It's About Obedience

So this girl who hates to read has read the entire Old Testament. As one of my Facebook friends always says, High Five That!

My husband and I began in January with a one-year chronological reading plan. Mike has been reading on his phone but not me, I have to have Bible, pen, and paper in hand and somewhere quite. I have a hard time understanding what I read which is why I take notes and underline. Yes, I write in my Bible. My Bible has wide margins to lend itself to note taking and there are no chapter headings so I write in my own which I’ve done now throughout the Old Testament.

To me the overall theme of the OT is about how disobedient God’s people were and how patient God was with them even though He got angry and I would guess very frustrated. Just like we get with our children when they don't listen and don't do what we tell them. I can just hear God saying, if you people would just do what I tell you to do, things would be so much easier. Why do you have to learn the hard way? Why won't you listen?

In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God. ~John 1:1-3

God created it all and He was pleased with what He had created. Then man came along and messed it all up. Did God really say? Yes, He did and they should have listened to Him instead of listening to the lies of Satan. We were created for God, to have fellowship with Him and God was grieved in His heart over man’s sin. Now there will be consequences to your sin. 

Again I say it's all about obedience. I will be your God and you will be My people. If you keep my commandments, I will . . . but if you refuse to obey Me, I will . . .  If, then, because and therefore are words that stand out to me and I like to circle in my Bible. After this, "then you will know that I am the Lord your God." The end result will always be God's glory.

Deuteronomy, chapter 1 tells us, "The Lord your God goes before you and will fight on your behalf . . . The Lord your God carried you, just as a man carries his son . . . But for all this, you did not trust the Lord your God . . . I spoke to you but you would not listen, instead you rebelled." Those rebellious people are no different than we are. They did not trust God. They just wouldn’t listen. 

I am so thankful that God gives us more than one chance -- he gives us several chances. He doesn't give up on us just like we don't give up on our children. “I will spread out my hand all day long to a rebellious people, who walk in the way which is not good, following their own thoughts.” Isaiah 65:2

I love the little book of Habakkuk. How long will the wickedness go unpunished? I call for help and you do not hear me. God says I am doing something. You would not believe me if I told you. God’s ways are not our ways. They are beyond our understanding. Judgment will come.

"There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death." Proverbs 14:12, 16:25

It all comes down to obedience and how do we know how to obey if we don’t study the Bible and know what it says. I could share so much more from my reading of the OT but one of the things I learned in my journalism classes is that we all have short attention spans and don’t read long drawn out articles. So I am keeping it simple by saying get to know the God who created you by studying His word on your own. I still don’t understand much about the Old Testament but I have a much better understanding of who God is. One thing I notice about scripture is the repetitiveness and that's a good thing because I’m such a slow learner. I also think God knew we wouldn't get it the first time so He has to keep telling us over and over again. 

Now on to the New Testament where things get really good!

“You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” ~Jeremiah 19:13