William Wallace stuff right there. Normally, I'm in the habit of coming up with a hypothetical script that I imagine fills in the missing parts. Not so sure that I can think of anything wilder than what's in there. The only thing I imagine is that the sons of Jacob sang "He had it coming" from the musical Chicago. Seriously though, how am I going to let my kid read the Bible?

"That's a good question, mini-version-of-me, they uhh, um...they cut off part of their uhh... yeah talk to your mom."

Matthew 22. I'm reading through the parable catching all the parallels. God invites the Israelites to "the wedding." Some don't care, others beat the prophets, some straight up kill the messengers. Then God goes to the Gentiles. They come in mass. But one guy shows up in hammer pants and day glow. The original black bar. Why yes, that was a reference to a magazine that I would never read. Anyway, it took me a bit on this part of the parable.

Can you help me here? Is Jesus referring to the fact that our "clothes" need to be washed clean? Is that what he means by this:

"But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. 12And he said to him, 'Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?' And he was speechless."

I'm thinking maybe that the garments here refer to our souls... but how did the man get into heaven? I guess I'm assuming that heaven is the wedding. Or is it simpler than that? Are these verses referring to the fact that he is unprepared for the wedding? That he showed up, but he didn't take the necessary steps? I'm not sure. I could use some help.