I am hard pressed to admit just how lackadaisical my attitude toward the Bible has been. I am also not eager to accept that I am in fact one of the many that approach the living word of God with a drive-through mentality, as if the Almighty God were something of a measly, thoughtless fix.
I can no longer procrastinate accountability and so at the beginning of 2021, I kickstarted my study the Bible in a year journey.
This being my first go at it, I was concerned that I would bore easy and was sure that I would be cross-eyed from all the words. But I am a few chapters in, studying Exodus and Psalm concurrently, and I am honestly blown away by how riveting the Bible is. It could very well be my current posture – brazen surrender, but I am thoroughly enjoying leafing through the pages, connecting the dots, and making sense of things that once seemed like jargon to me. I am surprisingly okay being knee-deep in the details, and quite welcoming of the myriad of emotions that bubble up as I study.
So often, we skip the process and jump to the promise. We quote words that merely sit on the surface of our hearts and call them declarations. We demand that God open doors we did not seek him for, and lament about burdens we refuse to lay at His feet. We complain about thirst yet choose every liquid, but water. We punch holes into walls when more would be accomplished lifting those hands in worship.
However, as shown by the patriarchs and countless others in the bible, God is not looking for perfect. I also get the general sense that He is not afraid of our questions. In fact, I imagine that He is rather eager to answer them. I mean Abraham for example had an honest conversation with God about Sodom and Gomorrah that involved him asking a lot of questions, |Gen. 18:16-33|. It’s the questioning God bit that could cause real problems. A quick example is a version of a conversation between Moses and God, |Exodus 4:12-13|.
Moses: God, I cannot do what you are asking me to do because I stutter.
God: Dear child, do not be bogged down by your perceived faults and flaws, I will be with you when you speak, and I will instruct you on what to say.
Moses: Okay, but God I think it is best you send someone else.
God says I know that you have a stutter, but that ain’t a thing I AM WITH YOU, and Moses replies yes, but that is hardly enough. This is the same man that witnessed a bush on fire that did not burn. God was not impressed with this, but He did not throw in the towel, instead he allowed the crutch that Moses wanted i.e., Aaron and still used him in miraculous ways. But I cannot ignore the fact that Aaron became somewhat of a pain, a real thorn in Moses’ flesh, but we will save this for another post.
So, I am asking you, do you have questions for God, or are you questioning Him?
On a side note, I think it’s pretty rad that Moses started on the wildest journey of his life at the retirement age of 80. I mean I have had many wild days in my day, but none like his. Maybe God is saying to you, Dear child, do not be bogged down by your age, I am with you. He could also be saying, consider burying your beautifully shaped nose in my word so that I may speak to you and you may know me!
If you are interested in journeying alongside me, please let me know. I’ll be happy to share my study guides!
Happy Monyaaaaaaay!
Xo, Mel.
WateredSeed 