A reoccurring story

Day 4

OT Reading: Genesis 9-11

NT Reading: Matthew 4

Today is yet another day where we were introduced to a whole lot of names. In fact, chapter 10 was pretty much all names with small details thrown in. Unless you really enjoy those sorts of things, just skim through them, trying to pick up any of the small details or stories that are sometimes thrown in. You'll likely see me say this a few dozen more times before we're done reading the Bible.

Mark Twain is credited with saying, "History never repeats itself; but it often rhymes."

I'm not sure if you noticed...but that is a pretty accurate picture of the first 11 chapters of Genesis. It all went something like this: Man sinned. God punished man for his sins. God gave man another chance. Think about it. How else would you sum up the story of the garden of Eden? What about the flood? And how about the Tower of Babel? The details changed, so history wasn't repeating itself. But it sure did seem to rhyme.

Yes, man did still have to deal with the consequences of his sin (being kicked out of the garden, having to start over after the flood, etc). But each time God opened another opportunity...another chance...another choice to serve Him or to disobey Him.

The weird part, for me at least, is that we're only four days into reading the Bible, and I know that we are going to see this pattern throughout the Bible. From Abraham to the nation of Israel, to David to Jonah, this will be the story. The details will change but the story will rhyme in much the same way.

And that's much of my story. I mess up, I still do have to deal with the consequences, though thankfully Jesus paid the price in my place, and God gives me another chance. So...here's to the God of second chances.

and third...

and forth...

and fifth...