Day 85: Enjoying the Bible
Obadiah 1:1-21
Revelation 4:1-11
Psalm 132:1-18
Proverbs 29:24-25
As I'm in these prophetic books I'm frustrated, because it seems like since I started this project I've been waiting to read parts of the Bible that actually interest me. Is that too harsh?
I think that it's no secret that the "there will be no survivors," the "you will be destroyed forever" passages are not my favorite and I'm especially not excited to be reading them every single day.
But I'm glad I'm doing it because even though there is a whole lot of negative-sounding passages, each of these books is laced with GRACE. While these prophets need to be brave and say the hard stuff they also get to preach the good stuff. I didn't see that in Obadiah today....unfortunately....but I am reminded still of my reading from Amos yesterday.
But also maybe it isn't important that I don't like the prophetic books? I don't know, maybe it's not about me enjoying the read? Maybe it's not about anyone enjoying the read? I mean I'll bet these guys didn't enjoy saying it in the first place! In fact: God doesn't enjoy saying it either.
I mean, are you kidding me? What was God's plan? He made a pretty garden and people He loved and wanted to live forever with. He made something beautiful and we. screwed. it. up.
So maybe it's not about "enjoying" the prophet books but about seeing the reason we need Jesus. Because we are very guilty, our situation is very dire...we can't fix it. We need Jesus.
HOLY HOLY HOLY IS THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY WHO WAS AND IS AND IS TO COME
Aren't you so ready to sing that forever? Aren't you so ready to have the clarity of mind and heart to give Jesus 100% of your worship? I can't do that on my own! I am so messed up, I need Jesus to fix me if I'm ever going to realize how worthy He is.
He is worthy of it, regardless of me. But I can't even know that without His interceding.
And He intercedes.
Is that not what the prophets are talking about? Are they not pointing to the problem loud and clear so that we can see that we need a solution greater than ourselves?
This is not about us. We are small and stupid and falling apart and God does not need us. But He chooses to be our solution in the most radical, compassionate, UNFATHOMABLE gift of His Son Jesus.
His Son Jesus, born of a virgin who lived a perfect life and INTERCEDED for us by dying on a cross and rising from the dead three days later.
And now we can know Him. And now we can know that we will sing forevermore at full capacity: