Lessons from TBE

Today I got to audio proof some of the Old Testament Bible Experience (comes out this fall, better check it out because it sounds AWESOME!) It was amazing listening today!

I had picked Esther because I love that book of the Bible. But then on a whim I also picked a disk with Ezra and Nehemiah on it.

(Insert: I must say that my job is awesome. How many people get paid to listen to a star-studded audio production of the Bible? How many people get to have a quiet time with God in the midst of all the crazyness, and have it count as work? Amazing.)

Anyways, what blew me away were the things I picked up on in Ezra and Nehemiah.

1) They saw every good thing as related to God, or coming from God. The phrase “and because the gracious hand of my God was upon me” or “because the favor of my God was upon me”….the king granted my request. My life was spared.
How many of us are quick to see the bad things and wonder where God is, but forget to acknowledge him as the giver of all good things?
And because the favor of my God was upon me…I made it through the ‘dry’ season.
And because the favor of my God was upon me…the work of my hands was blessed.
And because the favor of my God was upon me…I was spared a foolish decision.

2) Another interesting observation: we see these lists of names. Men who were part of the army, men who were leaders of Israel, men who made this trip or that trip. And we get bored in these lists of names. But how many of us want to leave a legacy? How many want to be recognized for what we do? For our faithfulness? For our leadership? These men are honored for their names are ever carried down in God’s Word. That alone is enough for a reverent pause when reading through the lists. These aren’t simply names: these were people who were children of God. They are part of the legacy of our faith.

3) The other final phrase that kept sticking out today were the pleas of men for God 'to remember them with favor'. I don’t often ask God to remember me for the 'good' things I have done. Often because I feel that those things pale in comparison to all the bad things I do, the mistakes I make. But I respect and desire the cries of these men for God to remember their works done in faithfulness, their pleadings done in grace, and their prayers offered up with sacrifice.

I really like the Old Testament alot. I've been mesmerized by 1 and 2 Kings, and also Chronicles. (this may not seem a big deal to you all, but I'm recording this because I never thought I would see the day that I would LOVE reading the Bible, especially the OT books!)

May God's grace be with you.