My first day in that wonderful fraternity known as Naval Aviation I heard an expression that was to be pounded into my brain everyday thereafter, throughout my Naval career… “Pay Attention To Detail.”

Strangely enough it began with being told how to pay attention to how I folded my socks and  underwear. But those words became the foundation of everything involved with flying. It was all designed for one purpose… staying alive. And the only way that was going to happen was not being surprised by anything that could happen in the airplane. It meant knowing every detail associated with every possible emergency procedure. Anything that could happen was eventually going to happen… that was an absolute given. Over the years I have memorized more than my share of procedures associated with both military and commercial aviation emergencies because I never forgot those words.

So what does that have to do with Genesis 2?

I was reading 1 Chronicles the other day and right there in verse 1 was a great opportunity to forget about Paying Attention To Details. There it was, just another genealogical list used by Israel to trace their lineage back to Adam. But I was reading a commentary that quickly brought me up short… it got my attention!

How often we fail to pay attention when we’re reading the Bible and I wonder how many times we gloss over something the Lord has included that is meant to keep us out of trouble. I know that on many occasions the Lord has had me slow down and meditate on a verse so He can show me something between the lines to encourage me, build up my faith or challenge me to go deeper. Every time that I’ve paid attention I’ve come away with something new in my spirit that will remain there, resident until the moment its needed.

Well, let me share a little something with you that was really a shot of encouragement to my faith.

1 Chron 1:1-4a Adam, Sheth, Enosh, 2 Kenan, Mahalaleel, Jered,  3 Henoch, Methuselah, Lamech, 4 Noah…

Ezra reached back and reminded us of God’s promise to Adam and Eve by listing the fist 10 names in the genealogy of Christ from Genesis 2. Here we have the message of salvation set before Israel in these names some 4000 years before the birth of Israel’s Messiah:

• Adam means “Man”
• Seth means “Appointed”
•  Enosh means “Subject to death”
• Kenan means “Sorrowful”
• Mahaleel means “From the presence of God”
• Jered means “One who comes down”
• Henoch means “Dedicated”
• Methuselah means “Dying, he shall send”
• Lamech means “To the poor brought very low”
• Noah means “Comfort or rest”

When you read these names together their literal meanings form the Gospel: Man, appointed, subject to death, sorrowful. From the presence of God, One comes down, dedicated. Dying, He shall send to the poor brought very low, comfort or rest.

Yes, the deep things of God are often brought to the surface in simplicity. Yet unless we’re Paying Attention to Detail we’ll miss them altogether. I think there’s a lesson in there for all of us. Let’s not be in too big a hurry to “read our chapter a day.” More often than not it’s better to slow down and give the Holy Spirit time to reach down and reveal something “deep” to us; something that we can meditate on. It might just be something we’re going to need in a future emergency.

I know from personal experience that when some unexpected emergency occurs at 20,000 feet it’s very comforting to be able to reach back into your memory and take the necessary steps to resolve the problem. If you have time to take out the emergency procedure manual that’s great, but there are those times when you need to act immediately. That’s when you’re glad you took time to Pay Attention To Detail.

Spend some quality time studying God’s emergency procedures… I guarantee you are going to need them from time-to-time.