Finding comfort and encouragement in both the Old and New Testaments

As I've mentioned before I read a chapter in the OT and chapter in the NT.  Then I mediate on what God is trying to communicate to me in His word that day.

 

Some might wonder, why both Old and New?  Good question!  I just find that there are stories and lessons in both that I can learn and/or draw comfort from.

 

Today's example is from Judges 20.  It is the story about Israel going against Benjamin in a war.  Israel inquires of God before going to war and God says "Go for it.".

So Israel goes for it and they are soundly defeated the first day.  The go back and inquire of God again, making sure they are on the right path.  God again tells them to go for it.

 

Same result.  They go back to God yet again.  The is crying and wailing.  God tells them to go for it yet again.  Israel has paid a pretty steep price in the loss of men already but God tells them to keep trying.

Finally on the 5th try Israel succeeds. 

Ever be working on a goal, heading in a direction you are sure God is telling you to head, and you just don't seem to be getting anywhere?  You inquire of God and God tells you "trust Me.  You are doing what you need to do.  Just keep going!". 

I have been facing that challenge and I just found this story from the OT very encouraging.

And that is why I try to read both.  You never know where God is going to speak to you from!  :)

Sometimes reading the Bible can be like watching an episode of Twin Peaks

Seriously!

One of the things that I loved was the totally random stuff in the show.  One time the shot was from the reception desk at the sheriff's office looking out the front door.  You saw a person pacing back and forth a few times and then the scene just cuts away to something else.

There was no relevance to what was going on.  The was no explanation.  It was just weird.

 

I find some things in Scripture to be the same way.  Here is an example. 
 

Judges 12:13-15(NKJV)

After him, Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite judged Israel. 

He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy young donkeys. He judged Israel eight years. 

Then Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the mountains of the Amalekites.

 

We know that Scripture is one of the ways that God communicates with us.  So what exactly is God trying to communicate by telling us that this guy had 40 kids, 30 grandkids, and they all rode on donkeys.  This is the only mention in the whole Bible that Abdon gets.  It's not like we will be reading more about him later or anything.  Why do we need to know the number of his kids and grandkids and that they each had a donkey?

Because it is Scripture I look for deeper meanings.  Are there deeper meanings here that I am missing?  Or does God sometimes put stuff like this in here just to screw with us? 

I can hear some people gasp!  How can you say that about God?  Come on, my main paradigm is of God the father.  Every one of you out there, you know you have screwed with your own kids at one time or another.  You know you have.  Why would you think God wouldn't want to screw around with His kids sometimes too?  :)

I hope you all have a great weekend!

 

What a great prayer to start the day!

 I ran across this prayer in my morning readings.  What a nice prayer to start the day!

 

2 Corinthians 9:10-11(NKJV)

Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, 

while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God. 

I like this so much I put it on a 3 x 5 index card so I could memorize it. 

I hope you all have a great day!

"cut of his thimbs and big toes" Man they did some weird stuff back in the day!

This just made me burst out laughing.

 

Judges 1:6-7(NKJV)

Then Adoni-Bezek fled, and they pursued him and caught him and cut off his thumbs and big toes. 

And Adoni-Bezek said, “Seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off used to gather scraps under my table; as I have done, so God has repaid me.” Then they brought him to Jerusalem, and there he died.

 

Cut off his thumbs and big toes?  Now I laughed before reading the reason that they did that to Adoni-Bezek.  I just amazes me the weird ways people come up with to torture and degrade others.  It initially made me laugh but it is pretty sad as well.