Playing Catch Up

I got a little behind last week. Not because I slacked off in my study time, but because I was not ready to move on or did not feel like I had anything to share. Today I'm going to try to catch up so that we can stay on track and begin with the major prophets tomorrow. So here is some of what I have gotten out of the wisdom books:

Job 1:20-22

²⁰ At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship ²¹ and said:
"Naked I came from my mother's womb,
and naked I will depart.
The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;
may the name of the LORD be praised."

²² In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.

I had a hard time reading Job, but I was encouraged to learn that God does not condemn doubt and despair. He does ask us to have faith during our trials and to trust Him. My study Bible gave this quote: "Do not forget in the darkness what you have learned in the light." I will always try to remember that suffering can be used for a higher good.

Psalm 18

¹ I love you, O LORD, my strength.

² The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.
He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

³ I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise,
and I am saved from my enemies.

The psalms are amazing and I plan to go back and spend a lot more time there. There is a psalm to match every mood and emotion, from joy to sorrow, from fear to contentment and so on. When I am struggling in my prayer life, I will pray the Psalms.

Proverbs 9:10

¹⁰ "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

Would I sound like a drama queen if I said that this verse changed the way I live my life? A few months ago, our pastor gave an entire message on this verse. In this message, he said we should fear God's disappointment more than man's disapproval. That thought really struck me and I have been trying to live by it. When I felt like God put it on my heart to start this blog, my first reaction was: NO WAY!!! What if someone actually reads this and thinks I'm __________. (You can fill in the blank.) Then and many times since, when blogging or making other choices, I decided to worry more about disappointing God than what other people think of me. It's not easy, but I'm trying.

I will be spending a lot more time in the wisdom books and I will try to share future thoughts and insights, but tonight I will look forward to what Jeremiah has for me.