November 1, 2012

• Genesis

  I know I’ve mentioned in the last two posts how much I’m enjoying studying Genesis. Sometimes…rarely because of our discussion (this is still a work in progress). Sometimes because of the lecture. But mostly because I’m being specific about digging deeper into the text “I’ve heard a million times before”. Along with my digging deeper, I’m being specific to challenge my 5^th grade girls Sunday school class to do the same. These kids know the answers. I know the answers. My BSF group knows the answers. 

  I’m not sure why I’ve never seen the story of the flood the way I see it now. I knew what happened but maybe I just didn’t fully grasp or understand it. Seriously, this being specific about studying Genesis is reshaping the way I read Scripture and teach it. We focus so much on God remembering Noah and the post-rainbow promise that we …or at least I missed the boat (pun intended) that God destroyed every living thing except Noah and his family. Every person. Every shrub. Every creature. EVERYthing. This is not a pleasant thing, at all. What faith Noah had to obey every command God gave Him. What faith He had to get in the ark, let God close the door and sit there while it didn’t begin to flood for 7 days, not to mention the 120 years it took to build said Ark. I get impatient after a day and yet, Noah trusted and waited on God. I’m ashamed to say, I probably would’ve been making fun of him.

  Then knowing what’s coming with the Tower of Babel and even Abram and Sarai getting impatient with God for not giving them a child (in their timing). My initial thoughts are didn’t they get it? God “just” destroyed the earth because of such a sinful people – maybe you should check yourself. Seems logical, right? Yet, time after time in Scripture this happens. Not to mention 2012. We, as a whole, just don’t get it. 

  These are things we shy away from in Sunday school. And I get it, I really do – we can’t press the magnitude of some stories. Even now, I know I don’t understand the significance of the flood.  Wednesday the Sunday school teachers got an email from our children’s director, which couldn’t have been more timely about being careful on how we teach Sodom and Gomorrah. Some pieces of that email, “While all Scripture is God-breathed and valuable for teaching, I believe that, at times, we should also use discernment when teaching children.” Also… “I am not suggesting that we sugar-coat or shy away from the lesson, but to be cautious in our remarks about the sinfulness of the people. As we know the story of Sodom and Gomorrah is very descriptive regarding man’s sin—it is not necessarily content appropriate for children, especially for younger children. Our children do need to know that man’s disobedience leads to judgment, but this can be achieved in a general sense, not in a specific sense of the actual sins being committed. Please be prudent in your presentation.”

  Honestly, I agree, we need to be carful but where is that line?

  That rant, over.

  I mentioned this in fellowship the other night. I have a newfound appreciation for Hebrews 4:12a, “For the word of God is living and active.”

  These are texts (Genesis), if you grew up in the church, and or like me in the church, Christian school from Pre-k through college, we’ve heard over and over again. But there is always something to be learned and gleaned from it. We don’t know it all. Even in the childhood stories. Our circumstances, life, lens in which we see things change throughout life and the living and active Word of God speaks to us differently because of these things. In 20 years, heck, in 1 year I may read Genesis again and wonder how did I miss that when studying Genesis in BSF? Why is this? Because His Word is LIVING and ACTIVE. You know the phrase, meeting people where they’re at…well, I think The Word…God does this (in a sense), meets us where we’re at and I love that.

  Please don’t think I’m complaining about growing up in the church and Christian schools. I’m actually quite thankful to have such a solid foundation but at some point, like most, we allow ourselves to be ok with the SS answer. I remember the first time I was called out on a SS answer. I was a little peeved but can look back and appreciate the way I was being challenged to look deeper.

  From then on, I decided to let go of SS answers, which is honestly why my answers don’t match the typical ones in our group. I’m not content with that, nor should we be. How disappointing if we allow ourselves to become robotic when it comes to Scripture. Obviously some answers are straightforward but my challenge to myself is not allowing myself to be content with knowing the story already.

  Dig deeper, friends. It’s worth it on every level.

   

  • 8:54 pm
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