bible in a year: week 11

This year a goal has been set to read the entirety of God's word and there is a host of women joining in on the journey.  Failure is always an option as we are each imperfect people but it is never a reason to give up!  Whether each day is done without fail, catch ups are needed, or some have to stop for a variety of reasons, each word read, no matter how many, will lead us to grow in wisdom, grace, and fellowship with both us and our creator.

It took less than a day of reading to get a deeper understanding of why one can study the bible for a lifetime and still glean new things.  In truth a lifetime is not enough.  As Saint Augustine said, "The bible is shallow enough for a child not to drown, yet deep enough for an elephant to swim.  Each verse opens up a new thought, a new question, a new understanding of what God has done and sometimes a confusion of why He is doing it.  In moments of questions research is good but there are times where I need to submit to His authority remembering what A.W. Tozer said in his book Pursuit of God, "God will not hold us responsible to understand the mysteries of election, predestination, and the divine sovereignty.  The best and safest way to deal with these truths is to raise our eyes to God and in deepest reverence say, "O Lord, Thou knowest." Those things belong to the deep and mysterious Profound of God's omniscience.  Prying into them may make theologians, but it will never make saints."

Exodus 23-29

Sitting in the wilderness God is laying out before Moses the exact things he wants them to do.  From the big 10 to anything else you could possibly think of.  He is instructing them and even explaining to them how He will hand their land over to them.  The people obviously respond to God with the words "We will do everything that the Lord has commanded."

And then Moses goes back up to the mountain, the presence of God was like a consuming fire on the mountaintop and there Moses will sit for 40 days and listen to God tell him the rest of the law.  And there the rest of the people will sit for 40 days without knowing what is happening and will quickly forget the words they uttered about obeying God's commands.  We quickly forget when we are without our leader.  This will not be the only time this will happen, again and again God's people will try and fail over and over, if only to prove that this Law God is currently passing down can not be fulfilled.  He is setting up their understanding that a Savior is needed.

Meanwhile on the top of the mountain with Moses listening intently, God is laying out in very precise ways exactly what should be done.  The description of the Ark of the Covenant, the Tabernacle, and the priestly garments is filled with beauty and extravagance.  They are building and creating for their creator and He is describing the best and the most beautiful.  And then He turns to describing how the priests must be consecrated and that beauty is interrupted by blood, entrails, and burnt offerings.  They are not worthy to be in his presence.  The killing of innocence is needed, daily.  The regular sacrifice of these lambs are required throughout all their generations.  But still they have God's promise that He will meet with them, He will speak with them, He will dwell with them and be their God.  He is never the one who leaves or turns away.

John 2-8

Jesus is patient.  Of course he is, but then you look at individual stories and people and the way he responded and then you stop yourself and think, man, Jesus was PATIENT.  Discipling another is not a quick job.  It requires repetition and patience, repetition and patience.  Each encounter whether with the twelve or another results in Jesus listening, speaking, questioning, and teaching.  Then, like with the woman at the well, those he encounters go off and tell others and when they seek him out they experience the same thing.  Jesus is consistency.  Giving again and again so that others may hear and believe.  I cannot imagine having the ability to do that.  I cannot imagine because I will never have the ability to do that.  Christ in me, like John the Baptist said, I must decrease and He must increase.  It's all Him in me.

Job 41-42

Praise Jesus Job is done.  That book kicked my mental tail.  The next time I read it it needs to be alongside an easy to understand commentary.  However it is hard to miss the meaning in that last chapter.  Job completely broken and humble, aware of how much he doesn't understand about God because He is simply to wondrous to know, is restored.  He died old and full of days.  I love that.

Proverbs 1-5

Proverbs can be read again and again without ever growing tired of it and with always learning new things.  I love the description in the first chapter.  "For learning wisdom and discipline; for understanding insightful sayings; for receiving prudent instruction in righteousness, justice and integrity...let a wise person listen and increase learning; and let a discerning person obtain guidance.

There are two things I see repeated over and over.  One is If, Then statements.  Cause and effect is huge.  There is an effect for every action.  Listening to God's commands will always bring a positive reaction.  Not always what we want, but always what is Good.  Also, over and over you see the reminder to Listen and Pay Attention.  We see how quickly we forget, we were reminded of that in Exodus.  We, no matter how highly we think of ourselves, quickly forget God and His teachings.  Over and over be reminded to listen and pay attention.  The moment our mind focuses elsewhere is the moment we can not focus on God.  

2 Corinthians 11-13

Paul finishes his second letter to the Corinthians in which he talks about the thorn he was given to keep him humble.  It makes me wonder, do I exalt my weaknesses knowing that in them Christ can be shown.  The answer, no.  Not nearly often enough.  I see my weaknesses as lacking instead of gaining.  In them I gain Christ.  Like John said, I decrease, Jesus increases.  

Galatians 1-4

This letter is not for the faint of heart.  Paul starts it off pretty angry and pulls no punches.  However, it is not a new thing being preached about.  "I am amazed," Paul says, " that you are so quickly turning away from him who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel..."

No, the Israelites we have already spoken about did not have the gospel of Christ, but they did have the very presence of God around them and still they turned away quickly.  We turn ya'll.  We start with Jesus and then we try to take over.  "Are you foolish ?  After beginning by the Spirit are you now finishing by the flesh?"  Why yes, yes we are.  We don't think Jesus is enough, we somehow think we an do better or at the very least owe him something besides just the act of abiding in Him.  We want the push but then are bound and determined to do our own pedaling.

Galatians isn't sugar coated.  I want Paul to be sweet and say it's ok, just try again.  But sometimes that is not what we need.  We need blunt truths as well.  Ones given from someone who loves these people so much he refuses to let them waste their lives heading down a wrong directions.  He is loving with Gospel driven love.  I pray I can listen.