Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

Family of God Daily Devotional

3 January 2024

Reading from Genesis 8-11

“And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.”[1]

     After the flood, Noah and his family began to multiply and all of the people spoke one language.  Rather than use this unity for good and follow God, they decided to pridefully go their own way and reach God on their terms, rather than His.  First there was eating from the forbidden tree in the garden, then there came the unbridled wickedness that brought on the flood, and now this prideful ambition.  Adam and Eve’s sin made it impossible for them to remain in paradise and to protect them from eating from the Tree of Life and being locked in their fallen condition forever, God removed them from Eden and guarded the Tree of Life with angels and flaming swords.  Just as our first earthly parents’ disobedience ruined their lives in Eden, the self-worship at Babel spoiled the unity these early humans once enjoyed.  New languages were born and the people groups were scattered around the world.  That’s the irony of rebelling against God and trying to figure out life on our own; the opposite of what we intend is usually the result.

     God is God and I am not.  He is my Creator and Sustainer and as such, He is the one with the right to show me how to approach Him and enjoy His blessings.[2]  I go to His Word alone as my source not only for knowledge but also how to put it into practice (wisdom).[3]  The opinions, perspectives and interpretations of others are important to me as I believe that God can speak to and through anyone and anything, but all knowledge and communication and supposed revelation must be measured against what God has already laid out for us in the written Scriptures.[4]  I’m not interested in following man-made religion, I want to follow Christ Jesus and build my life on His promises.

     “Lord Jesus, please give me the strength I need to resist going my own way and living life on my terms.  I pray that I would choose Your way of life over my own.  Your ways are higher than my ways, and Your thoughts are higher than my thoughts.[5]  You are the Creator of Heaven and Earth, I am not.  Only You are preparing a place for me in Glory,[6] I don’t have that ability.  So help me to serve You and worship You in the way You have shown me in the Bible.  Amen.”

---

[1] Genesis 11:4

[2] Job 38:4

[3] James 1:22

[4] Revelation 22:18-19

[5] Isaiah 55:8-9

[6] John 14:3-10