Time with Abba, Singing Praising 親親爸父，唱詩歌頌 : OT DAY 7 - God Is Taking Command (請按此處收聼廣東話Cantonese podcast click here)

Sunday, September 14, 2014

OT DAY 7 - God Is Taking Command (請按此處收聼廣東話Cantonese podcast click here)

Today's Reading: Genesis 1:31-2:3

** If you would like to learn a simple and good way of Daily Devotion method please read my “Count Down 5” from my Devotion on Fire blog:

http://bishopsilas.blogspot.ca/2009/08/count-down-5-subject-shifting-devotion.html

To use this simple and good way of Daily Devotion method please click this link:

.Subject Shifting Devotion.pdf

Please click this link to read Genesis 1:31-2:3

English(ESV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis 2&version=ESV

Chinese: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=創世記 2&version=CUV

Bible Study

Today's passage gives us two important perspectives. One is a traditional view on Sabbath to teach people a correct concept of "rest", not only to stop doing anything on Sabbath, Saturday, but the concept of rest and not just work, work and work. The Early Church used Sunday as Sabbath, a day to remember Jesus' resurrection to replace Saturday as Sabbath.

Let's take a look at what Professor John Goldingay says (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Goldingay) :

In the Western world the Sabbath gains new significance. Workaholism is a modern Western disease, and the Sabbath is its antidote. Many of my students work much too hard, undertaking a degree program and working one or two jobs in order to pay for their schooling. They never have a day off; they get more and more tired as weeks and months pass; and then they get sick, get depressed, and lose touch with God…
When God took a day off at the end of the week's creation work, it was not because God was weary, but it did become a pattern for human beings to follow so that we would not get weary. We become more human if we follow God's pattern.

John Goldingay. Genesis for Everyone. Louisville,KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2010, p.25.

Now, we have a new perspective from Professor John Walton's book, the lost world of Genesis One:

But in the ancient world rest is what results when a crisis has been resolved or when stability has been achieved, when things have "settled down"…
His "rest" is located in his "resting place" in Psalm 132, which also identifies it as the temple from which he rules. After creation, God takes up his rest and rules from his residence…
It is a place for the deity - sacred space. It is his home, but more importantly his headquarters- the control room. When the deity rests in the temple it means that he is taking command, that he is mounting to his throne to assume his rightful place and his proper role.

John Walton. The Lost World of Genesis One. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, p.72-74.

What have you got from today's two important messages? How can you link up the idea of "rest" and "God is taking command" together? If you are willing to let God to take command in your life, how can you live a restful life according to His plan?

Let's have a time to be still and give the Holy Spirit space to speak through the passage we have just read. Offer this time up to Jesus as you listen to him, while listening to "Gabriel's Oboe": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmax47l2hLU

Spiritual Journal

The title I heard from Jesus today is: God is taking command

What I receive from Jesus today is the blueprint of your life. Why? Because this passage tells us God has been taking command since He completed His first six days of creation till now and forever.

When He took command in the very beginning, He made the Sabbath holy. If we say we are Christians and we do not listen to this basic command to rest according to His plan, He is not taking command in your life.

Let Him to take command and you rest according to His plan including at least these:
1. Go to church every Sunday to worship Him
2. Not to be a workaholic and live a balanced restful life
3. Be restful in His presence everyday that you have a daily intimate personal relationship with Jesus, that is daily devotion
4. Listen and obey to His command to a tailor-made restful way of lifestyle

Do you think God is really taking command in your life?

Dear Lord Jesus,

Help us to be willing to let you to take command of our lives so that we can enjoy a restful and obedience life each day. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

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