Day 4, April 2- Not Quite What I Expected

So I finished my Genesis experience and now moving in to Exodus. Some thoughts to consider in light of Genesis (Though I know I shared briefly on this yesterday), relationship in Genesis was SOOOO serious. Not just between God and Man, but between families, and the concept of Honor was so important. This honor that God was seeking from man and found in Abraham, and even as the honor is continued through Joseph at the end of the book is so trans formative (Side note Joseph is my favorite story in the Bible, and I grew up having my grandfather tell it to me over and over, I guess there is just something about Visionaries, and World Changers that I love :)). Though it's interesting through the esteem of honor, how the highest level of Love can be shown. One thing I love about Joseph, was his ability to look at the big picture and constantly honor God, His Family around him. Whether it was his employer (Potiphor), or the Pharaoh of Egypt, he had a deep commitment to honoring what God had called him to do, and always stood obediant to task.

Honor through relationship definitely moved through my heart, in light of the youth service on Friday, as well as yesterday. Yesterday, was a real eye opener to how I have not best honored my family relationships. Definitely not every relationship, but some key ones. Perhaps it was being in a celebration, mixed with a lot of past and present, which really brings a lot of reflection to heart and mind. It truly made me consider how much I've really been present. A lot of this came about as I was watching my godson and realizing just how much I had missed. A few months back I had a weird interaction, which really made me question whether or not I was at all qualified to be part of his life. I've dealt with a lot of mental inadequacy issues, as a general result of my life experiences. All to say I realized how much I had actually been discouraged, and how much I had allowed that discouragement to effect my presence. And it brought to my mind a thought, there are so many people (including God) that we are willing to die for, but at what cost are we willing to live for them? Whether it's a self-sacrifice of convenience, or time, or personal perception, what are we willing to lay down with what we have now? (Just to make it clear, no one has ever expressed this to me, these are personal feelings that I processed alone, my family loves me very dearly)

In light of a God relationship, it is much easier to say I would die for him, rather than I would live for him. Because it requires constant sacrifice, constant love, constant obedience, and constant, consideration. In light of this I also realized that value of the relationships around me and how God has constantly provided me with family at every time of need. For me personally I feel that the family he has surrounded me with, whether through blood or through friendship, is such an amazing sign of his love, because its the one that I know for certain I do not deserve, I have not earned, and nothing has qualified me to have those relationships. Many times with those I consider family, I almost feel like I'm seeing a different character trait of Jesus, because of their undying love for him, and their constant faith in me and all that I work towards.

I'm incredibly privileged, but don't want to ever take advantage of or not honor those relationships that I am privileged to. Looking forward in response to his love for me, I need to honorably respond to those hes given me, and I encourage you all to consider the same thing. Honor your family even when it's difficult. Honor the time you spend with them, consider it as priceless. My pastor had shared with me how one thing he is loving about his decision to give up television during this season of Lent. His sacrifice has allowed him to completely focus his time and attention fully when he is with his son. How often do we do that in our relationships with God and with others? In church are we not so quick to consider our cell phones and our neighbors rather than honoring this time that we are in God's presence? At homes do we value the dinners and the conversations that we have with our families. Let's set ourselves to a new level of relationship honor.

So I'm taking the family/friend challenge and reaffirming all of those relationships. Starting......today <3

"Love what you knows true/ It holds you/ Stop waiting for something else new/ Hold on, Hold on "