January 31 2015

January 31 2015 Greetings My Friend There is that moment you know that you know you have it right this time. It could be a lesson, an exercise or a placement of furniture within the house. I could not sleep last night so I set about changing one corner of the TV room that has been plaguing me. Upon completion I knew that I had finally found the right setting. Lately as I do my Bible studies I find myself relating the OT to my life in general. One of my questions in my heart is why did God allow thousands of years to pass before He spoke to Abraham. Why was it hundreds of years after Abraham until Moses and the OT was started to be written and again a thousand or so years before Jesus. As I ask myself these questions I start to see that my life’s journey resembles the OT growing and learning often taking years to the point of accepting God’s Word and starting my journey of faith. When I do the look back I see that as a small child I must have understood some because I can see where I was listening to God even though I was so young. When I grew I knew who God was but wasn’t sure how to be in relationship. In my teenage and young adult years I questioned God and wanted to live life on my own. At the end of my rope in despair I returned to God and started my earnest walk with Him. I see this basic principle of actions as I read the OT. Right after the fall I see where Seth’s people began to call on the Lord. To me Seth’s line believed and followed Adam’s teachings. As Seth’s people intermarried God’s ways became watered down and soon all people were far from God. Along comes Abraham and God starts teaching Abraham to “hear” to trust and obey. Abraham believes God yet he has his moments of doubt and from this point on I truly see the back and forth of our journey with God. As God’s people wander in the wilderness I see that I too have wilderness wandering times in my life. I have different wanderings sometimes at the same time as other wanderings. I see moments where I am finally in the promised land feeling safe and secure in God’s love. Today I sense my many wanderings are settling down and a steadier walk over all. I still find moments that I need to learn and grow in an area of my life. These days though my wanderings don’t generally last as long as my first wanderings did. For me I have learned to “hear” Scripture that teaches me to “remember” God’s provision. I have learned to be thankful for all things. I learned to do this by remembering both the big things and the little things. I marvel more so at God’s power and love when I do this. King David taught me to confess and be comfortable in admitting my weakness’. In confessing to God I find Him teaching me how to walk away from something that is destroying me mentally, physically or spiritually. Somehow in all of this I feel God’s love, desire for my good and then I see me reaching out to others in the same way. Today I am grateful for the years of growing God’s OT people did. I have their lessons as my guide in my own journey. I understand now that God isn’t looking for perfection in one setting but a growing perfection. May God bless you and keep you make His face shine on you. Love Janet