Letting My Hair Down Genesis 4-5


Letting My Hair Down

Job interviews are not fun. They are nerve racking. You prepare as much as you can, but who knows what you are going to run into. What kinds of questions they are going to ask. The ones that are the most terrifying are usually for the jobs you need the most. You are about to be interrogated by someone you have probably never met, and you financial future will be based on that one meeting...terrifying. Wouldn't it be great  if you could get a profile of the person in advance. If you knew what the person was like you could at least prepare a little.
The nice thing about knowing someone, especially someone that at likes you, is that you can be yourself. You can laugh, cry, let your hair down and not worry about saying the wrong thing. They know how you are. You have nothing to hide or worry about. What if on top of that, they loved you! Nothing is hidden. You walk in with the confidence that you are known and you are loved.
The more we study about who God is, and what He sacrificed to have a relationship with us, the more we can let our hair down and accept His love. As we watch him interact with Adam, Eve, Cain and Abel, Enoch and Noah, we have a better picture of his character and the things that matter to Him. It's not just about a lot of rules, and wondering if you are good enough. It's not a relationship based on fear, it's about of faith that His word is true. It's trusting that He will not change or lie.  God is not trying to trick us, He is very open about what matters to Him and how he feels about us. That's why we love Him back. It's also why we follow His commands.
I hate that emotional gut punch when I have let down a friend, but I know, with a true friend, I can say I'm sorry and we will move on with no loss of love. God's love for us won't change, even when we choose to disobey. He already knows us, and He wants us to know Him. Lets get to know him better by learning from the book He gave us. It's a lifelong relationship, not a one time interview .

Cool Tidbits from Genesis 4-5

Chapters 4-5 of Genesis take us from Adam to Noah.
We also see the famous Cain and Abel story, Methuselah and Enoch who went to heaven without dying.
I have put the memorable people in the passages below.
Read Chapters 4-5 with the link at the end of the blog

Genesis 4:2-8

New International Version (NIV)
Later she gave birth to his brother Abel.
Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LordAnd Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.
Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it. 
Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.”[a] While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

Cain responds to a fit of jealousy in this passage, and God extends great mercy to him.

Hebrews 11:4-5
By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.
By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.”[a] For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.

When I am angry I don't make the best decisions, actually any emotion can cause me to be irrational, but anger is the worst. Anger is usually caused by a fear. We get afraid of losing something. It can be pride, hurt, shame, or just greed, either way we usually react badly.
God is merciful and I am grateful. God shows great mercy to Cain and that should give all of us great hope.

The next thing we know...the population grows, well more like explodes!


Genesis 4:16-22

16 So Cain went out from the Lord’s presence and lived in the land of Nod,[a] east of Eden.
17 Cain made love to his wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Cain was then building a city, and he named it after his son Enoch. 18 To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael was the father of Methushael, and Methushael was the father of Lamech.
19 Lamech married two women, one named Adah and the other Zillah. 20 Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock. 21 His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play stringed instruments and pipes. 22 Zillah also had a son, Tubal-Cain, who forged all kinds of tools out of[b] bronze and iron. Tubal-Cain’s sister was Naamah.

From the line of Adams 3rd Son Seth Came Methuselah,
Genesis 5:1
When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. 22 After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked faithfully with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. 23 Altogether, Enoch lived a total of 365 years. 24 Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.
25 When Methuselah had lived 187 years, he became the father of Lamech. 26 After he became the father of Lamech, Methuselah lived 782 years and had other sons and daughters. 27 Altogether, Methuselah lived a total of 969 years, and then he died.
28 When Lamech had lived 182 years, he had a son. 29 He named him Noah[c] and said, “He will comfort us in the labor and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the Lord has cursed. 30 After Noah was born, Lamech lived 595 years and had other sons and daughters. 31 Altogether, Lamech lived a total of 777 years, and then he died.
32 After Noah was 500 years old, he became the father of Shem, Ham and Japheth.

Read Genesis 4-5

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+4-5&version=NIV


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