Recently I decided I would try and read my Bible in a month. It really started when I read 2 Chronicles in July, but I only started reading the Bible every day last Friday. 2 Chronicles is a good book to read because it's mostly stories about the Israelites under their multiple kings. This is where a pattern became evident. It seems the Israelites follow God one chapter and then "do evil in the eyes of the Lord" in the next. This is a consistent pattern throughout the OT. And I actually found that encouraging.
You see, nothing has changed. We still praise God one day for his blessings; then the next day we think we can live off our own strength and for some reason we fail. It's the battle Paul talks about in the New Testament between the Flesh and the Spirit. The part that is the most encouraging is that God is gracious. That's the other pattern. Even when God's chosen people would turn from him, he would send the prophets to warn them. He never wiped them out like he could have, but only had them occupied/exiled. Then he would rescue them or bring them home. Think about it, God was gracious to his people before Jesus came and redeemed us. How much more grace is available now!?! It doesn't mean we can get away with disobedience but He has grace for our mistakes and is always ready to forgive us when we ask.
-PSD (Passenger Seat Driver)
