Day 1 Reviewed

Genesis 1 - Genesis 37

• "In the beginning," the earth seems to be in the most peaceful state that it ever was! God ordered the world into being. He did it with ease and was at ease with it! "Let there be," was the single command issued toward every created component. "Let us make man," is the first hint of effort exposed. Then again, He called the rest of creation "good," and He called man "very good." God was at ease after creating everything (He rested!) And all creation was at ease, and meant to be that way!

• It seemed that Adam and his bride were at peace until they were told not to be (by the scaly menace). "Who told you that you were naked?" Ha! 

I used to be so much this way. Actually, I can't remember ever being at peace with myself, the world, life in my younger days, and not surprisingly I was constantly feeding myself with any reasons not to be. What about you? Are you at ease, or do you cultivate discontent?

• Not many people seemed at ease from Adam's generation on! The first person I found who really displayed being at ease was Abraham. In Gen 22, Abraham is obeying God and about to sacrifice his own son. "God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering," he proclaims. I noticed that obedience, but especially trust (more than just obeying, but believing that God has good intentions for His faithful ones) is closely related to being at ease! Of course, God provides for Abraham, in this and many other situations. (A son - prior, an honorable grave site for his wife, and of course, the very generations as his inheritance!!) From everything said about Abraham, I must conclude that "by FAITH," Abraham was at ease!

• Genesis 27 - If it was God's plan to prosper Jacob, why did it happen through deceit? Maybe it was still because of his grandfather Abraham? Beyond this experience, Jacob did seem to trust God and be at ease somewhat. Though I think he fought it. Maybe he was one of those kids that knew what to do but learned to hard way. God tell him, "I am with you, and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you." Definitely a good reason to be at ease! Maybe this gave him the confidence and faith to work fourteen years for the wife he wanted!