Day 11: Numbers and I have a whole lot to say today

So the chapters today are the second half of 8-21:7.  Yesterday was a good read, just nothing really popped out at me, although, as I was reading today, I was reminded of some things that I read yesterday.  I love how God works.

So in chapter 7 it talks about how God spoke to Moses and he heard his voice speaking to him from the Ark of the LORD.  Throughout it really says how the LORD spoke to Moses and how Moses spoke to the LORD, but then in chapter 9 it talks about how the Israelites stopped and started depending on when the cloud, that is the LORD, lifted.  I caught myself thinking, wouldn't it be neat to hear the LORD or actually see his presence in a cloud or pillar of fire?  Then I stopped.  I realized I do have that.  God the Holy Spirit lives in me.  I have God, the Creator of the Universe LIVING IN ME!!!!!  Yes, I'm shouting there.  It's quite a powerful thought that I constantly forget.  I don't need to stand before the Ark of the LORD or have a cloud or fire.  God is the fire within me.  He is my source and my guide.  Sometimes I don't hear him clearly enough myself, so that's when he reminds me through other people what he has to say to me.  I am never without. 

Moses got so stressed out in chapter 11 when the Israelites yet again gave up on God, that he asked to die.  God said, look, bring some elders and I'll share my spirit that I placed on you with them.  God's spirit wasn't for everybody then.  It is now.  It is for anyone who wishes to wholeheartedly follow God, believe in Jesus and follow God. That is a blessing, but it is also a responsibility. 

It was a responsibility to Moses, to follow and obey.  He got a little cocky towards the end.  I mean God had called him to do so many things and he did, then I think that last instant he said, "Meh, God's done this water from the rock thing before and all I had to do was hit it.  That'll work.  God's still God, so he won't mind if I just do it this way."  God did mind.  (There will be more on this tomorrow).  God is ever and always concerned with the attitudes of our hearts.  Moses was humble, but I think this can go to show that even the most humble can become unhumble.  Both Moses and Aaron took the command of God into their own hands.  That's exactly what God does not want us to do.  That is what the Israelites did time and time again and now Moses and Aaron were definitely guilty too (see chapter 20).

So Holy Spirit is our blessing.  I am glad that we are also washed by God's grace and mercy through Jesus Christ.  This does not mean that I am not responsible to love and worship God with my whole heart.  This is the greatest commandment, after all.  LORD, may I truly remember you and seek your glory above all else in all I do.

Day 10: Leviticus 26-Numbers 8 Not much to say

I don't really have anything profound to say.  I could comment on the price dictated by God for individuals, but I don't know, God had his reasons.  Sure it irks me a little that girls are worth less than boys, all around, but maybe there is a reason for that.  I guess it made it easier to offer women to God... I don't know if that's a good argument though.

I like how God reiterates that the Levites belong to him.  They take the place of the firstborn of Israel, they and their livestock.  God is very adamant about what is his.  I think that's a good visual.  These people are mine, I claim them.  It's a scary, and yet comforting, thought to be claimed by the Almighty Creator of the Universe.

Ch. 6 - The Nazirite vow.  I was thinking that maybe I should do that, but then I couldn't cut my hair.  I could totally do the abstaining from the fruit of the vine though.  I don't know if I could make the sacrifice of shaving all my hair at the end of my vow.  Have to pray about that one.

Ch. 8 - Something to think about.  I cheated a little and read to the end of the chapter where it says that the Levites can only officiate in the service (NLT) until they are 50.  There is a time for everyone to step down and let the next generation step in.  I think that is something to ponder more.  God can use us at any age, but I think it's good to know when we've passed the point of our effectiveness.

I leave you with this, Numbers 6:24-26:

May the LORD bless you and protect you.

May the LORD smile on you and be gracious to you.

May the LORD show you his favor and give you his peace.  (NLT)

God promises his blessings, may you receive them today.

