Starting the New Year right ...

A friend of mine started a facebook page encouraging women to read the Bible through in 2010. Since I'm a day ahead of those in the US, I am on Day 2. The reading for Jan 2 is:

Genesis 3:1-4:26

Matthew 2:13-3:6

Psalm 2:1-12

Proverbs 1:7-9

The story of Cain and Abel really struck me today. "The Lord put a mark on Cain so that no one ... would kill him. So Cain went out from the Lord's presence ..." Gen 4:15-16. The remaining verses chronicle how Cain married and had children and grandchildren. How sad that Cain chose - by his sin and his failure to repent - to live his life outside of God's presence. While his life continued "normally" - with marriage, children and grandchildren - he gave up on the one relationship that mattered most. How sad. The words of Proverbs 1:7 seem particularly relevant in light of this story, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom but fools despise wisdom and discipline."