Monday, January 28, 2013

The Chronological Bible- Week 4

This week's journey through the Chronological Bible takes us into the rest of Job's story and introduces us to the book of Exodus. For those of you who were at EHA this weekend, my apologies again for spoiling the end of the book! But I pray that as you read, God will speak to you of His wisdom and His presence in our unexpected pain and suffering. He is the magnificent Creator, and if He can do everything He lists out in Chapters 38-41, we can trust Him to hold our lives.

Personally, I love the story of Moses. I love the faith of his mother to release him into the stream, only to get him back again. I love Mose's zeal to stick up for his people, even though he's been raised as an Egyptian. I think most of all, though, I love that Moses keeps doing what he was made to do, even when things didn't work out. He runs off into the desert fearful that Pharaoh will hunt him down, and what is the first thing he does in his escape? He gets involved in a water quarrel by defending some young gals. He could easily have looked back on past experiences and thought, "when I get involved in fights that aren't my own, it ends badly." But instead he continues to act- to be the redeemer and leader God had made him to be. I know that for me, yesterday's bad experiences often become tomorrow's excuses. I pray that I learn from Moses to trust God even when life turns out differently than I expect!

What are you learning this week? What will you take away from the book of Job?

Peace-
Nick Stumbo

Thursday, January 24, 2013

The Chronological Bible- Week 3

Hello All! Sorry to be so late posting a lead-in for your third week of reading through the Chronological Bible. How is your experience going?

This week marks the first time that the Chronological Bible really changes from reading the regular Bible. Typically Job is found right before the Psalms, halfway through the Old Testament. This traditional placement is due to the fact that Job is viewed as "Wisdom Literature" and so it gets linked with Psalms, Provers, Ecclesiastes, etc, that all have a more poetic, teaching kind of focus. The Wisdom books, along with the Law and Prophets, make up the three primary sections of the Old Testament.

Putting Job after Genesis, however, grounds it in time where it most likely occurred. We have scant few details on the setting, but from what little details we can glean (such as the fact that Job functions for his children as a kind of "priest" in chapter one- definitely pre-Covenant, pre-12 tribes kind of behavior), it seems evident that the story of Job happened sometime during the events of Genesis.

What I love about this book is that it gives us a very early picture into the struggle humans were having in understanding who the Almighty God truly was. Was he like all the other gods of the age- rewarding those who pleased him and punishing those who didn't? Or was this God somehow nearer, somehow more real and personal than any other concept of God? As Job wrestles with the "why" of his circumstances, he comes to know the "Who" standing behind them.

Job has MANY challenging verses and ideas. How are you processing them? What do you find difficult?

May you discover unique insights about God as you read through Job this, and part of next week!

Peace-
Nick

Monday, January 14, 2013

The Chronological Bible- Week 2

What are your thoughts, questions, and input as you read during this second full week?

I have been amazed at what a flawed human being Jacob appears to be- deceptive, conniving, and stealthy- and yet God chooses to use him and bless him. That gives me hope!

What are your thoughts this week?

Nick

Saturday, January 05, 2013

The Chronological Bible Journey- Week 1

As you read through the Chronological Bible, this is a place to come each week and share your insights, thoughts and questions. Dialogue with one another by posting your own comment! Each week, we will start the conversation fresh, so check back and interact on a regular basis.

If at any point during the year, you would like to share a longer thought, email the office and we will put it up in its own unique post.

May God's Word speak to us all!

The Staff