Reading Through the Bible, Genesis 1 & What is God Like?

OK, so we’ve got colds, I’m potty training my youngest (yes, guys, this writer really is a mom), and we’re busy on top of it.

I just don’t have time to do justice to rock layers like I want to. 🙁

But, for years now, I’ve put reading through the Bible top place on my priority list. I don’t do anything else but physical necessities until God has spoken to me through His Word.

This year I was determined to find a plan where you aren’t reading 178 verses one day (Psalm 119) and 14 the next (3rd John). What’s more,it needed to be a mix of passages. If you don’t get bored reading the beginning of I Chronicles, kudos. I don’t want to endure that if there’s another way.

There are a bunch of other ways! Two years ago, I used M’Cheyne’s plan and liked it a lot except for reading the New Testament twice a year. I always read more than what’s required one way or another, I don’t like having even more “required” than necessary.

This year, I decided to look for an even better plan and ran into something called a Thematic Bible Reading Plan that’s brand new! You don’t have to start on January 1 or on the first Sunday of the year. Just jump in whenever you’re ready.

Here’s why I’m mentioning it: I love the passages he’s tied in to Genesis chapters 1-4. Psalm 148 is glorious and is making me rethink whether the idea of vast amounts of water beyond space is so crazy after all. Ephesians 1 is super exciting with the reminder that God chose believers before the world began.

Then there’s how well Ephesians chapter 2 ties in with our Fall. We are all born “children of disobedience” because of what our first parents chose. But, it’s not the end of the story!

And here’s the idea that inspired me to work up this post before I have to run:

Look at Genesis 1:3. What did God do? He “said”. He used words to create. If you keep reading you’ll find there was just one thing He created without simply speaking it into being (although God did talk about His plans): People.

That’s something we like to think about. It’s cool. But look at what God does in the next verse:

And God saw

I don’t really know how it works out, but there is something about actually experiencing an event that applies to God just like it does to us.

We can plan things out and think things through, but there’s nothing like actually being somewhere and doing something. Have you ever dreamed you ate food? It has no flavor. You have to put real food in your mouth to taste it.

Genesis 1 isn’t the only place this idea comes out. Look at what happened to Jesus when He became a human being:

Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; Hebrews 5:8 

Jesus experienced how hard it is to obey when your body is hurting and did it anyway.

I don’t know how it all works out, but God experiences reality something like we do. What a mind blowing thought!

For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Hebrews 4:15