Woven
Girls, Jesus is going to enter the scene so very soon, and I can feel the expectation. But, we have one more week in the Old Testament. It’s going to be good. I just know it.
This week, I’d like to do our reading a little differently. Angie is covering a LARGE portion of the Old Testament in one chapter. It’s all very important. So, I’d like to take it slow and make sure we are getting a good understanding of who the prophets are and the time frame they wrote in.
Today, read Woven, chapter 10, pages 159 through 162 (halfway down the page).
Now, you may be wondering why we’ve skipped right over a portion of 2 Samuel and all of 1, 2 Kings and 1, 2 Chronicles. Don’t worry. Angie is going back to these books at the end of this chapter. I had a whole paragraph written to catch us up. Then, I read to the end of our chapter. It’s all there, so hang on.
In your journal today, will you spend some time thinking about the two ideas our reading gave us in relation to common threads we have seen and will continue to see throughout the Bible;
· Sin and rebellion inevitably result in painful consequences.
· God always responds.
Over and over, we have seen examples of these two events in Scripture. No matter how powerfully God acts, His people always cycle back to sin and rebellion. In the season we are reading about this week, their sin and rebellion results in the painful consequence of division and exile. Again, though, we will see that God responds.
As you reflect on this idea in your journal, I have no idea what that will look like. But, I do know that if you’ll ask God what He wants you to take from this teaching, He will instruct. So, pause, pray, and enjoy some time alone with Jesus. Maybe you need to repent. Maybe, it’s time to worship. Or, maybe you want to beg or God to help you remember times of learning through consequence so that you don’t wind up in pain again. You go and do what the Spirit leads today.
Now, read pages 163 through168 (top) of Woven. You’ll be reading about the first wave of prophesy. These are the prophets God sent to talk to the United Kingdom before any invasion or exile.
I want to share a little bit of a personal testimony with you. Many of you know that adultery is part of my marriage story. In 2011, my husband shared with me that he was unfaithful. I want to pause and give God glory, because He saved our marriage. We have done and continue to do our work in counseling. But, God is the Hero of our story. I would love to talk more about Him and our marriage…. Maybe another day.
Shortly after Scotty’s confession, my Bible reading took me to Hosea. At first, it was so difficult to read. It seemed that every word and picture caused me to remember what Scotty had done. I kept being forced back to painful memories and images that I didn’t want to see. Then, one morning during my quiet time, I had a general complaint session with God about something He’d not done for me and my family. As quickly as I had the thoughts, I was struck by the realization that I kept trying to turn to things, people, answered prayers to be god for me. My very real God had saved my soul, provided a family, and saved/spared my family from destruction. Yet, I wanted other things. I longed for other provisions.
As clearly as I could hear (although it wasn’t audible at all), I heard, “YOU are the adulterer.” No matter how gracious, good, and kind my loving Father had been, I repeatedly turned to other things for comfort and security. It was an object lesson for me, and I believe it was the safeguard against anger and unforgiveness that could have grown in my heart toward Scotty. From that moment on, I simply couldn’t look at Scotty’s sin of adultery any differently than my own rebellion against the goodness of God.
In the front of my Bible, I have a short summary before each book of the Bible. I have this underlined before the book of Hosea,
“The picture of God in Hosea is that of a loving husband who yearns desperately to have a faithful wife. Israel, however, will have none of it, and the consequences of her sins must play themselves out, although hope for the future is never lost.”
Hope is never lost, ladies. In fact, Hope is on the way in the form of a tiny baby named Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us. Hold on just a little bit longer, and we will get to read about Him. Oh how I pray we meet Him in brand new ways after the introduction we’ve had through the Old Testament.
Father God, do what only You can do in our study today. Show us our rebellion and then quickly show us Your rescue. We don’t have to spend one, single minute in shame and hiding. Help us to run to You, our Savior.
