Daily Encouragement

January 1, 2010 - In The Beginning

Meditation on Genesis 1

The word, Genesis means "origin". So the book of Genesis recorded the origin of the creation, the origin of man, the origin of marriage, the origin of sin, the origin of civilization, the origin of the basic races of mankind, the origin of God's chosen people, the Israelite and etc.

In this account of creation, it is clear to us that God created the earth and all the living things on earth in six days. I do not see how we can get around the fact that each date was clearly spelled out after the specific statement, "there was evening and there was morning." That is the period of one day according to the Jewish custom of calculation.

This chapter concludes with the summary, "God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good." (v. 31a NASB)

Furthermore, it is important to notice what God said in verse 27, "God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female he created them." Three time in this short verse God's word emphasized that man was created. It means that man was a brand new creation. Before then, man had never existed. This should throw out the hypothesis of evolution of man completely. Mankind may have variation, development, or degeneration throughout the years. But man was never evolved from lower species because God said, "Let us make man in Our own image, according to Our likeness…" (v. 26)

Since you and I have the image and likeness of God, we know that God loves each of us very much.

Let us thank God for His creation and let us praise Him for loving us and providing for us through this earth.

January 2, 2010 - Fellowship broken

Meditation on Genesis 3

Man and woman were created to have transparent, good fellowship with God and with each other. But the disobedience of Adam and Eve caused mankind to loose that kind of intimate fellowship.

Since Eve was deceived by the cunning Satan and ate the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and gave also to her husband to eat, curse came upon them and their descendants. Immediately, they were afraid of God and hid from the presence of God. (v. 8) Their fellowship with God was broken. Then, Adam instead of acknowledging his wrong, he blamed God and his wife for his disobedience by saying, "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree and I ate." (v. 12 NASB) From then on, man and woman would always blame each other for their problems.

Of course we see a lot more tragic consequences because of this original sin of disobedience before God in this chapter. Especially, sin and death came upon all men. (Romans 5:12)

However, we thank God for His provision for man's fall. Verse 21 says, "The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them." God was the first Taylor for mankind. He made it from skin of the animal. That indicated that blood had to be shed. It was a prophetic sign that the blood of the Lamb of God would take away the sins of the whole world!

God Himself had provided garments to cover up our sins and shame.

Jesus, the son of God was that Lamb of God, John the Baptist said. (John 1:35-36) When we believe in Jesus who died on the cross for our sins, our fellowship with God will be restored. In turn, our fellowship with one another will be blessed.