I'm going to cram a lot of different thoughts into this blog, some I know I've blogged about before so... Get ready!
I started a 1 year Bible reading plan on the first of the year, and I'm excited about it! I've managed to do my reading every day and hopefully that continues. Although doing the reading on my smart phone which I get a daily reminder is helpful. (A smart phone which the beautiful soon-to-be Mrs Patton got me for Christmas. Thanks baby!)
There was a great story on NPR the other day about linguistics in babies and how we learn to speak. It was fascinating. One part of the story they talked about how even as babies learning to speak we have this connection with animals and our animal vocabulary is quite large when we're young. As parents, aunts, uncles, babysitters, we always say things like "look at the birdie" or "look at the squirrel." And, having just started going through Genesis, I couldn't help that this connection goes all the way back to the creation of the world and God charging man over the animals. Super interesting how this "unexplainable" mystery really probably goes back to how God created us and has linked us together. Just completely fascinating.
This, I know I've blogged about before, but it's worth noting again. In addition to doing a one year Bible reading plan, I also have set out to read more this year. Because I think I only read Love Does and The Hunger Games last year. That's just pathetic.
*I did read more than just those two books but I have a flair for the dramatic.
So I started with The Circle Maker and thanks to being sick and not working, I finished it. Yay!
The idea of praying bold prayers isn't new but I'm not very god at it for long. I tend to be bold and then don't want to put too much pressure on God so I back off. But reading the story of Abraham and his requests before God concerning Sodom and Gomorrah, you can't help but love that boldness.
"Then Abraham approached him and said: “Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked? What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare[e] the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?” The Lord said, “If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.” Then Abraham spoke up again: “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes, 28 what if the number of the righteous is five less than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five people?”
“If I find forty-five there,” he said, “I will not destroy it.” Once again he spoke to him, “What if only forty are found there?”
He said, “For the sake of forty, I will not do it.” Then he said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak. What if only thirty can be found there?”
He answered, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.” Abraham said, “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, what if only twenty can be found there?”
He said, “For the sake of twenty, I will not destroy it.” Then he said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?”
He answered, “For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it.” ~ Genesis 18: 23-32
Abraham was no holds barred. And as he gets going going, his boldness increases. I feel challenged this morning to come boldly before the throne of God and present my requests and stick to my guns. Not back down and shy away and worry that I'm asking to much of God... Because I can't ask to much. Nothing is impossible for God.
The other thing I've obviously struck by is God's faithfulness to that which he has promised and set apart. When you think about Abraham's story, even taking away the fact that the first dozen plus generations in the bible lived for a long long time, it's ridiculous to think about a man and woman in their 90's having a baby. It's crazy. But God makes a promise with Abraham that he will be the father of a nation and has crazy and ridiculous and absurd as it seems, God delivers. Because, as stated, nothing is impossible for God and he is always faithful!
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." ~ Romans 8:28
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