Day 9: Leviticus 14-26 Rules, rules, and aren't they good?

I really love the book of Leviticus.  That's probably odd for me to say because I'm not a big fan of rules in general, but I find comfort in Leviticus.  That may also sound odd because God is pretty harsh.  He's very clear about what is right and what is not.  He's very clear about the blessings the Israelites will receive if they follow him and He's very clear of the darkness that will envelop them if they do not.

I think that's the point though, and this goes back to what I said yesterday, God is making it very clear, you are to be my people and to be my people and serve me you must not act as everyone else does.  God sets up for his people very clear ways that they can pursue God.  He does it for their benefit because he knows what is best for them, he is God after all.  In chapter 18, verses 24 and following, he comes right out and says it.  Don't do this because this is exactly what the people around you do and its sin.  I like how the NRSV puts it, "for by all these practices the nations I am casting out before you have defiled themselves.  Thus the land became defiled; and I punished it for its iniquity, and the land vomited out its inhabitants.  But you [Israelites] shall keep my statutes and my ordinances and commit none of these abominations...otherwise the land will vomit you out for defiling it, as it vomited out the nation that was before you."

Harsh, but clear: don't be like them.  I am giving you a better way, God says.  If only we were to follow him as he desires.  He clearly says, what you think was okay before, is definitely not now and this is why...  God gives his people clear ways of how to live, how to be holy, and how to worship him.  I think that's really what all this is about, how we come to God to worship him.  We need to recognize that he is holy and good and perfect.  So he deserves our best.  He even put in prescriptions to remind people that the land and what they thought they "owned" was really God's.  He gave them the year of Jubilee.  It's a massive reunion, a great big do-over if you will.

All the while God is trying to show the Israelites a better way, the best way, but they can't and don't understand.  Temptation proves to be too great, but God doesn't give up.  Even as harsh as his judgments are, he still provides a way.  That Way and Truth and Life, that true Jubilee, doesn't come until centuries later, but he plants the seed.  He gives them a glimpse and the ones who truly wanted that "more perfect way" I think they got it, at least the heart of it, and I think they were blessed by God for it.

Day 8: Leviticus 1-14

Hang in there.  Leviticus is not an exciting or fun read at all.  It does leave plenty of room for reflection, however.

What struck me most, this time around, is the detail.  Sacrifice is a practice that we, especially in this country, do not deal with.  I'm thankful for that.  My friend in her blog points out that sacrifice was a common practice in ancient cultures.  However, God is so precise, how the animals are to be killed, how to take the blood and sprinkle the blood, what is to be left for the priests, what to burn, etc.  Again, I'm glad we no longer have this practice.  It begs the question, why all this mess, God? 

Then an idea struck me, maybe because it meant something.  God could have asked for a simple sacrifice, but he's already dealing with a people who are struggling to believe that this God is really the one who wants the best for them.  They're on the edge.  They want to trust God, I think, but they/re also afraid and unsure.  I think all this about sacrifices, because God really didn't go into detail before this, is to set them apart.  I think it's so that the Israelites will know this is their God and he means business.  He's fighting against their grumbling and complaining and calf worshipping tendencies, so maybe he gives these detailed lists of how to offer sacrifices and what to offer, so that the people will know exactly what the LORD wants and expects.

I think God does this for them.  I don't think God really needed the sacrifices, they're not for him they/re for them, for us; so that we can have a more intimate relationship with God.  He gives them a prescription so that it means something, so they will see it as important and strive to follow it.  He knows they won't because well, we always find things that are much simpler than doing what we're supposed to do.  I don't think he's setting them up for failure.  I think he wants them to succeed.  He knows they won't because of what we always ultimately choose.  Still he wants the best for them, but just because you want something, doesn't mean it happens.

