On Creation (Genesis
1-2)
I found
interesting the idea of resting on the seventh day. This creation story was set
at a time when people literally lived or died based on the work they did. They
didn't have minimum wages, mandated 48 hour work week or enterprise bargaining.
And in this context, there is still a clear message for rest, appreciation, and
reflection on past accomplishments.
I find this
interesting because (broadly speaking) it's a message society still hasn't
quite got right today. (I think) we spend so much time working and striving for
things that we don't take enough time to rest, reflect, and appreciate the
fruits of our labour.
-
Surath F
We don't allow
ourselves time to rest -
to be still. And it's only when we allow ourselves those times to just soak in
the presence of God throughout the day then we can truly rest.
-
Jess T
And sometimes we only realise that
we haven’t had any rest when things are going downhill already, we feel drained
and exhausted.
-
Pat P
Has anyone ever wondered why God
formed woman out the man's rib instead of any other part?
Women were
created from the rib of man to be beside him, not from his head to top him, nor
from his feet to be trampled by him, but from under his arm to be protected by
him, near to his heart to be loved by him. - David O'Mckay
-
Mario WP
On Original Sin
(Genesis 3)
By eating of the
tree of knowledge, we are given God’s knowledge of good and evil. This act
constitutes original sin. God exiles us from the garden and guards the tree of
life, which grants immortality.
Now all of us
are sinners. All of us long for redemption. All of us have eternity
"written in our hearts". So maybe the message is for us to not spend
our lives in a frantic attempt to escape sin (of course do our very best to
avoid sin), but rather to respond with faith, hope, and love.
-
Surath F
I oftentimes get
upset with myself when I fall to sin. This is accompanied by shame. It is the devil's
way of keeping us from God. I was told that shame is bad. Guilt, on the other
hand, is good in a way. Apparently, when we have guilt after doing wrong, it's
a sign that our soul is still alive.
-
Pat P
There is a
difference between good guilt and bad guilt. Good guilt prompts out hearts
(it's our guardian angel’s way of telling us what we have done wrong). It
allows us to acknowledge, understand, and forgive ourselves. Bad guilt
(essentially shame), makes us dwell in our sins. But oftentimes, it's hard for
us to differentiate them both, hence, when we sometimes go for confession we
never truly believe we are forgiven.
-
Jess T
Sin is lurking at the door; its desire is for you, but you
must master it.
-
Claire D
On Cain and Abel
(Genesis 4)
The Cain and
Abel story is also interesting to me because I take from it to not compare
yourself to others. Taking a line from the poem desiderata, "If you
compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there
will be greater and lesser persons than yourself".
-
Surath F
On Adam’s Descendants
(Genesis 5)
Is there a significance in the
number of years that each descendent lived and when each died?
I took it to be
linked to the increase of sin in the world. In other words, as the descendants
of Adam and Eve became more sinful and wayward in their ways, their lifespans
were reduced.
-
Surath F
On Noah (Genesis 6-9)
I admire Noah.
Imagine he was building a huge ark and everybody must have thought that he has
gone crazy, hearing the Lord talk to Him. But he remained faithful. I wish I can
go crazy for God like that. Not thinking of what other people would say about
me.
-
Pat P
Noah had so much
faith and was so obedient to God's word. It also makes me think that I'm
thankful for the scriptures and the stories of all the prophets and apostles.
It all helps to remind us to stay 'on track', so to speak.
-
Gen Y
I used to think
that God is not fair for only selecting only Noah and his family. But now that
I've grown up, I realise that to do what Noah did requires a lot of faith and
trust in God. Not just anyone can do it.
Maybe God wanted
to save as many as possible, but Noah was the only one who truly believed in
God and so was saved. Maybe God prompted all humans, but only Noah and his
family answered God’s prompting and trusted their lives in Him.
So I guess it's
a question every one of us can relate to. Are we like Noah? Answering God's
call and trusting Him until the very end even when the whole world does not? Or
are we like the rest of the world and die in end because of the hardness of our
hearts?
-
Mario WP
I find Noah's
story fascinating. The words are very strong. Mankind is to be wiped off the
earth for their sins. Likened to dirt! It begs the question of how far mankind
must have fallen during that time to be so out of favour with God!
But having said
that, there was one man, Noah, who found favour with God. He was a man living
with principles in a time when there were none! He is a trailblazer, trend
oppose, and leader. Think about the level of pure faith this man possesses, to
see such a monumental task done. I both admire and aspire to that level of
faith and trust (easy to say - challenging to do!)
Interesting to
observe that God chose to destroy the world through water. Just as we enter our
Christian faith through baptism of water. Or another way of looking at it, God
saved Noah through water, just as we are saved through baptism.
-
Surath F
It's interesting
that post the flood, Noah is given the authority to eat meat. Therefore, I
assume that beforehand Adam and Eve were vegetarian in the garden. Is this a
lifestyle hint for us, granted by God? Logically speaking, long life and a
balanced vegetarian diet go hand in hand.
-
Surath F
On the Tower of Babel
(Genesis 11)
The Tower of
Babel episode is interesting because it shows what a united humanity, speaking
"one language" can achieve. It also shows God’s wrath at the human
attempt to reach the heavens. Note that in this instance, God does not forgive
or extend the proverbial olive branch!
-
Surath F
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