Serendipity is defined as an “accidental discovery of something pleasant, valuable, or useful.” Serendipity is an unexpected gift you stumbled upon when you really were going for something else. This is a story of my serendipity.

In August of 2009 I started a daily work I call “Project 1189.” I called it Project 1189 because there are 1189 chapters in the Bible and we were going to read a chapter a day. The project consists of a daily email with a great Bible verse, a great quote, and a cute saying for the day. I had done something like this before but this time I added to this task a daily reading of a Bible chapter. I decided to outline the chapter and add a very few “side notes” of my own commentary.

I do not know when, but somewhere along the journey the daily reading and writing turned from a task to a joy. At sometime in the past I had taught every chapter I have read so far, but this writing is different. I do it for the joy of reading and studying the Bible. I do it because I am learning more about the story of God.

I recommend it to all of you. First it will be a chore, but at some point it will turn into joy. Soon you will look forward to tomorrow’s reading.

Lonnie Davis

www.project1189.com

Perhaps the most romantic verse in the Bible is found in Genesis the story of Jacob and Rachel. Jacob left home and traveled nearly 500 miles to find the right girl to marry. When he found her, her father required him to work seven years as a laborer for a dowry before he could marry her. Jacob’s attitude about the seven years (which because of her father deception turned into 14 years) is seen in Genesis 29:20.

“Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.”

Reading this verse touches nearly every woman. They might say, “I want to be loved like that.” The great romance of this story does not end with this verse. After decades together, Rachel died while giving birth to Benjamin. (Gen 35). The loss devastated Jacob, but with twelve sons, life must go.

Nearly 40 years later, Jacob also died. As he lay on his death bed his son Joseph came to visit him one last time. What would this great old patriarch talk about as his life was ebbing away? Would he tell stories of Isaac? Would he tell of his conflict with Esau? Would he ramble about how hard life is? No!

He spoke to Joseph about the love of his life, Rachel and told of her burial. He loved her when he met her. He loved her when he worked for her. He loved her when he died. That is a great love story. That is real romance.

Have you ever read such a tale of love? Oh yes I have. Here it is:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:16-17)

Before you were ever born, God loved you so much that He let His Son die for you. That is the greatest love story ever. I want to be loved like that!

You go to school for the opportunity of a great life. You set the alarm and go to work so that you might have a chance at a great life. To help you build the great life, here are four rules for a great life. Ignore them and you will never find the great life.

1. You have to have someone to love.

When God created the world, after each act He said, “It is good.” The first thing he ever said was not good was, “it is not good for man to be alone.” When He said this there was only Adam. Adam needed Eve and in time the two of them needed their children and their friends. They all needed God. We were not made to be alone. We all need someone to love and need someone to love us.

2. You have to have something to do.

Work was not the curse for man’s disobedience. Before Adam sinned he was working. He tended the Garden of Eden and did the work of naming all the animals. We were made to do work. Find your work and you will find one step toward a great life.

3. You have to have something to believe in.

James says a man who does not know what he believes is “doubled minded” and then adds, “A double-minded man, unstable in all he does. (James 1:8). It ought to be obvious that an unstable person, one who does not know what to believe cannot be happy and successful.

4. You have to have something to look forward to.

I once heard someone say, “I’m shopping on the internet so I will have something to look forward to.” Even if you are waiting for an order you are looking forward to something, but there are bigger things to dream about and anticipate. Is it a vacation, a new job, or even a dinner out? To find joy one has to look forward to something. The ultimate thing to look forward to is heaven and our eternity with God. Jesus said, ^“In my Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.” That is something worth looking forward to. That is something that will bring you joy!