I couldn't agree more. I chatted with a young woman the other day who told me she started reading through the Old Testament but got hung up on the tedious, difficult, boring parts. I get that. Some of it seems to have no modern day value. As isolated readings this could be true.
I used to think the same thing, until I got a few whole readings under my belt. Now when I reach some of those shall I say, less appreciated books, I see themes arise, repeated phrases and concepts jump off the page - and have great meaning. I mean, check this out...
2 Chronicles 6 - King Solomon's prayer
v. 14 "O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven or on earth, keeping covenant and showing steadfast love to your servants who walk before you with all their heart..."
v. 21 "...And listen to the pleas of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. And listen from heaven your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive."
v.24, 25 "If your people....have sinned against you and they turn and acknowledge your name and pray and plead with you...then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people..."
v. 26, 27 "When heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, if they pray toward this place and acknowledge your name and turn from their sin...then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your servants..."
v. 29, 30 "whatever prayer, whatever plea is made by any man or by all your people Israel, each knowing his own affliction and his own sorrow and stretching out his hands toward this house, then hear from heaven your dwelling place and forgive and render to each whose heart you know...for you, you only, know the hearts of the children of mankind."
v. 32, 33 "When a foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, comes from a far country for the sake of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm, when he comes and prays, hear him from heaven and do...in order that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you."
v. 34 "If your people...pray to you..., then hear from heaven their plea..."
v. 36-39 "If they sin against you - for there is no one who does not sin...yet if they turn their heart...and repent with all their mind and with all their heart....and pray...then hear them from heaven...and forgive."
This is 2 Chronicles people!
You see it?
Hear and forgive.
Isn't that what we need the most from our Heavenly Father? To hear our I'm sorrys and forgive.
I wrote in the margin:
The ears of God always hear the repentant prayers of His people.
There's more. In Chapter 7
v. 14 "...if my people who are called by name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin..."
v. 16 "...my eyes and my heart will be there (temple for worship) for all time.
Chapter 16
v. 9 "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward Him."
The eyes of God.
The ears of God.
The heart of God.
He sees. He hears. He answers.
Amazing.
Reminds me of this from some years (chapters) prior:
"During those many days...the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant...God saw the people of Israel...and God knew." Exodus 2:24, 25 (don't even get me started on all the good stuff in Exodus 3)
He hears.
He remembers.
He sees.
He knows.
What a beautiful picture. Don't miss the heart of God toward you today.
And what an amazing gift He has given to us.
He always makes a way for us to approach His holiness, as greatly loved children.
If we...., then He.....
It's a promise.
I hope that brightens your day as it has mine.
So many treasures tucked into God's written Word. We really should read all of it.
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