It’s Week 1 of our challenge to choose our favorite verses from each book from the Bible, so naturally, we’re in Genesis. Genesis is a hard one for me, because there are a lot of amazing verses. I could pull from the lives of Noah, Joseph, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob… The list is endless.
Three years ago, I chose Genesis 15:1b–“Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; your reward shall be very great.”
This go-round, something in Joseph’s story grabbed me. Genesis 45: 8a in the NAS says, “Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God.” Wow. As someone who moves more than a lot, this is amazing. God has each move in the palm of His hand. Each place I go has been prepared for me. But here’s the thing… I can’t go in there and be idle. Everywhere I go, God has something for me to do. Joseph wasn’t idle in Potiphar’s house, or in prison, or in Pharoah’s palace. He worked. He matured in God. He stepped up a God-ordained ladder until he took a great part in saving a nation.
And this doesn’t just apply to life-altering moves, either. Ask yourself: Why am I sitting at this stop light? Why did I go to the post office today? Why did I get stuck in that traffic jam and now I’m behind schedule? Because folks, every single place you are in your day is a place and time God has allowed you to be.
What does He want you to do there?
Now it’s your turn! In the comments, share your favorite verse from Genesis. Some of you have said you’re going to blog this along with me. If you’re one of those people, throw a link down there in the comments and link back to this. Let’s see what we can learn from each other? Ready? Go!
-JB
Dawn says
I am going with 2 verses here. One amuses me and the other is more in line with Jodie’s thinking.
The first verse I am sharing is one of my favorites because I am not as mature as I should be and I think it’s pretty darn funny.
Genesis 31:35 – Rachel said to her father, “don’t be angry, my lord, that I cannot stand up in your presence; I’m having my period.” So he searched but could not find the household gods.
I just think it’s amazing that women have been lying about and using their periods as an excuse since Genesis.
As Jodie mentioned, there are so many that have such an impact on our lives. When I went back this morning to see what I underlined, the one that stuck out the most was Genesis 4:6-7 – Then 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.”
Especially in today’s world, sin is always “crouching at your door.” I like the idea of owning up to our mistakes, trying to right our wrongs and making a real purposeful effort to master our sins.
Jodie says
You crack me up. 🙂 And I LOVE the thoughts on Genesis 4. I never thought of it that way, but you’re right, especially the “real and purposeful” effort part…
Jen says
Different verse, same idea. 🙂 Genesis 50:20
http://navigatingwithgps.blogspot.com/2010/08/genesis.html
Elizabeth Byler Younts says
Genesis 50:20..same as person above. I often often consider this verse.
Lisa Norville says
Genesis chapter 3 verse 9 (NLT) “Then the Lord God called to the man, “where are you?”
This verse makes me stop and think about where I am in my personal walk.
Jodie says
Another one I never thought about that way. I like that.
Diana Sharples says
Hey, Jodie! You asked me to post this from my Facebook status… okie dokie! This is not my favorite verse from Genesis, though (I don’t know the answer to that question).
I’ve been studying the book of Genesis, and something about the life of Abraham struck me that I hadn’t realized before. We talk about the faith of Abraham and what happened with Isaac on the mountain, but before that there’s the story of Lot and the angels in Sodom. Lot wasn’t saved because he was righteous! He was saved because of Abraham’s faith and prayers for him. THAT… give me a lot of hope.
Further explanation: Picture the scene… Abraham is standing on a high ridge talking with God, and God reveals to him what He’s going to do to Sodom. Abraham humbly pleads for the people… if there is forty righteous men, thirty-five, thirty, twenty, ten… will God spare the city? God’s response is yes. But we know the rest of that story… He didn’t spare the city.
But He did send two angels down. Why? As spies! They were supposed to sleep in the town center, where who knows what nasty things would have happened. But instead they met Lot at the city gate, and he pleaded with them to come into his house.
I was dreading reading this section, because I knew what Lot would do. When the people came to his door demanding that he bring the “two men” out, Lot offered them his two virgin daughters instead. EEW! Would a righteous man do such a thing? I’ve had this verse thrown at me as a criticism of the Bible, and it was something I couldn’t answer.
The study guide I’m using (NavPress’ Life Change series) gave me insight I didn’t have before. Let’s back up a little.
Several chapters earlier (Genesis 13:10-11), Abram offered a portion of his land to his nephew, Lot, because their herds were overcrowded. Lot chose the better piece of land, even though it was close to the wicked city of Sodom. Rather selfish, don’t you think?
Over the course of time, Lot went from living in tents near the city, to living in the city itself.
When the angels found him, he was at the city gate. Historically, the city gate was where the leaders of the town would meet. So… Lot had become a city leader.
In Sodom.
The city that God would destroy, because it was so wicked.
All is not lost with Mr. Lot, though, because he did recognize that the two men were angels of God, rather than just two nice looking chaps who got the rest of the people all in a tizzy. He opened his home to them–which was a common practice of hospitality in those times–even when the angels said they would stay in the city square.
And then all kinds of craziness occurred… and Lot offered up his two virgin daughters.
Fast forward a bit… Lot left the city, but pleaded with the angels not to send him to the mountains, but rather to a little nearby city… because Lot didn’t want to give up his status and creature comforts. Lot’s wife looked back, even though she was told not to. And later, when Lot was ultimately in the mountains because there was nowhere safe for him, his daughters got him drunk and slept with them so they could get pregnant.
These were NOT people made righteous by their deeds! These were people who were swayed by greed and by worldly culture. So why were they saved?
Genesis 19:29 — So when God destroyed the cities of the plain, he remembered Abraham, and he brought Lot out of the catastrophe that overthrew the cities where Lot had lived.
God saved Lot because of Abraham’s faith, because “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” (Gen 15:6, Rom 4:3, Gal 3:6, Jam 2:23)
Again, this says a lot about our faith and those we pray for. God hears us!
Lot pretty much disappears from the radar for the rest of Scripture, other than references back to this story. However, Peter mentions him in his gospel, and calls him righteous. A man who was greedy and offered his virgin daughters to a mob and later got drunk and slept with them? Yes… for the same reason. Because Lot believed God. Despite his despicable deeds, Lot had faith.
Our God is great and merciful, indeed.
Cheers,
Diana
Jodie says
I am so glad you moved this over here! Thanks for doing that. It doesn’t have to be your favorite, but it’s a great view I haven’t seen before, and that’s what I was hoping would happen doing this. I’m printing it out to look at some more. Thanks!