Hey all (I learned saying this when we lived in the South, but it was ya’ll), I am going to focus my blogs on “aha” moments as I am reading the scriptures. Many of you know I begin each year with a new reading plan. Last year and this year I am reading straight through from Genesis to Revelation. Last year I concentrated on all the explanations and footnotes. This year, I just wanted to read the Word asking God to allow scriptures to pop off the page when I needed to stop and devour them specifically. So, that’s what I will be sharing! Perhaps you will have thoughts on what I share; I would love to be able to dwell on your thoughts too, so please comment!

Today, I want to begin with some thoughts from Genesis. In this history of God and His people, we find God experiencing grief. “The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The Lord was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain” (Gen. 4:5,6 NIV) (emphasis mine).

Grief is something most all of us understand. It can be gut wrenching and joy disintegrating. Our grief comes from losses of so many types, especially those we love. God’s grief came from knowing His Creation, the people He loved, were filled with sin. Not only were they filled with sinful thoughts, but they also acted upon them. Fast forward to the New Testament. Paul wrote in Ephesians 4 how we can avoid bringing God grief. We are to be children filled with the light of Christ and the love of God. Oh, my. There are so many things listed in Ephesians 4 of how we are to live but we will focus on that later. 

My “aha” was that all my thoughts, when they are not focused on God’s love, compassion, and willful choice to obey what God has asked, brings God grief. Back to Genesis. God created us out of love, gave Eve to Adam to love, and put them in a perfect garden. Sin broke that perfect chain of love as we know. However, when I, when anyone, do not love with the love of Christ, we bring that gut wrenching, joy disintegrating feeling to God and God’s Spirit in us. Ouch. That thought breaks my heart. How about yours? 

“Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love…” (Eph 5:1 NIV).