Family Conflict, Crazy Names, and Healing

The journey to read through the bible in one year. One thought and one verse from every book and chapter of the bible…

Genesis 28
Genesis 28:16 When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.”

I love that I am not the only one that forgets that God is everywhere...We need to be more aware of the fact that we are never going to be able escape Him. There is NOWHERE that we can go that He can not...wonder what it would look like if we actually lived THAT one out.

Genesis 29
Genesis 29:26-27 ²⁶ Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one. ²⁷ Finish this daughter’s bridal week; then we will give you the younger one also, in return for another seven years of work.”

I honestly cant imagine a worse scenario for Jacob. Thinking that he was marrying one daughter only to find out that he had been tricked into marrying that other! And then, marrying both sisters? At times, the stress in that household and in Jacobs life had to be through the roof! CRAZINESS! 

Genesis 30
Genesis 30:7 Then Rachel said, “I have had a great struggle with my sister, and I have won.” So she named him Naphtali.

It is all in a name...and how strange it must have been for Naphtali for the rest of his life. The translation of Naphtali is: my struggle. Doesnt sound like the most functional thing that the struggle was over the number of children that they (or their maidservants) were having.  

Matthew 8
Matthew 8:17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:

“He took up our infirmities
    and bore our diseases.”

I love that Jesus and the ministry that He did fulfilled prophecy from hundreds of years before. In this section we have the story of Jesus healing people. As someone that has a father that has been battling long term illness, I know that God has the power to do anything that He wants. And sometimes that isnt always in total and complete healing. When my dad was first diagnosed with cancer, they said that it they werent sure...but typically people lived three years...at best five with the type of cancer that he has. It has now been going on seven plus years. And while those years certainly have not been perfect...I love the fact that God is totally and completely sovereign and in charge. Sometimes we look for only the big thing, and miss out on the little miracles and ways that God blesses us...

So far to date...
Books read: 0
Chapters Read: 34
Verses Read: 1109 (Hit the 1000 mark in Genesis 29:3)