Look Up

For a reader like me, there are some books that are like old friends. I get a warm fuzzy feeling when I see them on the shelf or pass by them at a bookstore.

Same thing goes for books of the Bible. I've read the Bible through a couple of times now, but there are books that always make me struggle. Leviticus and Numbers and the Chronicles (I & II) are just some examples. My head can't wrap around some parts of Daniel or Revelation. Song of Solomon, though beautifully written, kind of makes me uncomfortable.

This year my Bible reading plan is based on a devotional called The One Year Praying Through the Bible for your Kids. It has you read a few pages in the Old Testament, Psalms, Proverbs, and then the New Testament every day, followed by a short devotion and a prayer. I'm really enjoying it...

until tonight. I'm in Exodus, and it's the part just after the Ten Commandments where God is laying the law down to Moses (literally).

As I read it, I thought, "I'm not sure how this applies to me. I don't plan on stealing or killing any cows or donkeys."

As I read, one of the things I've been trying to do is jot down thoughts/ important notes from at least one of the passages. After I read the passage in Exodus, I wasn't really sure what to do with it, so I just wrote, "This is hard. I don't understand what I'm supposed to be taking from this but I know Your Word is living and active and I'm asking You to help me know what to get from it."

No flashing billboards went off in Heaven, so I went on and read in Psalms, Proverbs, and then in Matthew. The passage from Matthew was from chapter 24. The disciples ask for a sign of the times and the end of the world.

Now no man knows the hour (we're told that!), but as I read I literally almost lost my breath. I've read this passage time and again, but as I jotted it down I thought of my depressing newsfeed and all that has been going on in our world today.

Read it for yourself... this is from the HCSB translation, which is a little easier to read than the KJV.


"Then Jesus replied to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you.   For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and they will deceive many.   You are going to hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, because these things must take place, but the end is not yet.  For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.   All these events are the beginning of birth pains."Then they will hand you over for persecution, and they will kill you. You will be hated by all nations because of My name. Then many will take offense, betray one another, and hate one another. Many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. Because lawlessness will multiply, the love of many will grow cold."- Matthew 24:4-12

Reads like our headlines, right? Wars and rumors of wars. Nation against nation. Kingdom against kingdom. Famine. The KJV has "pestilences' in there... many different types of diseases. It also reads "earthquakes in diverse places"... all over the world.

Christians being perseucted and hated because of Jesus's name.

But here's what got me... what really hit me in the gut, because over these past few months, even years, with the advent of social media, I have seen such vile discourse between "civilized human beings."

Many will take offense.

Everyone takes offense these days... offended just because. 

And the love of many will grow cold... we've just stopped caring for one another.

His Word tells it like it is, even if we don't understand it and even if it hits us below the belt.

It also offers hope.

Hope in three letters...

BUT.

You'll find it in verse 13.

"But he that endures to the end will be delivered."

Not maybe. Not might.

Will be.

Look up, y'all. Our deliverance is near...

*Afterthought- If reading the Bible is intimidating, I get it.  It is hard to understand... but He will interpret it for you. If you read with an open mind and an open heart, He speaks to you. I promise! It's not an audible voice, but you'll find yourself thinking about a phrase you read over and over and it will just start to click.

Read a couple of verses a day and think about them. Chew on them. Journal about them.

Start in the gospels (John is a great one because it really lets you "meet" Jesus).

Make it a habit and I promise you will be blessed.