I am just so thankful that God's ultimate plan was to take all this upon himself.  Knowing the intricate detail of it all makes me appreciate it that much more.  Thank you Jesus for being the ultimate, final sacrifice.  Thank you for doing all the work.  Thank you for washing me clean through your blood and your body, which I remember through your communion.  Thank you for giving me new life through your Spirit, which I remember through your baptism.  It means something.

Days 6 & 7: Exodus 15-28;28-40

Again a twofer because I've been having too much fun laser tagging and packing and birthday-ing.  :)

I think the Israelites really depict us well, at least, I think they depict me rather well.  They go from praising the Lord who rescued them from the hand of their overlords, the Egyptians, to whining and complaining.  I'm pretty good at that.  I'm pretty good at forgetting how good and awesome and amazing God is pretty quick.  I mean, so what if he's brought me through 5 surgeries.  So what if he's given me an amazing community of friends to uphold and uplift me wherever I wonder.  So what if he's provided me with the income and means to live life every day.  Today I'm tired, I'm packing again and my future is uncertain (at least to me).  So I forget and so God reminds me of all the good He's done and will continue to do.

God was definitely frustrated and indeed angry with the Israelites.  I mean they forgot what he'd just done, they gave up on him when Moses was gone for a while and decided to give their allegiance to a golden calf (that just came out of the fire that way according to Aaron - yeah right, Ex. 32).  They heard the LORD speaking to them from heaven.  They consecrated themselves to him and just as quickly abandoned him.  The LORD is ever patient.  His desire is that he still wants to meet with his people (Ex. 30).  He wants to be among them, which is why he gives them such explicit instructions about his dwelling place, the Tabernacle.

He almost backs away.  He almost gives up on the Israelites, but Moses becomes the Mediator, the Intercessor for his people (sound familiar?).  I love the intimacy between God and Moses.  God says to Moses on several occasions, "I know you by name" (NRSV looking at ch.33 here).  That is a powerful statement because it means that God intimately knew Moses, his character, his flaws, his strengths, his hopes.  God knows Moses and he's willing to give the people another chance because Moses, whom he deeply knows, is willing to intercede for these people who choose to remain aloof from Him.

Moses, unfortunately was flawed.  He was as grumbly and complainy as his own people at times.  Now we can take comfort and great hope in the fact that we too have an Intercessor and a Mediator.  This is one whom God knows deeply and intimately because it is his Son, Jesus Christ.  It is that ultimate communion of the Trinity that reaches out to bring us into his community.  God still wants to meet with us, despite our stupidity, and Jesus is there to speak a good word, despite ourselves.  I am so glad because despite all my flaws, I'm still like the Israelites, gaping after Moses as he goes to meet with God, I wish I could go too.  I want to know God too, sometimes I'm just too scared or too caught up in myself.  Forgive me and I am amazed that despite all of that, you know me LORD, you know me by name.

Day 5: Exodus 1-15

As I read these stories I can't help but realize how inundated I am with so many images.  They're images from flannel boards past, to movies like the Prince of Egypt, to my own seminary paper on the name of God in Exodus 3 and 6.  What I'm saying is that it's hard to really just focus on what the story is saying with all of these distractions cluttering my mind.

Some things really did stand out to me though, despite all the distractions.  First, I was really struck by the enormity of the Pharaoh's edict, throw all the boys into the Nile, but the girls... they're ok.  He probably should have thought better of that.  The girls were the ones who turned out to be the problem - Moses' mom and Miriam... anyway, I can only imagine what Moses' mother felt.  The NRSV says that she saw "he was a fine baby" so she hid him.  I think it was the simple fact that this mother loved her child and didn't want to kill him.  She did what she could and to make sure the little baby was ok, his sister watched over him.  She was right there when Pharaoh's daughter found him.  "Shall I go and get you a nurse from the Hebrew women?"  Of course.  And so Moses' mother got to raise her own child, in part, for a time.  I'm sure she did all the things a mother would do, assure Moses that she loved him, that he was special and that he had a people.  I would have if he were my son.

