God's Word
A number of you will have heard me mention before that every school holidays, I look forward to spending some retreat time with God – just Him and I, usually at a B&B or by the sea. This time it was for two days in my home lounge room and a day by the sea.
A few weeks prior, God had placed on my heart what the focus of that time should be. It had come after a whole staff Professional Development session through the series Open Book – a series that our Chaplain Adam Wood is leading staff through. In that most recent session, God had convicted me that I had been spending all my time reading the New Testament, and not much time reading the Old Testament.
So I prayed to the Lord about which OT book it was He wanted me to start reading. The name Samuel kept popping into my head over a two week period, and so that is where I started… It never ceases to amaze me how fascinating it is to read a whole book of the bible in a sitting. It helps to reveal patterns, key words, themes and phrases, that would otherwise be missed if we only read single or small passages of verses here and there.
Another thing that amazes me is that you can read the same passage of scripture, and yet each time you do, God reveals or brings comfort for something different.
As I read First and Second Samuel in the holidays, God reminded me there is often lengthy time between God’s plan from one thing to the next – in fact years! Be patient… How often do we expect God to answer our prayers immediately? Do we inquire of Him and then be prepared to patiently wait upon the Lord?
Other key reminder messages that stood out for me during my retreat time included:
- Seek the Lord in all decision making
- When the Lord has a plan, NOTHING stands in His way
- We need to be willing to obey God’s calling
- God promises He will be with us
- God promises to equip us – therefore be faithful to do whatever comes before you on a daily basis
- God can be grieved when we are not obedient to His plan for us - when we do not seek the Father’s heart
- It is the Lord that calls and blesses. It is also the Lord that gives consequence to those that do not honour the Lord’s direction - we surrender any grievance we may have to the Lord
- The condition of our heart towards God is very important
We only truly understand the New Testament when we read it in light of the Old Testament, as one book from Genesis to Revelation. I invite you to reflect on your own reading of the Bible. Are you reading both the Old Testament and the New Testament?
May the Lord bless your reading of His Word.
Helen Vonow
Head of Junior School