66 Love Letters - Chapter One - Genesis

A Fall, a Promise, and the Story Begins: Genesis Through Deuteronomy

Our first love letter begins with a mighty fall. The very first two human beings God created decide to do things their own way. They quickly discover His plan for them would've been a much better choice.

Throughout the book of Genesis, the Lord uses ordinary and extremely flawed people to fulfill His plan in extraordinary ways. 

"In Genesis, I begin telling the story of how everyone fails and I succeed. I want you to know how much of a mess you've made out of all the beauty I created. Nothing works as it should anymore. But I have a plan that your failures cannot destroy. There is a capacity for beauty in your soul that I will restore. That's a promise. I give you a glimpse into how I will carry out My plan in this first love letter."

A few questions to ponder.

 

Which story is your favorite in the book of Genesis?

Do you have a favorite scripture in the book of Genesis?

Which woman can you relate to the most?

• Sarah, who manipulates her husband and justifies her behavior?

• Rebekah, who favors one of her children, putting the devotion of her son above her own husband?

• Or, maybe you understand the pain of insecure Leah, who plays second fiddle to her more beautiful younger sister, Rachel?

For me, well, I can relate to all three of these women - Sarah most of all. I struggle with the word wait. It's all I can do to sit at a red light for two minutes. I can justify impatience and encourage ...okay, manipulate my husband into believing my way is the best way to go about something.

I am so grateful God's mercies are new every day!

The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning. Lamentations 3:22-23 NLT

66 Love Letters - The Prologue

Welcome friends! You found your way here, fantastic.

Introducing—the beginning! The beginning of 66 Love Letters and the beginning of our time together. Since this book begins with a wonderful prologue I think we need to start there.

Did you get a chance to read the prologue? If not, there’s still time. I’ll wait…

Pretty powerful, huh? Dr. Larry Crabb takes us back to a sleepless night and a fireside morning in his home. He shares his dialogue with God and the seeds the Lord planted in his heart to begin this book:

God, why did You write Genesis? What do You want me to hear You say in Leviticus? Could You tell me why I should bother to read, let alone study, Obadiah? I think I have some idea what Romans is about, but how are You talking to me in Jude or Revelation?

After more conversation with God, He reminds Dr. Crabb that the Bible is His love letter to humanity; sixty-six love letters. It was then the author got to work:

I grabbed a pen and pad of paper. Calling on more than forty years of reading and pondering and studying and teaching the Bible, I turned to Genesis and asked myself, What do I know about this book that might help me grasp why God wrote it? What is He saying in this first love letter that he wants me to hear? How does His story begin? Can I express in a couple of sentences what I hear Him telling me in Genesis? God, let me hear You speak to me through your Word.

I can’t help but think the Lord had us SunHills gals in mind when he encouraged Dr. Crabb to write 66 Love Letters, knowing we’d be here at this very place and time to dissect and digest each of his chapters, giving us a fresh understanding of why the Bible is precious to each one of us.

Each Sunday I will post about a new chapter… one week at a time. And, to make this even more fun, I will include a couple discussion questions at the end of each post. Feel free to answer one, none, or if you’re an over-achiever—all of them! Don’t be shy, make sure to comment below.

A few questions to ponder.

• In the prologue, we discover Dr. Larry Crabb having trouble sleeping and reading his Bible while sitting by the fire in the wee hours of the morning. When do you like to read your Bible? Do you have a special spot for reading your Bible at home?

• I love how Dr. Crabb talks with God in such a comfortable way. It’s clear years of a relationship with Him has brought them close. God desires to talk with us every day; He wants to be your very best friend. Have you talked with your best friend yet today?

• The author shares how he sees God’s word as 66 Love Letters, desiring a way to share each book of the Bible with his children. Have you ever learned something from God and just had to share it with your family? If so, what was it?

66 Love Letters

When was the last time you read a love letter? Have you ever received one? Do you remember how it felt reading words penned from the heart of someone who loves you?

The Bible is God's love letter to you.

Sixty-six books in the Bible share His story of forgiveness and hope, and a love for you that began even before He flung the universe into existence.

He loves you.

Our women's ministry is reading 66 Love Letters, by Dr. Larry Crabb. If you've never fully understood what the Bible is all about, or how and why it matters to you - get a hold of this book and meet back here each Sunday.

Written in the same way as Amy Carmichael's; His Thoughts Said...His Father Said, and Sara Young's; Jesus Calling, Author, Larry Crabb, talks to the Lord in each chapter, asking Him questions and discovers how each book of the Bible is a love letter from God to us.

You can purchase it on Amazon here, head down to your local library and check it out, or just follow along in your Bible. Each chapter of 66 Love Letters represents one book of the Bible - from Genesis to Revelation.

We will begin meeting here and you can comment below. Each Sunday we'll meet back here and I'll post a little something about the following chapter read and what spoke to my heart. I pray you will join us and share what God is saying to you too.


If you've never received a love letter, or if it's been years since your husband has given you one, it's time you read the greatest love letter of all...written from the hand of God to you.