Well… I have a one-year plan again that I’m hoping to do, and I do better when I journal it, so… more boring entries to come. 🙂
Starting early because I don’t believe in new year’s resolutions (to him who knoweth to do good, and doeth it not because it isn’t January 1, to him it is sin) and also because I’m sure I’ll miss days, so this makes a soft start. 🙂
Genesis 1-2
Interesting fact I never noticed before: God named: Day, Night, Heaven, Earth. Adam named all the beasts.
2:2: The Seventh Day is such a challenging little verse. God created—way back on day 4—the signs and seasons, including the marker of a seven-day week. Then God finished His creation on day 6. God was planning ahead for a restful day 7. I also love what He says about day 7: He blessed it and made it holy. So often the focus with the Sabbath is for us to make holy the day, but the reality here, in creation, is that God has blessed the day and made it holy. The seventh day was the day of His rest.
2:5: God made Adam before there were any small (new) plants. This is in total contradiction to evolution. This cannot be un-literal days. also, Adam came before Eden, and then God moved him to Eden (v. 15).
Psalm 19
Oh, what a beautiful and perfect psalm to go with Genesis 1-2. Mmmm. I want to print this one out and memorize the parts I don’t already know. Popular psalm, but it hits on so many things!
Mark 1
Oooh, this is exciting. I’ve never done a reading plan that brings together OT and the NT purposefully. How awesome to spend this time in Genesis with the beginning of things—on the brink of the problem of sin—and come to the gospels and see the beginning of redemption at the same time.
“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:15 ESV)
Just as Satan immediately appeared in the Garden, he’s sneaking up on Jesus right away, too—“immediately”, v. 23. And, oh, how Jesus responds differently than Eve! Instead of listening, He tells him to be silent. Beautiful parallel here. Eve listened to the serpent, was led astray, led Adam astray, and sin flourished and sickness entered the world. Jesus rebuked the demons, cast them out, silenced them, brought the gospel, and came with physical healing.