Genesis means beginning. The book of Genesis narrates the creation and the beginning of the world, but it also communicates about fresh beginnings for each of the characters in the patriarch story. God wiped their slate clean each time they messed up and continued to choose them as His people.

Genesis should be subtitled, "God specializes in using screw-ups." It is the book of the Bible that has most taught me about grace and transformed my thinking about how God works.

I am a typical oldest child, type-A personality, believer in cause and effect - you work hard and you are rewarded for your work. However, God doesn't always work that way.

Abraham lied twice about his wife being his sister, yet he was the father of many nations whose faith was counted as righteousness.

Isaac showed favoritism with his sons and also lied about his wife being his sister - a bad family pattern. But God did not turn His favor from the family.

Jacob lied to his dad, schemed with his mom, stole his brother Esau's blessing, and continued the bad pattern of favoritism. Even still, God chose him to be named Israel and blessed him with twelve sons that became the twelve tribes of God's people.

If I were God, I would've cut that family off long ago. They didn't deserve to be chosen or to be the names by which God is often referred, "The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."

But I was forgetting one major thing. It's not about what we do. Whew! It's about what God does and who He is. By doing things the way He does, extending grace and blessing to undeserving people, He gets all the glory!

So, don't beat yourself up if you're falling into a bad family pattern. God can help break destructive cycles. Feeling unworthy of God's mercy? You're in good company.

Let's have a genesis moment for Makeover Monday - a new beginning offered in God's grace and extended to those whom God has chosen to bless, namely you!