Four Stories, Four Ideas

Powerful ideas are conveyed in comparatively simple stories, easily remembered and passed on. The first 11 chapters of Genesis tell four compelling tales, each with a beautiful or haunting message.

1 | Creation

The Storyline: An exquisite world is spoken into existence.
The Point: All good things begin with a sovereign, all-powerful, creative, personal provider God.

2 | The Fall

The Storyline: Humanity undergoes a catastrophic moral collapse.
The Point: God has granted the terrifying courtesy of choice. With choice comes responsibility; with responsibility comes the Divine assessment we call judgment.

3 | The Genesis Flood

The Storyline: Floodwaters sweep the world away in a disaster of devastating proportions.
The Point: There is a moral compass: the revealed heart of God. Disregard it and hellish consequences follow. Respond to it, and, even in our imperfection, we will be sustained by the kind and forgiving grace of God.

4 | The Tower of Babel
The Storyline: Humanity undertakes a futile, ambitious building enterprise and, in the process, disintegrates into confusion.
The Point: In the arrogance of human ambition, the smallness of humanity is revealed, but the grandeur of God fills the universe.

© 2005

Love Expressing Itself

I thumbed through a Bible the other day, tracing out the idea of kindness. I found the word used side by side with friendship and generosity, hospitality and warmheartedness, doing good and expressing love, being helpful and showing sympathy. I saw kindness coupled with understanding, patience, courtesty, thoughtfulness, compassion and forgiveness.

The Bible expresses the idea unmistakably. It is love that proves we have faith. Well, it's kindness that proves we have love.

Strong Help, Limitless Possibilities

Think about the complexities of Creation. God is the one who dreamed up aardvarks and sequoias, cashews and laughter, aurora borealis and touch. He thought up Creation and then made it happen.

God has all power. He can do anything.

Think about your bad habits and realize God can help you change them. Think about love and know that God invented it and shows us its highest form. Think about thought itself and ponder this: God made your mind.

God has all power. He can do anything. And how does he use this awesome, unlimited power? It is unleashed for good. For our good.

© 2005