God things

Hello, me again. 

I mentioned in my first post about how I started reading the Bible in chronological order for the first time in my life this past month. Y'all, it is rocking my world. I use the The Bible Recap plan and I highly recommend. You read the chapters for each day and then listen to a quick podcast hosted by Tara Leigh Cobble who sums up the reading a bit each day and then points out what jumped out at her about God's character from that day's reading. I grew up in church, but I truly haven't dived deep in my reading of the Bible. I'm one of those that really loves staying in the new testament where things just seem to make a little more sense. But what a bigger picture is there for us to discover! 

One thing I've noticed with almost each day's reading is how God works all things out for good and according to HIS plan, despite our sins and trying to take matters into our own hands. YOU CAN'T DERAIL THE PLANS OF GOD. Joseph said to his brothers after they had sold him into slavery in Egypt many years before and were reunited in Genesis 45:5 "But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life." That is one powerful verse. Not only is Joseph's faith and forgiveness toward his brothers so great and something we should all learn from, but GOD. God literally used the brother's sin to send Joseph before them so that he could preserve the covenant line that they would not be taken out by the severe famine that was on the Earth at the time. That's just one story out of many in the book of Genesis alone. Are you feeling guilty about sins of your past? Shame and guilt are not from our gracious God. Rest assured that nothing you do can derail His great plans for your life. Accept his grace today! 

This also has me thinking on things going on in the world today. There was a large tornado back in my hometown in Arkansas that slammed through the heart of the city just this past week. It went right through the big mall in town that typically would be filled with people shopping and eating on a Saturday night. Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing recommendations; there was hardly anyone there and not a single person died from the tornado despite the horrific scenes of damage. Anyone seeing the aftermath pictures would be a little shook up, it was intense. I don't know why these things happen. Is there a bigger lesson or picture? Is God using all of this to remind us that our possessions don't matter, our wealth doesn't matter, our status doesn't matter. To bring us back to the basics. To restore families. To fix our focus on Him. To help us realize that the only place we can find joy and peace is in Him alone. I think so. God's sovereignty permeates our every day, we just need to open our eyes.