Reconnecting with the Creator
How Seth's Line Restored Communication with God
And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the Lord. Genesis 4:26
This verse is the first time the Bible mentions prayer, even though the word “prayer” isn’t used directly. Men called on the name of the Lord.
Prayer was and is often spontaneous, individual, or in a group. Prayer is asking or making petitions to God. The main point is approaching God and spending time focused on Him.
The word call means to invite, spend time with, worship, and invoke God.
Men, evidently, recognized their great need for God. They called upon Him. They called on Him by name, meaning they knew with whom they talked. The One they spoke with was no idol, representation, or unknown commodity, but the Lord.
Before this, humanity lived in constant communion with God in the Garden of Eden. God walked with man in the day's cool, as was the custom with Adam and Eve.
And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. Genesis 3:8
Several things are interesting. They knew God’s voice. God’s words didn’t surprise them. They hid because they were ashamed. God habitually came to talk with His creation in the cool of the day. He had come in a relaxed, enjoyable part of their day. They would soon retire for the evening, but God wanted to let them tell Him how their day had gone, possibly.
Genesis 3:9-10 contains the first recorded conversation between God and man.
And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.
Notice that conversation. God starts the conversation. The first recorded conversation happens after they have sinned or fallen. God took the initiative to look for those with whom He had been in regular fellowship. They had fallen into sin. They were hiding, but God came looking for them. What a sweet God we serve!
God loved man. He could have ignored Adam and Eve and left them to their own devices, but He came to them. God started the conversation, and God was there to help. He didn’t need to be persuaded, coerced, convinced, or coaxed into anything. God loves His creation.
This first conversation, prayer, was not shyly sulking into the condemning judge’s office but a loving Father coming to rescue His own. How do we see prayer? Do we think of a God who does not want to hear and answer us? Do we see Him as aloof and cold?
In our first picture of Him and sinners, God came to rescue them. They were afraid, but He was awesome. He came up with a solution to their failure.
Now, we find this first mention of men calling on God.
And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the Lord. Genesis 4:26
It would seem that Adam had shared with his children, Seth in particular, what it was like to talk to God. Now, mankind is learning to call on the name of the Lord. They are seeking God.
I want prayer to be a significant part of my life. I have lots to learn, but I can see that God desires to talk with us!
How is your prayer life? Do you seek to speak with God, to have a conversation? Knowing who you are talking to will make a tremendous difference in your life!
Oncologist Called
Yesterday morning, my oncologist called with some encouraging news from the scans. Despite my initial concern about growth, he reassured me it was minimal. He inquired about any discomfort, to which I responded, “I have none.” He suggested we wait until February for the following scans, as he sees no immediate need for further action.
He feels things are good for now. The concern level will rise if it grows or begins touching or affecting other areas. One tumor had shrunk about as much as the other had grown.
He feels good about where we are and wants to maintain a wait-and-see position, but he will do something else if I want. I told him I would defer to his judgment since he is the expert.
Thank you for praying for us. God has been extremely good to us all our lives. He continues to pour out His blessings on us, and we are grateful.
Lowest Prices Ever
I believe I have lowered every price to the lowest possible. I invite you to get some copies for gifts or your Bible study group. I will leave the books at this price until Christmas. You can order the book and use your Amazon Prime account to get it in two days.