Wow! I feel like I just went to the movies and watched the all-time Summer Smash Hit! The movie was cheaper and better than I have seen in a long time.
The movie title, you ask? . . .
4 Days in Genesis.
Huh?
When is the last time you took a couple of days and read through a whole book of the Bible–especially Genesis? I promise I am not trying to make you feel guilty because the Lord knows that this is the first time in a loooonnnng time that I have done anything like this.
One of my co-workers emailed everyone this week and wanted to know if we wanted to be her accountability partners in a 90 day Read-through-the-Bible challenge. I am always up for a challenge and so I said, “Sure, I’m game.”
Little did I know how much time it would take (who has that?) and how amazing it would be. I feel like I have been reading my Bible all day. 🙂 The thing that I love the most about this challenge is the depth of the stories that I have been reading. I mean really. . . forgiving your brothers after they sold you into slavery!
Then he (Joseph) threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin embraced him, weeping. And he kissed all his brothers and wept over them. Afterwards his brothers talked with him. Genesis 45: 14-15
When is the last time you had to forgive someone for selling you into slavery? Reading it all at one time has really helped me to see the big picture of Genesis too. I don’t have time to dissect all of the verses so I just keep moving.
The other thing that is fascinating about this challenge is that I did not grow up in church so I have been having to play catch-up since I became a Christian (17 years ago). It has been difficult to figure out where all of these people in the Bible came from. I have always been scared to look at the so-and-so begat so-and-so, but now I find that I am really interested because the begats mean so much more to me.
It has been a fantastic way to start my summer. I feel very close to the Lord and I feel like I am getting to know Him better than I ever have. Would you consider taking on this summertime challenge with me? I promise you that you will be blessed by it. It’s better than any Box office Summertime Sell-out. It’s God establishing the beginning of the world. It cannot get much better than that.
I did the read through the Bible in 90 days in January, and I am going to start again in July. It was such a blessing to me!
Thankyou for sharing your experience. I started reading the Old Testament from Genesis a few months ago. I’m probably going a little more slowly than you are – but I have found similar things. Even though I was brought up in church it has been fantastic to place all the people and events into context, and to see all the foreshadowing of Christ’s coming. And even in the seemingly laborious chapters of the early Law books (of which I was determined to read every word) I found gems of wisdom and the quiet voice of the Lord speaking to me. I’m gradually plodding though Deuteronomy now.
Kirrily, I think it is so wonderful that you are taking the time to read through the Old Testament too, each word! 🙂 It is really interesting that you talk about the quiet voice of the Lord speaking to you because I just finished writing a post on this very thing. I really liked reading the last part of Deuteronomy. I think I underlined everything! 🙂
That’s awesome, Leah! I am amazed at the way the Lord is speaking to me even in Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy! Keep me updated on what the Lord is teaching you!
I’m moving through the Old Testament again and loving it! Genesis really captures God’s relentless love for us–that no matter how flawed we are, and how gritty our stories, God has a plan for us anyway!
Nice to meet you!
Nice to meet you too, Becky. His love really is amazing isn’t it. His love combined with His discipline of those wild Israelite’s continues to thrill me. Keep me up to date with all that you learn. Have a great day!