Week 21. Job, Misery Loves Company.

We spend  2 weeks reading Job.  It really helps to remember that Job is one of the oldest books of the Bible, and the books of the Bible are not in Chronological  order.  Job is grouped with the books of poetry (Job, Psalm, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon.)

 I find this very interesting:

I'll have to admit; Job is not my favorite book.  After all, who wants to read about the pit of depression and slew of despair?  And the scriptures are not really favorite ones to hide in your heart.  But smack-dab right there in all that primitive thinking is s shining star:

You have to wonder: how did Job know that?    God simply revealed himself to Job, and Job recognized God as his redeemer.  And Job knew about eternal life.  Wow. 

And in the midst of despair and dark days, Job knew that God was in control of everything that was happening.  Knowing that can give us hope during our dark times, too.  And it kinda puts everything into a different perspective.  

Keep reading, till next week….Audrey 

Week 20 Esther, the Beautiful Queen

Week 20 Esther, the Beautiful Queen

I found the book of Esther to be a refreshing pause in our reading last week.  As I read, it seemed like a novel, or a screenplay for a movie.  Esther had a lot of courage.  She was someone we would admire because she was beautiful on the inside as well as her external beauty.  God always looks at our heart.  

  Of course, at the end, there was the impaling of Haman and then the horrifying mass murder.  

The feast pf Purim is interesting.  It seems to me that Purim has evolved into a holiday that looks a lot like Mardi Gras and it is about the same time of year.  This year’s Bible readings have helped me understand  the Jewish history and celebrations better. 

It is helpful to remember that God’s sovereignty continues as it always has throughout history...people who pay attention to what is happening and honor God with their choices are always blessed.  Sometimes in this life, sometimes in the future. 

...And we continue our reading this week in the ancient book of Job. 

Week 19

I am late this week.  This one will be brief.  Last week, we finished reading Ezra and Nehemiah.  I really liked reading all the references in Nehemiah 11, 12, & 13 to music and musicians.  I wonder what the music sounded like.  Again, I see references to Sabbath. 

I still look forward to reading every day.  But I am really looking forward to reading The Psalms soon. 

Keep reading ….Audrey 

Week 18. May 3. Good King, Bad King…

This week we finished reading 2 Chronicles.  Wow, what a series of Good Kings and Bad Kings, Good Kings and Bad Kings…

One of those “bad kings” Jehoram, died “to no one’s regret” and wasn't even honored in his death with the usual funeral custom or buried with the other kings.  He must have been extra bad. (chapter 21, verse 20.)

The story of Joash, the boy king was interesting.  I wonder how you hide a little boy for 6 or 7 years… 

I liked reading about King Uzziah. He started good but ended badly.  I understood how he “loved the soil” (chapter 26, verse 10) because I do, too.  I liked that “as long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success. “ (verse 5) But “after he became powerful, his pride led to his downfall.”  (verse 16)

I enjoyed Chapter 29; reading about how they cleaned up and repaired and purified the temple. Verse 34 was interesting when they brought so many animals for offerings that there were not enough priests to skin them all (verse 34) so they had to go get their relatives to help them.   I cannot imagine what was like. 

Again, we read about the fall of Jerusalem into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar in chapter 36.  And in the midst of the fire and destruction of the beautiful temple and the people becoming servants, there is the interesting verse 21 about the land enjoying its Sabbath rest for 70 years… Another reminder that Sabbath is very important to God. 

And now as we begin Ezra, we get to see the temple being rebuilt.  It was built with such “large stones” that people were still commenting about them 500 years later (Mark 13:1).

When the new foundation was laid, some people shouted for joy and some wept, but it was really loud.

I was at “The Cove” (the Billy Graham Training Center in Asheville, NC) this week visiting a friend and had a few minutes to stop by the Chatlos Chapel there.  I loved this inscription on this stone at the entrance.

Keep reading, till next week….Audrey