Reflections from January 3, 2011

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

It's going to be a glorious year in the Lord, as we read through the Old Testament. We'll be using the 5 Day Bible Reading Program, provided by Lower Lights Publications, where the schedule can be downloaded from.

So, we start at the beginning. Genesis sets the stage for the rest of the Bible, by telling us the origin of the universe, the heavens and earth, the plants and animals, and finally mankind. It was all very good.

God worked through His creation in six days. He said first, "Let there be light." Then on the second day, He created the Heavens, called firmament. Earth was created on the third day along with the plants and the seeds that they come from. Next came the stars and planets of the heavens on the fourth day providing the greater light of day, and the lesser light of night. On the fifth day, God created the animals of the sea and the winged creatures of the air.

And finally, God says in Genesis 1:26, 28, and 31,
"The God said, 'Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; ... Then God blessed them, and God said to them, Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.' Then God say everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day."

Indeed creation of God was a very good thing, it's why we're here! God's wisdom in this is perfect, down to the creation of man and woman for the beautiful relationship that they have with each other and with God. This is summed up in Genesis 2:24,
"Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh."

We end today with an image of a perfect God, by reading in Psalm 19:7-9,
The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making the wise the simple;
The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the hear;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;
The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgements of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.

Blessings to all