There are a few different things I've been reading as part of different groups. Let me share with you what's stuck out the most to me recently.
Our Small Group: The Minor Prophets
Hosea 1:5 - For their mother has played the whore; she who conceived them has acted shamefully. For she said, "I will go after my lovers, who give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, my oil and my drink."
Hosea 1:8 - And she did not know that it was I who gave her the grain, the wine, and the oil, and who laished on her silver and gold, which they used for Baal."
I was really challenged by this passage to consider where I think all of the things in my life come from. And do I chase after things that I think bring me pleasure when really those things are a gift from God.
Hosea 11:8 - How can I give you up, O Ephraim? How can I hand you over, O Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboiim? My heart recoils within me; my compassion grows warm and tender. I will not execute my burning anger; I will not again destroy Ephraim; for I am God and not a man, the Holy One in your midst, and I will not come in wrath.
The compassion and the forbearance of the Lord is awesome.
Bible Study Fellowship: Isaiah
Isaiah chapter 5 is a song that Isaiah sings about God planting a vineyard and all of the care He put into it, and it only yields wild fruit. It challenges me to think about all the time, love, attention and care God is pouring into me and what fruit I yield for Him. The BSF study had us jump to John 15 where Jesus says that He is the vine and we are the branches and that we must abide in him to bear fruit. This lesson was SO good for me. I MUST remain connected to God through His Word and through His Spirit to bear fruit.
Our Moms Group: Parenting is Heart Work by Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller
1 Samuel 16:7 - For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.
I had always considered this verse from the standpoint of not judging a person by their outward appearance because it's the heart that matters to God. But looking at it from the perspective of a parent and how to raise my child, I totally had my eyes opened. I am always struggling with pride and wanting others to think I'm such a great mom and my kids are so well behaved - TOTALLY concerned with man looking at the outward appearance. But I need to be more concerned with getting at my children's hearts, where the Lord is looking.
Personal: Proverbs 31
I'm stuck here in this chapter. I have been for months and months. Whenever I sit down to randomly open my Bible, I turn here. I can't help myself. I'm just SO challenged by verses 26 and 27.
Proverbs 31:26-27 - She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Will there ever come a day where I feel like I can put a checkmark next to these verses? Seriously, I am not a mom or a wife or a friend who consistently opens my mouth with wisdom and has the teaching of kindness on my tongue. I SOO desire to be that. And I so often find myself eating the bread of idleness instead of looking well after the ways of my household. I thank God all the time for these verses because they take me straight to the foot of the cross and have me call Mercy! I give up! I can't do this on my own!
How about any of you? Anything you've been reading lately that has been impactful on your life?
No comments:
Post a Comment