Moses struggles with his identity in the next few chapters, well maybe the rest of his life, but here in particular, he's trying to figure out the next step.  He's not exactly Egyptian and he doesn't really fit in with the Hebrews either.  Then he lives in exile, as an alien in a foreign land and God brings him back. 

I think Moses was pretty content in his life as a shepherd and then God in his way, shakes things up.  Now I don't know about you, but if I saw a burning bush that wasn't really burning, I would be freaked out.  I'm not sure if I would run away or if curiosity would win out.  I'm pretty sure when I started to hear a strange voice, I would run.  Or I might just stick around to find out what's up.  Moses does and his life is changed forever.

God calls Moses and his response is very much my own.  "God I really appreciate all you are and all you're doing, but do you really think you have the right person?  I don't feel like the right person.  I think you must mean someone else, please pick someone else."  God, of course is ever patient and prods us along until we're really ready to embrace the calling he's placed on us.

Moses was scared at first.  It shows in his response to God, but as the plagues wear on and as he faces Pharaoh and his hardness again and again, he becomes accustomed to the Power of God.  God starts off by saying, tell Aaron to say... By the end, God simply says, tell Pharaoh... and he does.  It's not an arrogance, although it could very well become that and I think later on Moses does become arrogant, but really I think it is becoming familiar with the fact that God is who He says He is and He's gonna do what He says He's gonna do.  It is a powerful thing to follow the Almighty, Amazing God.  Moses recognized that and I think he found comfort in it, especially when everything and everyone was against him.  It's pretty cool to be in an intimate relationship with the Creator of the Universe.

Lord I pray that I may never harden my heart toward you like Pharaoh, but that I'd take a chance with a burning bush like Moses.

Day 4, really: Go Go Go Joseph!

The story of Joseph and his brothers.  I really have a hard time reading these passages because Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat keeps running through my head.  While it is an excellent rock opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber, it misses some of the key elements that the actual story of Joseph possesses.

Webber does not focus on, well, the whole God element, and that is really key to the whole story.  That is what makes it more than just another story.

Joseph didn't interpret Pharaoh's dreams, God did through Joseph.  That is something Joseph makes very clear.  Again, when his brothers doubt Joseph's goodness toward them he points to God.  That doesn't mean that he doesn't give them a run for their money first.  They really kinda deserved it though.  Time and time again, Joseph bring the focus back to God.  He's come to be reconciled with the fact that "I am where I am because this is where God wants me to be.  Okay."

Joseph's emotions are real though.  Here he is miles from his family and he must have thought time and again, I'll never really see them again.  I mean who wouldn't think that being constrained by geography, duty, and life.  He was in Egypt.  His family was in Canaan.  Joseph weeps over seeing his full blood brother (Benjamin) again - the only other piece of his mother, he weeps over seeing his father again - whom he had perhaps had given up as dead, and he weeps when after his father's death his brothers are still afraid of him.  Years of pent up emotion, sure Joseph was probably angry in the beginning, but I think by the end, all he wanted was his family back.  When he finally had that, it meant the world to him.  Joseph's road was not easy.  It sucked.  But I can identify with the weeping Joseph, as you come to more fully understand what God is doing and are unabashedly amazed at his ultimate goodness.  To be reunited, that is one of God's great gifts, and God did what he did to ensure that Joseph's family would survive - ALL of his family.  I would weep too.  In the end it was reunion and sweet forgiveness.  The brothers one last time really wanted to show how sorry they were, and Joseph, one last time, really wanted them to know how much he loved them and had forgiven them.  In the end a piece of Joseph still wanted to be home in the land that he would never see again, Canaan.  He knew God was faithful to him and God would be faithful in bringing his people back to the land he promised Abraham.  Perspective is a great thing, but sometimes it comes at great price.  Through it all though, I'm with Joseph, it's worth it.

