Find Faith, Hope, and Encouragement for Your Walk with God

ter I studied the Old Testament in my theology coursework, I shared with one of my Chaplains in the military that it completely changed my perspective of the Old Testament. Many times, I have read the entire Bible in a year and I would sometimes dread the reading of portions of the Old Testament. It always felt so bloody, and bleak-and I am a warfighter! Then something happened, when I started studying instead of simply reading, I started seeing the Old Testament as one love story after another. So many times, we humans, God’s children have turned away from God. We have worshipped false idols, we have disobeyed clear commands, we have committed one sin after another even after personally witnessing God’s miracles. What does God do? God continues to forgive, to give us hope even after we fail Him time and time again. Has there ever been a better love story written? One of the major prophets Jeremiah warns the kingdom of Judah of their upcoming demise and invasion from Babylon. But his message does not end there, he shares a message of hope, of God’s love. “Then young women will dance and be glad, young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow” (Jeremiah 31:13, NIV). Even in delivering the message of darkness to come, God has Jeremiah give His people a message of hope and restoration. How is that not a beautiful love story?

I am playing a little catch up this week. For the first time in a long time, I didn’t quite get my three blogs last week. This was one I intended to write last week that I didn’t want to forget. I have doubts-I think if we are all honest with ourselves, we have all had doubts at one time or another. I have been prayerful, but wondered if what I prayed for was not what God had planned for me. I have questioned whether transformation, true transformation was really possible. The other night as I sat in prayer and opened my Bible, it opened to Acts 9, and I had my answer. How can we doubt transformation when you read about Saul? Saul went from persecuting all the followers of Jesus to proclaiming the name of Jesus to all who would hear. That is transformation. God chose Him and when God chooses us, what seems impossible becomes possible. The lost are found and true transformation surpasses understanding. Saul was blinded by God questioning him and his acts of persecution only to then be given his site as he is transformed. “Brother Saul, the Lord-Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here-has sent me so that yo may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again” (Acts 9:17-18, NIV)