Dreams of Parents

All of you parents know there was a moment the day your child was born that you probably looked at them and thought something similar to, "Who are you?  And who will you become?"  We spend hours dreaming of what our children will grow up to be and what their personality will be like.  I remember wondering what my son's voice would sound like.  When he began cooing, I became so excited about the day he would be able to talk to me. 

Elizabeth and Zechariah have dreams for their son, John.  They know he is sent from God and has a journey for God ahead of him.  However, they probably think he will have riches and power in the government.  They may think he will have great honor and praise.  Instead, we learn from Luke 1 that John the Baptist will spend years, about 30, wandering the desert.  We know from the other gospels that he will die like a criminal and be beheaded while in prison.  Yes, he grew up to be a great man who did what God asked of him, but he didn't follow the dreams of his parents. 

Joseph takes his two sons to Jacob when he hears that Jacob is sick.  Jacob calls his grandsons to him in Genesis 48.  He blesses them,  but puts the second son first.  Joseph tries to correct him, but Jacob knows that the second born will have more power than the first born.  Four generations in a row have allowed for the blessings to go out of order.

We can have all the dreams in the world for our children and wish them the best of lives. But what they really need from us to raise them to follow God and follow their own hearts.  We can't dictate the lives of our kids.  We can't even control what all goes on in our own lives.  This is a scary thought for some parents.  I hope that I am able to teach my son to find comfort in God's control over his life, not fear.

New Beginnings

Today we begin Luke.  My Bible says that Luke was written sort of as a letter to a new convert.  That may be why I like it so much.  It was written to teach someone new to the faith, so it is easier to read.   Luke was a doctor, so he describes his observations carefully and from a caring point of view.  It seems that there is a lot of disagreement over when this book was written.  My Bible says anywhere from AD 50 to AD 80.

Luke begins with Zechariah and Elizabeth, the parents of John the Baptist.  He explains the appearance of Gabriel and the miracle birth.  Then he turns to Mary and her own miracle conception.  My bible mentions in a sidebar that we can guess Luke could not explain the conception of Jesus  in medical terms because he is vague.  He kind of says the Holy Spirit over shadowed Mary, causing her to be pregnant.  Basically, I guess, the Holy Spirit consumed her body and left behind the human form of God.

When I moved to the Old Testament, I read of the Israelites settling in Egypt.  Genesis 47 shows Joseph gathering great wealth for Pharoah during the famine to save the lives of the Egyptians.  This allows Joseph's family to settle and prosper, thus extending the lineage of Abraham.

I hope everyone is able to feel new beginnings somewhere in your lives today!

Missing verses???

So I have a looming question as we read the last chapter in Mark!  My Bible says that only the first 8 verses of chapter 16 were in the original book of Mark.  Where did the rest come from?  Did Mark really write them??  It is hard to tell what pieces of writing are valid if there is discrepancy between scholars.  As a reader or the Bible, and not a scholar, I am confused.

As for Genesis, basically all chapter 46 says is that Jacob arrived in Egypt, and it recaps his children. 

I realize this is a terribly short blog, but I wasn't too excited about the chapters today.  That is a mixture of being tired and being in a bad mood from a very long day at work!  Hopefully tomorrow will be better!

What God Intends for Good

     You know those nights when everything seems to be falling apart?  Each plan we have fails and we feellost and betrayed by those we love?  My husband and I had a fight last night.  It basically boils down to the fact that I like to be in control, and he likes to do things behind my back so I can't grasp control of them.  I've made this sound like he did something horrible.  Really he just got a new dog without telling me.  I saw the whole thing as disrespectful and mean to me.  He saw it as just getting a new dog.  My point is that a huge argument ensued.  When I went to bed feeling sad and rejected by my husband who lied to me, I tried to see what good would come of this.  I tried to see if God intended this for good.
     I read Mark 15 this morning, the crucifixion of Jesus.  I bet the people who believed in him were just devastated.  They probably wondered what God would do with this that would be good.  The situation seemed so terrible that surely nothing good could come of it.  Instead, the greatest gift of all was given to every believer. 
     In Genesis 45, Joseph tells his brothers that what they intended for evil was actually God's plan for good to come to their family.  Because they were cruel enough to sell him into slavery, he now rules Egypt.  Joseph probably wasn't that happy about it when he was in jail, but now he knows what God's plan really was. 
     It is so hard in the middle of the darkness to feel the hope we need.  Even when something so small as an arugment with your husband spirals your mood into a cloud of sadness and anger, God is there.  The Bible tells us that the dark of night may be difficult, but joy will come in the morning.  I hope you all feel God's presence when you walk through the dark moments today.  I hope you see the joy that will come in the morning.

Denying God

Mark chapter 4 tells of Peter denying Jesus during his trial.  This chapter is full.  It also recaps the Last Supper, prayer in the Garden, and Jesus's condemnation by the Sanhedrin.  It was the denial of Christ by Peter that struck me the most today. 

Yesterday I wrote about being prepared for the return of Christ.  I read that it would become increasingly difficult to follow God and stay faithful to our beliefs as Christians.  If Peter struggled, how much harder will it be for us?  Peter watched the miracles, he saw Moses and Elijah, he truly believes all the Jesus stands for and has done.  Yet, he denied ever knowing him.  Will we have the strength to remain steadfast?

Just a recap for Genesis 44...
In this chapter, Joseph plots to catch Benjamin stealing from him to keep Benjamin in Egypt.  Judah finally sets aside sibling rivalry and argues to set Benjamin free.  Joseph caves!

Well Prepared

Mark 13 is Jesus's list of signs for us to watch for that will indicate an end to this world.  He tells his disciples that it will be increasingly difficult to follow God.  We will be punished and persecuted for our beliefs.  Only those who stand firm will be chosen to go with the angels.  I hope I am strong enough and firm enough to not be shaken!  It is a scary thought.  We are warned to be prepared for the return of Christ.  I hope I am.  I know I am not perfect, and I know there are a few things that need serious work.  I could list them, but it would be lengthy.  All I can say is Prasie God for his Grace and Mercy!

Question of the day:  Jesus tells the disciples that their generation would not end before the end of times.  What changed?  or am I misinterpreting that passage?

In Genesis 43, Joseph's brothers were not prepared for their second arrival in Egypt.  They are expecting terrible consequences, not the banquet they were welcomed with.  My favorite part is Benjamin's dinner.  I love that Benjamin received five times larger portions than the others!

Have a great day, and think about what you need to prepare in your heart!

Following Commandments

It is difficult to follow orders sometimes.  Ask anyone currently enlisted in the military or anyone who served in a war zone.  We don't always agree with our orders.  Remember as a kid when your parents told you to do something and you didn't want to?  Sometimes we feel that way with God.

God tells us that we shouldn't do things or avoid them based on feeling.  We serve God based on duty and glorifying him, not how we feel at the moment.  In Mark 12 a man says, "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him.  To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."

Joseph's brothers, in Genesis 42, have to follow Joseph's orders to return to their father and bring back Benjamin. They don't want to do what is asked of them, even though it is in God's name. 

I pray that you are able to work through the difficult orders and follow your duty to God.