"Don't be afraid of me.  Am I God that I can punish you?  You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good.  He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.  No don't be afraid.  I will continue to take care of you and your children." (Gen 50:19-21, NLT)

"Soon I will die," Joseph told his brothers, "but God will surely come to help you and lead you out of this land of Egypt.  He will bring you back to the land he solemnly promised to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob." (Gen 50:24, NLT)

Day 3 & 4: Wrapped into one because the Yankees lost

That's not really true, completely.  I did my reading, but had to watch the Yankees in person at 47,000+ filled stadium.  Alas, my boys in blue lost, but the Dbacks had a great game, good for them.

So Genesis 17-28: Abram and Sarai finally get their better known names: Abraham and Sarah.  Isaac is born, almost dies, Abraham lies about Sarah being more than his sister again, Ishmael almost dies, Sarah dies...  Ch 23 Sarah dies and I love the interchange between Abraham and Ephron (ancestor to Zac Efron, just kidding): 'Listen to me..." "No, please listen to me..." "Please listen to me..." and so on.  It's like they're fighting over who can be most civil, most hospitable.  I've been in a few of those situations.  Then Isaac looks for a wife.  I never really cared for Isaac.  Isaac to me seems to be that kind of guy, quiet unassuming, does whatever he's told - the all around nice guy.  He doesn't make too many waves (every once in a while he does... tries his father's trick of lying about his wife), but he's not really known with being original.  Now Rebekah, she's got spunk.  I like her.  I think I like the wily ones.  She tricks her husband and gets her favorite son Jacob to go along with her plan.  I guess that's the rebel in me.

I was also struck by the importance of family in these passages, that Isaac must not marry the Canaanites, but go back to Abraham's family.  Today we think that's weird because we don't really identify ourselves with families like that anymore.  Think of it like a region, a culture, a way of life because that's what a family group was.  Your religion, your morals, your ethics derived from your family group, your clan.  You go across that barrier and you risk a lot of things, pretty much everything you know and possibly everything you hold sacred.  It might be like regions today, identifying with the South, or Western New York, or being a Phoenician.  It could go even deeper: Southern Christian or Southern Baptist or the list could go on and on.  I don't really get grossed out by families marrying family members in the Bible.  If it were today - um - ew!  But it's not  today, that was then and it was different.  Maybe we need to get a better idea of family, one that goes deeper than blood, one that unites us in common purpose and morals and faith and, hmmmm, wait a minute - I think that already exists.  :)

Genesis 28-40: The saga of Rachel and Leah.  I really feel sorry for Leah because she really does get the bum deal.  She's not as wily as Rachel and I guess I'm goin against myself here, but I really don't like Rachel.  Rachel is more than wily, she's downright manipulative.  In the end Leah's is the line that God chooses for his Son, so props to Leah.

Idols - Rachel stole her father's gods/idols, but she wasn't alone.  In chapter 35 Jacob asks his family/clan to "get rid of all your pagan idols, purify yourselves and put on clean clothing." (NLT)  Even way back in the beginning we had to deal with those things that were trying to take our attention from God and the only way to turn it back onto Him is to make that intentional choice.  Clean up and clean out and focus on God.  It's hard to focus on God when you've got all those other things cluttering you up.

Last but not least: I LOVE TAMAR!!!!!! (Ch38)  Okay, Tamar is not a star.  She dresses up as a prostitute (just the kind of person Jesus would hang out with, oh wait, he was related to Tamar ;) to make her point.  She is the wiliest of the wily, I think.  She just doesn't let herself fade into obscurity.  She married Judah's son and he was wicked and so he died and she should have been given an heir by Judah's other son (but he too was wicked) then Judah, out of self-preservation and selfishness denies Tamar, what is her right, his last son to be her husband and give her an heir for Judah's eldest son.  Cultures are weird, but it was her right and Judah knew that and then he gets caught in the most wicked way.  Tamar facing death does the best thing ever.  "But as they were taking her out to kill her, she sent this message to her father-in-law (Judah): 'The man who owns these things made me pregnant. Look closely.  Whose seal and cord and walking stick are these?'" (verse25)  Oh snap!  I can see Judah's face turning bright and thinking, "Oops.  Yeah, um, they're mine.  Crap!"  Yes I love her.  No worries though, I'm not planning to dress up like a prostitute any time soon.  It makes you wonder though, why does God choose the things he does.  He chose to be born of Tamar's line.  Fascinating.  It makes me think, God appreciates wiliness too.  :)

