RE Verse reading–Amos 1-2 (day one) “The Lord roars from Zion” (vs 2) “A lion has roared! Who will not fear?”(Amos 3:8) Ever hear a lion roar? I have a friend who makes regular trips to Africa to hunt. He says if you ever hear a lion roar in the wild (not having the assurance that he is in a cage) you will NEVER forget it. He say it is bone-chilling to realize that you are not just hunting him, HE IS HUNTING YOU! Amos knew. The first words in his book, repeated later in chapter 3, paint a verbal picture of a God whose holy wrath has finally reached a crisis. He roars to warn us of danger. He roars to call us to repent. Does God ever reach such a moment with His own people? Are we exempt from such holy/hard discipline? Amos says no. “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked.” (Galatians 6:7) THE Lion has roared! Anyone listening?
I am so excited that we are starting this new series. I am really looking forward to what the Lord will teach us.
Last week I was listening to the book of Zechariah because I felt I had been led there. Hopeful of some great insight, I got nothing…. except a headache. My toddler asked me what I was doing and I told her listening to my Bible. She asked to listen as well so I gave her the earbuds. (I then said, Lord, maybe you can just tell her what I am supposed to be getting out of this, because I am frustrated)… immediately she began to smile a huge/sheepish/excited smile..the kind where her eyes almost close… and she said, “It is Jesus”… then she proceeded to have a conversation with Him, including answering questions. Now I am not sure what that was or was not… other than really, really cute but it did give me a chance to talk to her about prayer and brought to my mind that maybe I should focus on finding Jesus when I read these difficult books. Reminds me of Luke 24:27 “Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He (Jesus) explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.”
I am a Grace girl. Firmly planted in my Hope of the One who is full of Grace. (“For by Grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God” Eph 2:8) The full story of Galatians 6:7 is that it says “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.” Obviously completely true, but yet much different than thinking that God is going to squash you like a bug/attack you like a lion… under the new covenant we are in….after all He has done to save us. It is a subtle, but huge difference.
I hope for myself as I go through these Books, I will be given wisdom/understanding to keep my eyes on the big picture.
I am truly excited about the insight the Lord will give us through your blogs.
God Bless you.