Reading daily is step one in my journey. One can't have a journey by doing nothing and going nowhere, so I will be delving into the Word. I guess I'll start with using the One Year Bible Online. Today's readings come from Exodus 34-35:9; Matthew 27:15-31; Psalm 33:12-22; Proverbs 9:1-6. That's a lot to take in for one day, and I don't really understand it all, but I have to start somewhere.
Exodus, and most of the Old Testament, is difficult to apply to life now. Sacrificing animals and gifts of first harvest don't really apply anymore, so I'm not sure why it's necessary. What parts of the Bible are irrelevant? None should be, but instructions for buildings and sacrifices seems to have lost all purpose and meaning. So, I wonder, what's the point? This question needs an answer, but I can't find it today. Thus, I continue my journey.
Psalm was always my favorite book of the Bible. I like the poetic style, the passion of the words, the heartache and the praise it sings.
13 The LORD looks down from heaven
and sees the whole human race.
14 From his throne he observes
all who live on the earth.
15 He made their hearts,
so he understands everything they do.
16 The best-equipped army cannot save a king,
nor is great strength enough to save a warrior.
17 Don’t count on your warhorse to give you victory—
for all its strength, it cannot save you.
And here is my problem. I rely on my strength, which is weakness. I equip myself for a war with the world; one I could never win myself. And I find stress for all my waking hours, worry as my companion, uncertainty every direction I look and fear in every fiber of my being. Not the good fear, that is of the Lord, but the worldly fear.
20 We put our hope in the LORD.
He is our help and our shield.
21 In him our hearts rejoice,
for we trust in his holy name.
22 Let your unfailing love surround us, LORD,
for our hope is in you alone.
I need my hope to be in Him alone. I need that faith to do so. So, here I am, trying to connect. Here I am, stepping forward in my journey.
God's Word is an excellent place (the only place, really), to begin any journey. All Scripture is inspired by God, meant to instruct us, guide us, correct us, and show us how we can be more like Him (2 Timothy 3:16). The animal sacrifices in the Old Testament were necessary as a temporary covering for sin, and they foreshadow God's plan of redemption through Jesus Christ. Praise God that the perfect sacrifice of His Son paid for all our sins, past, perfect and future, and that animal sacrifices are no longer needed. Because of the shed blood of Jesus, when God looks at believers, He no longer sees our sins, but only the perfect righteousness of His Son.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for following Saved by Grace! I'm following you too, and praying for you on your journey.
Love in Him,
Laurie Collett