Category: Genesis

Take a moment to read the entire chapter of Genesis 10 before reading the devotional below.

I bet you didn’t know that being called “Nimrod” was a compliment! The Bible is always full of surprises, and today’s chapter includes that gem. Here we have more genealogy, but this passage gives us a sense of the development of global nations on a different level.

History is a significant thing to pay attention to, in part because we learn from those who have gone before us and in part because it connects the Bible with actual events. Through this type of information, archaeologists and historians have been able to verify the truth of the Bible based on its historical accuracy. This chapter gives us the start of major empires in Assyria, Babylon, Philistia, and other regions. These names will be a significant part of the history of the Jewish people later on in the Bible.

Here’s your freedom for today:

The world is bigger than you.

When I read words like “all the nations of the earth” in the Bible, it reminds me that I am not the center of the universe. God’s been setting things up since the beginning of time, and he’s established earthly nations and rulers since the moment the flood ended. His plan is so vast, and I only understand some of the parts that he has chosen to reveal to us. In God’s infinite nature, there is certainly far more he has chosen not to reveal. My life is important, and I am important, but I am not the central figure even in my own story. God is the hero and the one around whom all stories are based. When I align myself with this truth, I am able to step back from a lot of things that seem urgent and lean into what God is actually doing.

Take a moment to read the entire chapter of Genesis 9 before reading the devotional below.

Have you ever had a giant win followed by an epic fail in your life? Noah gets it. He made it over a year in a boat with wild animals, received new promises from God signified by a gorgeous rainbow, is given a chance to start the world over again, and… falls into an embarrassing drunken stupor. This was the ONE guy that God thought had a shot at starting humanity over again.

Perhaps you think you could do better. Given Adam, Eve, and Noah’s examples, I’m not sure any of us would make different choices. Connecting with the reality of human frailty is an important part of reading the Bible and understanding your self. You’re not special (compared to other humans), but you’re the most special (because God said you are).

Here’s your freedom for today:

God’s promises overwhelm your sin.

Noah ended up being a lousy representative of the human race. So did Adam and Eve. God was not unaware of who he was dealing with when he made his promises. And he has kept his end of the bargain even when his people have failed him time and time again. God is not surprised by your sin, nor does he call off his promises when we let him down. He’s committed to you, and that says far more about him than it does about you. Sin may overwhelm you, but it will never overwhelm God.

Take a moment to read the entire chapter of Genesis 8 before reading the devotional below.

Today’s chapter opens with a powerful statement: “But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and livestock with him in the boat.” Five months has gone by, and I don’t know about you but I might have started wondering at some point if God had forgotten about me. Imagine having no contact with the outside world, being trapped in a boat you built yourself, and caring for animals of varying degrees of friendly. I can see myself wondering where this “plan” was going to lead.

Two and a half more months go by before even the tops of the mountains are visible. Noah celebrates his 601st birthday still looking for signs that this boat won’t be the end of him. Ultimately, over a year passes from the time Noah gets on the boat until the time he sets foot on dry land. Every cute song I ever learned as a child focused on 40 days of fun and rain!

Here’s your freedom for today:

God’s with you for the long haul.

God’s plans take time. He is deliberate and patient. Often that doesn’t line up with how we want the timeline to go. When God invites us into his plans, he gives us hard tasks. Our participation is not just cute or patronizing, it is sometimes essential to God’s will being carried out. He has entrusted us with important jobs, and he genuinely partners with us along the way. He doesn’t walk away after giving us an assignment. He’s with you, step-by-step. Lean in for the long haul, because God won’t fail you when you’re on his mission.

Take a moment to read the entire chapter of Genesis 7 before reading the devotional below.

Today’s story is perhaps one of the most frequently re-told Bible stories, and it’s a good idea to pay attention to the actual biblical account instead of only relying on what you’ve heard before. I was shocked as an adult to find that the Bible does not mention anyone mocking Noah for building the ark, as this detail was part of every re-telling I had ever heard. The Bible does not tell us anything about how the people around Noah responded, or if they even noticed his giant backyard boat.

Verse 16 tells us a lot about God’s character. It says, “God closed the door behind them.” This chapter repeats the fact that Noah was obedient to God, doing everything God had commanded. God honors that obedience and takes care of Noah, his family, and the animals on board and makes sure the door shuts nice and tight.

Here’s your freedom for today:

God’s got your back.

Sometimes people look at the Bible as a bunch of rules. They see God as demanding and rule-focused. We see here that obedience is the means to rescue. If Noah had not obeyed, he would have gotten wiped out with everyone else. Not because God didn’t want to save him, but because he wouldn’t have been able to. God doesn’t force anyone to be rescued. You get to choose obedience or not. God offer of rescue is a free gift, but he’s not going to make you take it. What area of obedience is God trying to use to rescue you today?

Take a moment to read the entire chapter of Genesis 6 before reading the devotional below.

The Bible is weird, and today’s chapter may leave you scratching your head. Good news! Bible scholars are still scratching their heads too. We start off with this strange description of the “sons of God” having sex with human women and producing giants. Yeah. No idea. Are the “sons of God” some kind of fallen angels? Or maybe some really strong and impressive men? Check out this helpful article that explores the issue.

Interestingly, God’s having some serious regrets by this point. If we add up some numbers from the genealogy in the last chapter, 1,056 years passed between Adam’s creation and Noah’s birth. God’s creation has unraveled and today’s chapter reveals it “broke his heart.” Only one person is still connected to God — Noah. God chooses Noah’s family to start the world again.

Here’s your freedom for today:

God won’t give up on you.

God could have given up on the world entirely. One more generation past Noah and there might have been no one left. Why not just crumple us up like a paper with a misprint and toss us in the trash? Maybe even recycle and make some kind of new species out of the chopped up bits of life forms? Love. God loves humans in a way that we can’t quite understand. He never wanted to give up, and Noah may have been the last chance to save humanity. God wasn’t giving up on us, and he won’t give up on you. He’s been pursuing you for a long time.