Day 2: A little Recap

I realize that in the email I sent out to friends and family that I would actually start Sunday, so not wanting to jump the gun for those of you who wanted to keep pace with me I'll post a few more of my reflections on Gen. 1-16.

Genesis 1 - I am still struck by the whole 'making mankind in our image.'  In seminary and college I remember my professors saying something about using the 'royal we' here, but I really think and feel that this is a first reference to the trinity.  I have no scholarship to back that up because as I said I am not trying to make this a theological treatise so I will try to be as unscholarly as I can.  Still, I think this is an excellent example of God as community.  God is still one, but God is also perfect community, which is maybe why we desire it so much...

Genesis 2 - Again with the community thing, maybe I'm feeling lonely, 'It is not right for man to be alone.'  I'm wondering if we can extend that past Adam to all of us, male and female.  God created us for each other and for him, to live in community as He is community.

Genesis 3 - I already talked about the Fall, but on a lighter note, how creepy and weird would it be to discover the flashing flaming sword to the garden of Eden.  If I saw it, I think I just might scream and run in the opposite direction.  I get weirded out by things like that.

Genesis 4 - Cain and Abel, ah drama.  It talks about the offerings that Cain and Abel bring (oh and right now I'm just reading NIV, I'll probably switch it up as time goes on).  It says in verse 3 that Cain brought 'some fruits of the soil... But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn...'  So it seems that Cain's attitude was, 'Okay God, if I have to, I'll bring you something.'  I can imagine him looking around and just grabbing some of what he'd harvested.  It was still dirty and a little wilting, but he was doing it because he had to.  On the other hand, we have Abel who gave the best from the firstborn.  I mean that's the first and sometimes it might be your only.  Still Abel gave it.  I see him as thinking, this is for God, it's the best part that I would want for me, which means God deserves it even more.  I love God's response too.  It's stern, but not over the top, verses 6-7: 'The LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry?  Why is your face downcast?  If you do what is right, will you not be accepted?  But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."'  God is so giving Cain an out.  It's like a loving parent, "Look I know this is hard, but please listen to me, the choice and the power is yours to use or misuse.  If you listen to me, you can overcome this."  I say things like that to my kids all the time.  God is saying, lean on me and you won't have to follow sin.  So my response is the same as Cain's, the same as my kids - destruction.

These were really the passages that stood out, but for the latter chapters:

Genesis 7 - I forgot that Noah took 7 of every clean animal and 7 of every bird; still 2 of every unclean.  Oh the fallacies of children's songs.

Genesis 8 - God remembered Noah.  I just liked that.  God remembered he had that poor man and all his family and those animals bobbing around out there.  Poor Noah.

Genesis 9:6 - I like the little poem, but it's also a very powerful message: Killing is so wrong because we are created in God's image.  Verse 3 - God gave Noah EVERYTHING to eat... don't really think that's an argument for vegetarians.

Genesis 14 - Melchizedek pops in and out.

Genesis 16 - Hagar - More drama and quite a mess today, but God remembered her.

B90X: The Bible in 90 days

I was challenged by God, I think this was a few months ago now, through Scott at Crash (our Sunday night service).  He and a group of his friends read through the Bible using B90x.  Our church has been reading through the Bible and sadly, because my first response to rules and authority is to rebel, I didn't do it.  Wrong response.  So when Scott brought this up I knew I should do it.

