I love the Common Lectionary. The lectionary is an orderly listing of Scriptures that aid the focus and direction of the reading of the Bible throughout the year.

Last week, the two accounts of Creation, this week we read the two accounts of the Flood. [Genesis 6:7-22; Genesis 7:1-9:17]  Probably one of the first questions we ask is, “Why are there two accounts?” The correct answer is that we don’t know why; but a plausible answer is that probably one account was told in the oral tradition while sitting around the ancient campfires and the other was written after the exile when religious thinking was more evolved.

#1 Noah walked with God versus.
#2 God saw that Noah was righteous.

#1 You shall bring two of every kind into the ark.
#2 Take seven pairs of clean animals and one pair of animals that are not clean.

Regardless of the sources of these accounts, the overarching idea is that humankind was not living in the harmony that God had created in the Garden. They perpetually thought evil thoughts and did things that caused God to grieve in God’s heart. Humanity forgot about God’s loving kindness and compassion and that we are created in God’s image. Humanity forgot whose world this is.

I wonder if the “evil thoughts” can be likened to our need to control and micromanage our lives, forgetting who created us and what our true purpose is while “life” is happening.

At 8:30am yesterday, I wrote the date and then stared at the screen. I beat myself up at regular intervals because I had not completed this blog. All day I kept coming back to the blank screen – with sayings like ‘this must be done,’ ‘what is wrong with you that can’t find something significant to share with the cosmos,’ ‘you are not measuring up.’ 

The last screen I closed yesterday was the blank screen, heaping more shame and guilt on my weary shoulders. Why is it that we always see our one act of falling short of the mark and not the ten holy and good works that have been done? I went home yielding my internal chaos and my lack of perfection to God.

This morning—the bus came just as I was walking to the stop; a 7 Express was pulling in as I arrived on the platform (with room for more people!) and the W train was waiting for me at Queensboro Plaza. The total trip took me 35 minutes—a new record!

I truly believe that God is in all the details of our lives, waiting for us to yield. This blog is now complete not through my will but by Grace alone.

Finished... except for asking you... Where’s the chaos in your life? Is there something you are putting off? Where are you not yielding to God?