God's Lists

I’m a list maker. I make to-do lists. I make grocery lists. I make don’t forget lists. I make topic-writing lists. I make Bible verse lists. When I worked outside my home, I used lists to keep myself organized and on top of projects. My life is more efficient when I have a list (or lists).

I have a drawer full of “list” pads of paper. Some have seasonal designs and others I was drawn to because of the color. If I find this type of pad with “joy” on it, I’ll buy it regardless of its color. I enjoy finding and purchasing list pads.

I have two running lists going right now for upcoming trips. These lists contain items such as: phone charger, seat belt clip, sunglasses, extra keys, camera, etc. You know, the items that in all likelihood would be left behind unless they are written down.

The first trip is still two weeks off, but the list has been going for over a week now.

As you look through the Bible, you’ll find quite a few lists. God, I believe, is a list maker. Not for His sake, but for ours. Some are extensive lists, while others are just a couple of items. They are lists just the same.

God begins and ends the Bible with lists. In Genesis (Genesis 1:1-27) with the listing of events of creation to Revelation (Revelation 22:1-6) with the description of the River of Life. And there are plenty of lists in between.

There are lists of how we are to live in this world. The Ten Commandments are probably the most famous of them all and can be found in Exodus 20:3-17. And there are others. Galatians 6:1-5; Ephesians 4:1-6; and Colossians 3:12-14 to name a few.

There are plenty of lists which name sins that God will not tolerate and the things we are to remove from our lives. The seven sins that God detests can be found in Proverbs 6:16-19. A few other lists include Matthew 15:19; Galatians 5:19-21; and Ephesians 5:3-4.

There are lists of genealogies. Jesus’ can be found in Matthew 1:1-16 and Luke 3:23-37.

Jesus spoke of the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:3-11.

Lists of spiritual gifts are located in Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:7-11; and Ephesians 4:11-13.

And then there are listings of God’s attributes that we are strive to put into our lives. Like love. These characteristics can be found in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. Like faith. Biblical examples of faithful people can be found in Hebrews 11:1-40. Like nobility. The great “virtuous woman” passage is found in Proverbs 31:10-31.

Yes, there are lists upon lists in God’s Word. These are just a sampling. Do you have a favorite list in the Bible? If so, let me know what it is. I’d love to hear from you.

I’m certain on one of these trips I will forget something. Regardless of my preparation and planning, I’ll miss at least one important item. My forgetfulness, however, will not stop me from making lists. My forgetfulness only fuels my desire to make yet another list. Just so I won’t forget a thing.

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Donna

P.S. – I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but if your mouse hovers over a Scripture reference on my blog site, the Bible passage will appear. I thought this blog post might be the perfect time to mention it.