It’s hard to believe it’s been over a month since my last post. Yes … I’m still here … and, yes, He has still been speaking to, and with, me.
While nothing major, a lot has happened during the last month — and the Father and I have had some very quiet, private chats. Sometimes you just need to curl up in His arms and absorb. I think that’s what I’ve been doing. I didn’t receive any epiphanies or divine revelations. No … just feelings, impressions and notions.
Just an assurance that God was there … watching … listening … caring … and loving.
And while everything single work and book of the Bible is a gift and important for the believer, I think that’s why I’m sometimes drawn to the Old Testament books on a more regular basis.
In the New Testament, we have the fulfillment of God’s promise and love … the birth, death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus. We learn how the Apostles faced many challenges, walked and shared their faith and lived lives filled and directed by the Holy Spirit. I have joy for today and tomorrow because I know — absolutely know — Who holds my future. I know where I’ll spend my eternity.
Yes — I crave the words of the New Testament. I also cling the words of the Old.
I heard some believers try to say that they don’t feel the Old Testament is as relevant today as it once was. It’s almost as if they’re wondering if there’s anything that they can learn from words written so many years ago and it such a different culture and time period.
To which I respond … YES — you can!
Some of you may recall the old radio program with Paul Harvey where he would share the story or circumstance of a person. He did it so well that you actually thought that you knew how the narrative was going to end. Yet, at a certain time, Harvey would need to take a station break, have a commercial or two, and then come back on the air. He would always start the same way … “And, for the rest of the story…..”
That’s how it’s for me with the Old Testament … but kinda in reverse. Some believers spend a lot of time pouring over the words of the New Testament — the Gospels, Epistles, etc. — and we should. We now know how the story is going to end.
However, knowing how the story ends becomes much sweeter and amazing when we consider the how it began … and the extreme love and mercy and grace that the Father showed us time after time after time! The Old Testament really teaches us about unconditional love … which was fulfilled with the birth, death and resurrection of Christ.
While we may try, not many us have ever truly experienced unconditional love here on earth. A love that loves — NO MATTER WHAT! A love that has been betrayed, ignored, taken for granted, bartered, sold and “spit upon.” And, yet, God never forsakes His children. He may discipline; but He never forsakes.
The Old Testament is witness to that love … the love of a Father who — despite all evidence to the contrary — never gave up on the children of His heart. Who was always there … watching … listening … caring … loving.
We can’t have “the rest of the story” without knowing how it began. So, I invite you to continue our journey through the Old Testament as He speaks to me — and you — about His unconditional love and care for each us.
May everything we say and do be pleasing and acceptable in His sight.
And He Speaks to Me... 