How ya doin?
I can hear Joey from Friends in my head as I typed the title. Not a huge fan of the show--one of those I could take or leave. No tomatoes thrown please. I laugh now at the funny excerpts I see on Instagram, but other than this famous line, I remember very little about it.
Anyway, I wanted to check in to see how you were doing on your Bible reading. I'm going to be transparent--I began with gusto and then exhaustion seemed to overtake my body and mind by Day 7.
More transparency, I got aggravated about Lot. Always do. He makes me angry--his daughters made me angry--just the whole mess of them should have burned up when God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. My mercy and grace towards them is about as thick as a toothpick. I'm very thankful that God didn't look down on me and say the same in my rebellious years.
Something that I always think of when I read passages that include the horrible acts of Lot and his daughters (I'm referring to Lot being willing to give his daughters to the entire group of men of the town to "do with as they pleased". The two men (angels) he was protecting could very well take care of themselves. I'm not sure what he was trying to prove--but I digress.
What I wanted to point out --is what I always think of: God gives us the 100% unvarnished facts. The good-the bad--and the ugly.
He doesn't sugar coat the sin--doesn't try to hide it--or even make us think all was great all the time. When someone asks you about your kids...do you actually tell them everything--or just hit the good highlights?...Right.
But in this Book of Truth and Life, God fully exposed the murder of Abel. Even the stalling Moses did when God called him to go to Pharaoh and how He used his brother Aaron to help Moses with what he felt was his weakness. I mean, he should have known that as God could make a stick turn into a snake then back into a stick, He could surely help a stuttering man speak clearly.
He gives us clear pictures into the depression that Elijah falls into (haven't gotten there in reading this year--yet, but I remember it from many times reading in Kings). The simple truth is exactly that: The Simple Truth. God reveals it all.
He is clear about the sin that will keep us from a life with Him in heaven for eternity. He's clear on how He feels about doubters--unbelievers--and those who wouldn't know the truth if it jumped up and bit them.
I love spending time in the Word--I'm sure you do as well. But can I remind you of something? Don't let the devil beat you up if you don't spend as much time on Tuesday as you did last Friday. It's not a contest. It is better to read one short passage and really soak it in than it is to ready 12 chapters and barely remember any of it...This Word is LIFE. It breathes into us the breath of God as we take it into our lives--it changes our hearts and minds. It adjusts our vision. It defogs the brain.
Can I help you out? Take smaller bites. Chew it well. Let it do what He wants it to do inside your heart. That's what I'm doing. There will be times I can read much more. But gone are the days I beat myself up over what I didn't accomplish. God knows I'm going to give it all I've got. I'm sure you are too.
So...update me when you can. Tell me your thoughts on what you've covered so far. Trust me --no judgment here.
Until then--I hope to see you somewhere along the way!
Comments
Post a Comment