Angela Benson
Well, it’s the first week of March and we’ve made it through the Old Testament. By the end of the month, our journey through the Bible will be complete. It’s been a quick journey and I’ve wanted to meander a few times but I’ve managed to stay on course. Now I’m ready to go back and vacation in some of the books that visited briefly during our journey. I’ve said I’m starting with Psalms but I’m very tempted to start with the books of the minor prophets that we read this week: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.
The message that was driven home for me this week is what it means to be friends with God. The prophets served to make God’s thoughts, wishes, and warnings clearly known to His people. As I look back over the entire Old Testament, I don’t remember a single time that God kept a secret from His people, or set them up in an unexpected trap. Can you think of one? He always let them know what He was going to do before He did it. That’s what a friend does: a friend lets you in on his plans and his expectations; that’s exactly the way God operated in the Old Testament.
You know, I just thought of a possible exception: Job. That said, I don’t think Job takes away from the truth of God sharing with His friends. In Job’s case, God was so sure of Job’s heart that He didn’t feel a need to warn Job because He knew how Job would react. Again, an example of a close friendship. God acts in much the same way today. He’s let us know both what He expects of us as Christians and what we as Christians should expect from the world. We know this in a very general way, but many times He lets us in on the specifics. Can’t you look back on situations and see how God prepared you for them? I know I can so I’m sure you can, too. As Jesus told his disciples in John 15:15 (NLT):
I no longer call you servants, because a master doesn’t confide in his servants. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.
I’d like to thank those of you taking the journey with me. You have helped to keep me on track. Knowing that you were here waiting and willing to share with me each week was a source of motivation and encouragment. Knowing I didn’t want to let you down, I pushed through sometimes when I wanted to fall off. This push towards excellence that we give each other is captured in Proverbs 27:17 (NLT).
As iron sharpens iron, a friend sharpens a friend.
Have a great week and don’t forget to share what you’re learning.
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts with us again. I really enjoy seeing what you’ve learned again during the week. I look forward to your insights, to what God is especially showing you.
I guess I haven’t been closely listening to God in the last little while. Otherwise I would have been more prepared for what happened lately. On the other hand, my sister has also said that she doesn’t know him any more. One the one hand, I did feel that there was something not quite right, on the other, I just did not expect the magnitude of it.
I guess we must be God’s servants who are also friends. We are to serve Him. Are we to obey Him blindly because He wants us to trust Him utterly? Or does He always give us a hint of why we are to do something or what the consequences are if we don’t? The ultimate consequences we do know, but what about the immediate ones?
As I see it at this moment, we are to be:
His children
His friends
His servants
part of Christ’s body
His messengers
the salt of the earth
a light in the darkness
What else? It’s a very complicated relationship, isn’t it?
Sigrun, you are so right. John 15:14, the verse right before the one above, says: “You are my friends if you obey me.” And, yes, it’s a complicated relationship because of all the roles God plays in our lives.
You’re also right about these feelings that we get. I get them, too. Sometimes i don’t realize it until after the event though.
I believe the closer we draw to God, the fewer things will happen that will surprise us. During prayer time I believe alot of us are so busy talking, we don’t get STILL long enough for God to speak back, and I believe in those still, quiet times, that is when God God speaks back to us and shows us what we need to do. So once that type of fellowship is established first thing in the morning, the Holy Spirit can guide you throughout the day and things that may have caught you off guard, you’ll now be more in control.
I am a friend of God. And it’s the best feeling in the world, isn’t it?
Angela, I’m truly enjoying taking this journey with you. I’m a few days behind, but nevertheless I know more about my Father now than ever. Thank you for recommending this Bible.
I’ve actually been thinking about one of my favorite characters in the Bible–Joseph and I was thinking about doing a study on him after I finish reading the Bible in 90 days, but I didn’t know of any good books about Joseph.
Well, I went to Joyce Meyer’s Conference last night (I LOVE HER!!!!) and low and behold, there was a book about Joseph on her media table!! It’s called God Meant It For Good!
Angela, let me know what you decide to study and I may take a second journey with you! 🙂 I think it holds us more accountable when we partner together in these readings.
Geigh, I think what I’ll do is take about a month break between the 90 day study and the next one to give people who started a bit late time to finish. During that time, we can talk on the blog about what we want to study next. I, too, appreciate the accountability that comes with doing the study with other people. All of you have certainly helped to keep me on track.
That works out GREAT for me, because I’m about two weeks behind you guys!!!