The Bible in a Year

Today is January 7, 2010 and I'm just getting around to trying to set some goals for the new year... not off to a very good start am I? I got an e-mail this afternoon that prompted the goal of reading through the bible in a year. I think that's always a goal in some way or another, reading my bible that is. Whether it's to read it through in it's entirety or just read some every day. It's something I know I need to do, it is imperative to my walk with the Lord, I mean it is His personal letter of love, encouragement and instruction to us, do we need any other reason to read it? So what interested me with this e-mail is that I can read it online and choose the type of reading that I want to do. I have chosen to read the bible in chronological order. It's something that has always interested me and I've even considered purchasing a bible that is in chronological order, but I must say, this is much more cost effective! So, although a week into the year, I'm starting... here we go.

Today's reading was Genesis 1-3. This passage I'm sure I've read a hundred times. All about how God created the world and how Adam and Eve screwed it up for all of us. What struck me today as I read was this: the third chapter of Genesis begins with the serpent chatting with Eve. He asks her a question and she responds well, at least I thought it was well, here, let me paraphrase.

           "Eve, are you serious? God won't let you eat the fruit here? I mean, how ridiculous is that? Doesn't He trust you?"

           "No silly, we can eat the fruit.We just can't eat the fruit off of that tree or we'll die." Eve so innocently replies. Then the serpent causes Eve to do something she's never done before, he causes her to question God and His love for her.

            "You'll die!?" The serpent retorts. "Seriously!? You don't believe that do you? God just doesn't want you to have all the good stuff, He's keeping things from you, you won't die. But if you don't eat it, you will most certainly miss out."

And just like that, Eve questions all she's ever known and with a brief conversation with a stranger, she becomes convinced that God was lying to her. Now, I don't know how long Eve had been living in the garden when this encounter took place, maybe a few days, a few years, a few decades, who knows. But I do know that no matter how long she was there, she had intimate fellowship with God. She didn't have to read her bible to hear His voice, or try and forget about the cares of the day. She didn't have to go to church to learn about His character, she didn't have to do anything, He was there with her. And she doubted Him. She questioned Him and His plan for her. She didn't believe.

I feel a bit like Eve lately. I've been going through a really tough time. We moved from FL to MI 3 months ago and it has been anything but easy. I really thought we were turning a corner in our lives but it seems like we've only run into bigger problems. And I can hear the serpent asking me, "Really? Are you serious? This is God's plan for you? Why should you bother serving Him anymore? Why should you tithe? You're no better off when you do." And I ponder those thoughts, I think on them, I let them penetrate my heart and I am distraught, frustrated, angry and fearful. My faith is waning and my courage to take another step is fading fast. I honestly feel as though every decision I make ends in disaster and regret. Is this the right path? Or am I doing something wrong?

So, if Eve who walked with God and had no need of faith could doubt Him and not believe Him, what hope is there for me?

The way I see it, I guess right now I have 2 choices.

      Choice 1: Believe that God is not for me, He's messing with me for fun and every decision I make is leading to disaster. So I should stop tithing, stop serving and start living for myself because it's not worth it.

      Choice 2: The liar is Satan, not God. Believe God, have faith and take another step forward.

Are there any other options?

Believe God or believe Satan. 

When I put it that way, the answer looks pretty darn obvious to me. So I choose to believe God and I am going to put one foot in front of the other and keep moving forward. I am going to keep serving, keep tithing, keep believing. I am going to strive to know Him more and more intimately. I am going to do my best to glorify Him through all of this garbage and trust that He is here with me, I'm not alone, I'm never alone. He never has and never will leave me.

Yes, that's what I choose.