So it has seriously been a long time since I blogged! I really want to be better about posting and sharing my thoughts with you guys (because I know that you all are dying to hear my thoughts).
I'm going to try to be a lot better! And try to put up some pictures or something like that.
On the same note- I have yet to finish putting up pictures from the summer on my Facebook page. Clearly I am really bad at this stuff.
But to the point of this post. This year I have decided to do the For the Love of God reading plan with my friend Bemi. Each day we read 4 chapters from different books of the Bible. Right now, we are reading in Genesis, Nehemiah, Matthew and Acts. By the end of the year, we will have read through the Old Testament once and Psalms and the New Testament twice. They also give you a blog to follow that gives you some thoughts on the chapters that you read. And you know how much I love a good blog. All that to say- if you want a good plan to read through the Bible this year, you should join in! It's not too late. I have never read the Bible all the way through, so I am really excited to be reading the whole thing this year. Seriously, we are given the very word of the God of the universe, so how about we read it!?
The other day, I was reading in Matthew and I was struck by something. I was reading Matthew 14 where Jesus feeds (more than) 5,000 people with 5 loaves and 2 fish and there are 12 baskets of food left over. We all know this story, we have heard it over and over. The disciples doubted and didn't believe that Jesus would be able to feed everyone, but then He does and everyone is amazed and happy.
Then what happens?
In the very next chapter, Matthew 15, there are 4,000 people (again, more when counting women and children). Jesus calls the disciples and tells them that He wants to feed them. I wonder if He was testing their faith, seeing what they would say. If they would say, "Great idea, Jesus, you fed even more people last week, so I bet you could do it again." That's not how they responded. Again, they looked at him (probably like he was crazy) and asked where they could possibly get enough food to feed all those people.
Reading this, I just had to laugh and gape at the disciples. I'll be honest, I don't always have a lot of patience for the disciples. I often wonder how in the world it took them so long to understand and believe. I mean they had Jesus right there in front of them! They had seen him feed thousands, heal people, and walk on water, but they still doubted.
But as soon as I had that thought, I had one of those "ohh..." moments as I realized, I do that everyday.
I have had an extremely interesting (to say the least) past 2 weeks.
Moments where I doubted, questioned and just all around didn't believe God's promises and His faithfulness.
Moments just like the disciples. Jesus had already proven that he could care for people's needs, that he could feed thousands with a lunchable (as pastors like to say). But here I am doubting that he will be able to do it again.
I was left laughing at myself, laughing at the disciples and asking, "Haven't I learned this before?"
But isn't that the beauty?
I have already learned this. God has already proven himself faithful.
Jesus had already proven that he could feed the masses, but he was just as willing to show his power again.
Because he knows that sometimes we need reminders. Sometimes we have to learn things a few times before it finally sinks in.
I am endlessly thankful that we serve a God who is loving and patient. Who just like a loving parent, will graciously teach me the same lessons.
And I pray, that one day his lessons will sink in. I'm thinking that they will, because after all, the disciples didn't stay doubtful and forgetful. They became the pillars that the church was built on.
God is faithful. God is good. God is sovereign.
I'm going to try to be a lot better! And try to put up some pictures or something like that.
On the same note- I have yet to finish putting up pictures from the summer on my Facebook page. Clearly I am really bad at this stuff.
But to the point of this post. This year I have decided to do the For the Love of God reading plan with my friend Bemi. Each day we read 4 chapters from different books of the Bible. Right now, we are reading in Genesis, Nehemiah, Matthew and Acts. By the end of the year, we will have read through the Old Testament once and Psalms and the New Testament twice. They also give you a blog to follow that gives you some thoughts on the chapters that you read. And you know how much I love a good blog. All that to say- if you want a good plan to read through the Bible this year, you should join in! It's not too late. I have never read the Bible all the way through, so I am really excited to be reading the whole thing this year. Seriously, we are given the very word of the God of the universe, so how about we read it!?
The other day, I was reading in Matthew and I was struck by something. I was reading Matthew 14 where Jesus feeds (more than) 5,000 people with 5 loaves and 2 fish and there are 12 baskets of food left over. We all know this story, we have heard it over and over. The disciples doubted and didn't believe that Jesus would be able to feed everyone, but then He does and everyone is amazed and happy.
Then what happens?
In the very next chapter, Matthew 15, there are 4,000 people (again, more when counting women and children). Jesus calls the disciples and tells them that He wants to feed them. I wonder if He was testing their faith, seeing what they would say. If they would say, "Great idea, Jesus, you fed even more people last week, so I bet you could do it again." That's not how they responded. Again, they looked at him (probably like he was crazy) and asked where they could possibly get enough food to feed all those people.
Reading this, I just had to laugh and gape at the disciples. I'll be honest, I don't always have a lot of patience for the disciples. I often wonder how in the world it took them so long to understand and believe. I mean they had Jesus right there in front of them! They had seen him feed thousands, heal people, and walk on water, but they still doubted.
But as soon as I had that thought, I had one of those "ohh..." moments as I realized, I do that everyday.
I have had an extremely interesting (to say the least) past 2 weeks.
Moments where I doubted, questioned and just all around didn't believe God's promises and His faithfulness.
Moments just like the disciples. Jesus had already proven that he could care for people's needs, that he could feed thousands with a lunchable (as pastors like to say). But here I am doubting that he will be able to do it again.
I was left laughing at myself, laughing at the disciples and asking, "Haven't I learned this before?"
But isn't that the beauty?
I have already learned this. God has already proven himself faithful.
Jesus had already proven that he could feed the masses, but he was just as willing to show his power again.
Because he knows that sometimes we need reminders. Sometimes we have to learn things a few times before it finally sinks in.
I am endlessly thankful that we serve a God who is loving and patient. Who just like a loving parent, will graciously teach me the same lessons.
And I pray, that one day his lessons will sink in. I'm thinking that they will, because after all, the disciples didn't stay doubtful and forgetful. They became the pillars that the church was built on.
God is faithful. God is good. God is sovereign.
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