Thursday, June 12, 2008

Genesis 5 - Repeat

Chapter 5 in Genesis is not exactly packed with action. It's essentially a list of lineage with the names of people and how long they lived. But hidden inside that information are two verses that are pretty interesting. Here is what verses 1 and 2 say:

"When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. He created them male and female and blessed them. And when they were created, he called them 'man.'"

I highlighted a few words in that section because I think they are really important. The word "created" is repeated three times in two verses. Why? I think God repeats the things He knows we will struggle with. On those days when I don't feel like His work of art, He has left a love note for me, He has gone out of his way to tell me He created me.

Created.
Created.
Created.

And if I miss that, He tells me He made me. He called us man. He gave us our name.

Above that, He blessed us. After He made us, He blessed us and named us. Please note that it doesn't say, "He blessed those that deserved it." Or, "He blessed those that had a consistent quiet time and were able to read the whole Bible in a year." The blessing is part of our nature as much as the need for oxygen is. We are wired with it. From creation, it has been a gift we were given.

My prayer today is that regardless of how gross you feel, regardless of if you've made life one big, broken inescapable mess, you'll remember one true idea - you were created by God.

15 comments:

Shawna said...

Perfect! I can't wait to share this with my sons!

Anonymous said...

Jon,
I'm going on a mission trip to the Philippines in 2 weeks and need to put together a short devotion for either youth or adults. Can I have your permission to use this post in my devotion? I think it would be perfect. Thanks.
Dawna
kanddallison at yahoo dot com

Trina said...

Beautiful reminder. I think a lot of times we read over the greatest little love notes God leaves us because they are hidden in unexpected places.

I've been beating myself up lately because I don't always take the time to read my Word everyday and I let myself believe it has an impact on God's love for me, but it doesn't. And I am so grateful.

Prodigal Jon said...

Dawna -
Sure. Go ahead.
Jon

Unknown said...

God is definitely without measure the most eliquent speaker with such a few amount of words. When was the last time I let someone know how much I appreciate and love them by using just one word. I think God is always there I just need to shut up and listen.

Jamie {See Jamie blog} said...

Exactly. I think he created beautiful things like flowers and bluebirds and such so that (hopefully!) we'd notice them and say, wow, the same God who created those, and the stars, etc., created me, too! Dave Crowder has a song called "Glorious" that more eloquently says, "He made everything glorious, and He made me, so what does that make me?"
Glorious!

Anonymous said...

My pastor did the most amazing reading of Genesis on one of the first Sundays we attended. God spoke everything else into existence, but CREATED us. In His image!

After many years of hearing a bland, rote reading of Genesis, hearing his interpretation, and reading your post, has moved me.

Thank you, Jon!

Anonymous said...

I just found your blogs and I must say I absolutely love them...
It all started on a blog of Stephanie Davis...(a friend and photographer) she linked to her friend melissa (Stretch Marks blog) who linked to you...
I must say I'm glad I found this blog...it is very inspirational!
God Bless You!

Anonymous said...

Great post. Thanks for helping me to look at this chapter in a new way. I needed to hear this.

Stephen Hunton said...

thanks for this. awesome.

Anonymous said...

Awesome......truly AWESOME! I am just discovering your blogs and the two I've read so far are great. You are a true servant of the Lord Jon. I know that He will bless you for blessing others with encouragement and strength to go on another day, seeking God’s face because of who He is and what He’s done, not to mention what He’s going to do. Bravo Jon, bravo! Thank you for sharing God’s grace, mercy and love, freely, as it is to all.

Stephanie said...

Truly inspiring and exactly why I keep coming back here! I read all 3 of your blogs and find them a great addition to my spiritual walk as well as quite amusing! Thank you!

Anonymous said...

this truth made me cry...

Hayley said...

Hey Jon,

Just wanted to share something with you that I thought was pretty stinking awesome. I am by no means a bible scholar, but someone who is a bible scholar shared this with me. If you start with Methuselah's birth and add up until the flood (M. was 187 when his son, Lamech was born, Lamech was 182 when his son, Noah was born and Noah was 600 when the flood came)it is 969 years. That means that the flood came the very year that Methuselah died. When Enoch was 65 he had Methuselah, and after that he walked with God until God took him to heaven (vs. 21-24). According to Hebrew tradition, Methuselah's name means "when he dies, the judgement". Many Hebrew scholars believe that the reason Enoch walked with God is because his son was a walking time bomb. He believed that when his son died, God was going to judge the world's sin (aka the flood). Isn't it cool that Methuselah was the oldest man to ever live? God was merciful in extending his life so that man would have time to repent. Sorry for the extra long comment. I hope it was worth it.:)

Vinton J Bayne said...

So beautiful.

We all need this reminder sometimes.