Learning we are loved

"Remember the days of old,

Consider the years of many generations"

Deuteronomy 32:7

I love the history in the Bible.  It can be confusing, and I'm far from knowing it all, but I do love learning the facts of what happened, and when, and who was involved, and where, and under whose reign.  Stuff like that. 

There's a lot of that in the Old Testament.  I don't understand why some people think the Old Testament is unimportant.  There is so much to learn from the successes and failures of the folks who went before us.  There is so much to apply to our lives. 

Not to mention, knowing the details in the Old Testament can help to make connections in our minds.  Why one nation hated another; or conversely, showed them mercy, for instance.  Or how, what seems like cruel punishment to someone in the Old Testament, was really brought on by themselves.  There's more to the story, as they say. 

But there's history in the New Testament, too.  That's what the gospels are, of course.  And in a sense, Revelation is history, too.  It's just telling us about events before they happen.

And then, of course, there is the Acts of the Apostles.  Or "Acts" as most people call it.  It's a wonderful book that continues the events of the people we grew to love in the gospels.  It's the sequel, really.  And it tells about the actions of the disciples, but really, it's all about how God was working through them.

Years ago I read a story by Erma Bombeck, about a mother who died young, leaving three teen-aged boys.  Financially speaking, she had not much to leave them, so she wrote them each a note, and told each boy how much she loved him, the things that made him special, and sharing with each of them, that he was her favorite.

The Book of Acts contains what I think is God's version of this.  In chapter 2 we read that the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them.  Verse 5 says there were God-fearing Jews from every nation, and each one of them heard the disciples declaring the wonders of God in their own language.

God could have done any number of miracles there, to underscore the magnitude of what was taking place ~ the imparting of the Holy Spirit to God's people, just as Jesus promised.  But this was the miracle He chose:  communication. 

And I love how every person there heard from God, each in his own language.  It was as if God was saying to each of them, "I want you to know this, because you are my favorite."  God does that for each of us when we read Scripture.  He speaks to us in sentences or verses or concepts that touch us in a way that is unique to each of us.  Sometimes it's so unique to your life or your understanding that you think you misunderstood what you read. 

Hold on to what He is saying to you.  Take that passage that spoke to you, and find out more about it.  That can be hard to do.  Sometimes we don't fully understand a passage in the New Testament until we've read something in the Old Testament that explains it. 

Or maybe we love a story in one of the gospels, and then discover that there are even more details in one of the other gospels.  Those are either discovered from searching, or from stumbling on something when we least expect it.

So grab hold of that verse, or that thought, or that quote.  He has given it to you; you just don't have all of it yet.  Keep searching, and keep reading.  You have found a treasure that you can explore for the rest of your life.

~ "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, 

and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, 

for correction, for instruction in righteousness" ~

2 Timothy 3:16

~