Did you read the book that was assigned?

The following is just my thoughts on a possible scenario. My little brains thoughts only. Think about this for a moment.... you have died and you stand before the Creator. If you have accepted Christ you get to hang out for eternity. Great!! But....the Creator asks you this simple question....

"My dear child, did you read the Book I gave you?"

Oh boy!! Let's say this happens. What are you going to say to the One that made everything? The one that gave you life. The one that allows you to be with him forever because of the suffering and acceptance of his only son. Yikes. Immediately I think of good ol' Cliff! You know, Cliff Notes. The age old cheat books for those of us not with it enough to read the assigned literary masterpieces assigned during our HS years. You know who you are!!

Well, a dear friend posed this very question to me not too long ago and being a very compliant person, I took it to heart. What if! What if I get inside the pearly gates and God asks me if I read His book? What will my answer be!! Will I be standing there saying, "uuummmm. Well, I read some of it." (gulp) Now, I know enough of what scripture has to say to know that this "not reading of the Good Book" will certainly not get me kicked out but it sure would be a smart thing to have done while I had the chance.

So...this post is an encouraging message to all who read it and all those who touch your lives. Why not read the Book from cover to cover. Soak it all in. Take your time and get through every word our Creator has to say to us. Each word is so significant or He would not have wasted his time giving it to us. I believe this with all my heart.

Yes. I have started reading the bible from the beginning to the end. What have I learned so far? Well, I am only in the first chapter of Joshua but so far the things I have come to realize are amazing. Sure, Leviticus put me to sleep several times, Numbers made me want to poke by eyes out at times but I truly am getting a beautiful, more complete picture of God. Here are just a few bullet points of what I have come to realize...
1. Genesis is full of the word US. Several times, the term us is used instead of me or I. Us refers to the trinity. Just amazing to realize how all three were spoken of from the very beginning.
2. There was a man named Enoch that scripture says "did not die". Wow! Really?! He was just "taken away by God".
3. I realized yet another term/word used today that has it's roots in scripture. To babble. You know the word..."she just babbled away." Definition: to speak incoherently. (sadly, I think I might do this often) Read Gen 11:5-10. This term came from here!
4. I learned that even when things are horrible...you are down and out...God will still make you fruitful. He did this for Joseph. Gen 41:52
5. In Exodus, I learned that God will always be compassionate. I knew this but to see it in scripture...in His own words...Huge!
6. I learned that in Exodus, he tells us that when he calls us to do something, he will equip us to fulfill it. Boy, does that help with my parenting!! Amen?
7. Leviticus is painfully specific!! Painful I tell you. BUT...oh boy. Does this ever demonstrate how God cares for and sees every single one of us. It all matters to Him. Even lil' ol' me.
8. God will not accept leftovers! He wants our best
9. Even way back in Leviticus, God tells us how he is walking with us, he is with us and he will never turn away.
10. I always correlate peace as the one thing Jesus left us. This is scripture. But way back in Numbers, God tell us he is giving us his peace.
11. The last one I will mention is...while still in Leviticus, God was STILL soooo merciful with His people. They messed up time and time again. Just like I do....time and time again!! Yet, we serve a merciful God who wants us to love him as he loves us. He asks for our devotion and even when we decide that our agenda is far more important than his, he is forgiving, loving and merciful. Praise God!!

Again, I encourage all my brothers and sisters in Christ to read this ever amazing Book. THE book. It will only bring you revelation, encouragement and comfort.
(Beth...thanks for encouraging me....needed to get back to this...it had been too long! xoxo)