On and off for over a year now some girls from my old bible study and I have been reading through the bible together and emailing back and forth our questions and comments. Three days ago we began following the one year bible track, so I will probably blog here and there about my thoughts on the daily readings.
David really impressed me in the psalm we read yesterday and the one we read today. Psalm 3:2 "many are saying of my soul, there is no salvation for him in God." and 4:2 "oh men, how long shall my honor be turned in to shame." We definitely live in a time and place where we get little to no ridicule for our faith. It's almost "cool" to have the bumper sticker or wear the t-shirt. At the very least, it's culturally acceptable to "go to church" on Sundays... whether or not you truly follow Christ. This is sad on so many levels, but for one, I think it makes it harder for me to get through to people that I don't just go to church, it's not about just going to church. There is a God we serve as our Lord that has provided us with salvation, because he's merciful and we believe. How much harder would it be to be a believer if I were in David's shoes? I hate to think that I would be afraid of the path of resistance, but how loudly would I proclaim my Lord if I were being targeted? I think about muslims and other cultures that are often persecuted if their religion goes against the grain or society, and I don't blame them for not embracing our God. Could I do it? It hurts my heart for these people, because for me, compared to them, salvation and following Christ is a cake walk. Aww, these are really sad thoughts for me.
Proverbs 1:20-23 "Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks." Christians often talk about God being "silent" and this proverb reminds me that his Wisdom is loud and crying out. God is always talking to us. Through the holy spirit we have the gift of God in us which, in John 16:7 Jesus tells us is better than having him beside us, walking and talking with us in the flesh. "I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you." It is we who do not listen very well. At the very least we always have scripture to help us discern what God is saying to us about anything that we're in the middle of.
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