Blogging….a new experience

I’ve never had a blog before, but there’s a first for almost everything.  As I thought about a format for my blog topics I thought about the idea of sharing thoughts on my regular Bible reading.   I have an New Living Translation Chronological Bible that is a One Year Bible designed specifically for reading through the Bible in a one year period.   I highly recommend reading through the Bible annually as a practice, something I have done several times, however not for several years, so it’s good to get back to it.  I prefer the chronological Bible because it allows me to read the scripture in the order of it’s happening in history, giving a more continuous story from beginning to end.   If you would like to read along with me and accept the challenge to read though the Bible in one year, here is the link to the exact Bible I’m using:  http://www.amazon.com/The-One-Year-Chronological-Bible/dp/1414314086/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1346033246&sr=8-3&keywords=nlt+chronological+bible.

This week the reading is from Jeremiah and Lamentations.  It is over the time that the Babylonians are stealing all the important fixtures from the temple carrying them off to Babylon.    They then destroy the temple and Jeremiah cries out to God in deep lamentation.  Here Jeremiah teaches us how to grieve as his whole world is literally destroyed and his grief is deep.    first, He admits the depth of his sorrow and asks God some very hard questions about what has happened (Lam. 1).  Then Jeremiah acknowledges God’s holiness and need to punish sin as he carries out His plan (Lam 2).   Then he extols and praises God’s faithfulness (Lam. 3).   “Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.” (Lam. 3:23)  Jeremiah trusts God no matter what.   He trusts God to pull him out of the pit , something he literally experienced as recorded in Jeremiah 38 and reflected upon in the prose of Lam. 3:55.   Jeremiah’s authentic expression of grief brings perspective to our own grief.  His response to God shows that no matter what happens in our lives we can trust in God’s wisdom, love, punishment, discipline, and faithfulness.    Do my expressions of grief in the troubles of this life, like Jeremiah,  result in a witness to the faithfulness of God?

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