Some background, I've read the Bible, or at least most of it.  I've tried the reading plans before.  I remember once when we were all still baby Christians my mom tried to read through the Bible with me and my brother.  As most people do, we made it to somewhere in Chronicles and pretty much gave up.  In college and seminary I was required to read the Bible and to be honest, I haven't read much of it since then.  It's become over-intellectualized for me, too scholarly, too much to comprehend and dissect. 

Well the truth is, you don't have to read the Bible that way, but my heart has been hardened.  I've hardened my heart unto God and now He's working at softening it up, molding it again to what He wants it to be and one way to do that is to read His story again.  So my approach to this reading is not to over-intellectualize it, not to analyse it, but read it as a story, the story of God and his people, my people.

So day 1: I read and listened to the Genesis 1:1-Genesis 16:16 (that's the end of ch. 16 by the way).  It was fun listening to the dramatic rendering of the texts and hearing the music in the background - help me keep my mind from wandering a bit.  It took about an hour doing it that way and it would have been way shorter if I just read it, but again, I had the time and it was helpful.

What I got out of it: a couple of things.  We recently had Kids Camp (3rd through 6th graders) with my church.  We went to a full on camping facility and experienced God and nature and all that is camp.  Well, the theme for this year was God's masterpiece, as in we are God's masterpiece, very true.  We did focus on the beginning chapters of Genesis a bit and a conversation came up in our small group one night (I had 6th graders) about Adam and Eve and the first sin.  My co-leader gave a rather good and interesting perspective to our young men and women.  He brought up the fact that Eve is often pegged as the culprit for the first sin, but chapter 3 verse 6 is very clear, even though Eve is doing most of the talking, she gave some of the fruit to her husband, who was with her.  This means that Adam was with her the whole time, during the whole exchange he pretty much sat there, and what was he doing, just thinking, "Gosh Eve you're so pretty."  I don't know.  I think he heard everything the serpent said to Eve and he let her do it.  I'm sure he was curious too, but just a few verses ago he claims such a close bond with her, "bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh" because she was, but he wasn't alone anymore too and didn't that mean something?

So my co-leader, challenged the young men with this passage encouraging them to step up and essentially, "be a man" and protect the woman and be responsible, which was nice, but what he said really impacted my ladies as well.  We had a discussion later about all of this.  It was as if they were relieved this whole sin thing wasn't all on them, which is good, but we all share the blame.  Just as God said, it is not right for man (or woman) to be alone, we must remember that we do all this together.  Even though I might not have been there, I think I would have been as eager as Eve or as silent as Adam.  My pride always creeps up on me seeking to take the glory and be God, but there is only one God.  To recognize that is important, it is also important to recognize that we can't make it through alone.  We share in sufferings and in joy and we need one another.  It took two people to bring utter calamity for us all.  It only took one, Jesus Christ, to bring us back from certain death.

The second thing that really stands out for me is the call to Abram.  First God says leave.  Leave everything you know and have ever known to follow me.  I have centuries of people knowing God; or I should say centuries and millenia more than Abram, but he willingly went.  I'm pretty certain God placed a similar call on my life, but I'm stuck dragging my feet.  I need to work on that.  Step one completing the application to GIAL.  There, so now you know and knowing.....

There are some insights I'd like to share with you and maybe they'll be helpful.  If you'd like to join me on this journey, please do.  I'm starting today, but don't feel like your 90 days has to start now.  Join me whenever you can and we can dialogue.  The plan is here: B90X.  It's not my idea, nor my invention, thanks to Elevation Church.  In the meantime, I'll be sending this out into the abyss.  Perhaps it'll touch you and maybe I'll hear from you.

Until then, on a funny note, I love Pharaoh's response to Abram's deception about Sarai.  "Here's your wife.  Take her and GET OUT OF HERE!"  Makes me laugh. :)