In the Beginning...

                A few months ago, I decided that I would start at the beginning of the Bible and read through to the end. I’d done this once before when I was younger, but I skimmed through it so quickly that I really didn’t get much from it. I was reading it, but not really taking time to understand and meditate on it. So, this time I am taking notes as I go along, and re-reading some chapters along the way. I’m almost done with the book of Numbers now, but I thought it would be a great idea to blog about what I’ve read and found “note-worthy”. I just thought, why do this just for me, when someone else may be able to get something out of this too? Also, if anyone is interested in taking this journey with me, and sharing anything you find “note-worthy” along the way, please, please, please join in with me! (P.S. I’m reading from the NIV version of the Bible, you do not have to follow this translation. It’s just easier for me to understand.)

                So, with all that being said, let’s get started! Being the underdog that I am, I have been taking notes on the less common Bible stories or scriptures. We all know the story, “In the beginning, God created the heavens, and the earth, and said, ‘Let there be light’, he rested on the seventh day,” etc., so forth, and so on. But, the first thing that really caught my attention was Genesis 2:18, which says: “The Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.’”

                To me, this verse is a great scripture of hope for all who are single out there, maybe searching or praying for a mate. This verse, to me, shows that God cares about our lives, he cares about our relationships, and he doesn’t want us to be lonely. I confess, I have actually proclaimed this verse over my own life, during a little “relational-crisis”, and the outcome was great! So, if you’re in that situation, where you are searching for a mate, praying for reconciliation in a relationship, or whatever your case may be, I encourage you to pray this over your own life. Your prayer may go something like this: “Dear Heavenly Father, I know you care about me, and my life, and my relationships. Your word says, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.’ Lord, you know it is not good for me to be alone. So, Father, I am standing on your word today, believing that you will send the helper you created for me into my life.” 

              You don’t have to follow that verbatim, I’m merely suggesting a guideline that helped me during a tough and lonely time in my own life. I believe a great way to get God's attention is to repeat what God's word says about a particular situation, and proclaim it over our lives. It's a great testament of faith, even Moses did this...but, we'll get to that passage later!

                To finish up this session, I decided to make an outline of the curse that was brought upon man, woman, and snake in the Garden of Eden, when they ate the forbidden fruit. I found this “note-worthy”, because, frankly, there’s been a lot of blame placed over the years on Eve for menstrual periods, menstrual cramps, and bloating. If you’ve never heard a woman groan that it’s all Eve’s fault during her monthly visitation, I can assure you, I have! But, all I see in this passage is that woman will have painful childbirth, is that linked to all our other lady problems? It’s debatable, I suppose.  

*God cursed the snake:

·         above all livestock and wild animals

·         to crawl on his belly and eat dust all the days of his life

·         God put enmity between the snake and the woman, and between the snake’s offspring and hers; “he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” (< So, this is why I hate snakes so much!)

* God cursed the woman:

·         God said, “I will make your pains in childbearing very severe.”

·         “Your desire will be for your husband, (< Wow, that’s spot on with the way some  of us ladies act. Think about it, how many times have you said, “I just want you to spend time with me”)

·         and he will rule over you.” (< Suppose this is where the whole “Women submit to your husbands” thing came in?)

* God cursed the man:

·         “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it.”

·         “It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you  were  taken.” (< So, that explains why it always seems like a paycheck is spent before you get it, and you have to work so hard for anything you want out of life!)

So, that concludes today’s Bible study, maybe not the eye-opening revelation you were hoping for…but, stay tuned! It gets better! Some of the things I’ve read have really touched me, and ministered to me, and I don’t want you to miss out! I challenge you to read along, take this Bible reading challenge with me, and share your notes or comments also! Thanks for reading, be blessed today.