SSBIOY

Since September 1st 2011, I have been reading the Soul Survivor Bible in one year. Some times I have gone about it with the proper mindset, sitting quietly, reading slowly and talking to others about it. Other times I have done my own special brand of skim reading. I am behind at the moment, by about a week, nonetheless, I persevere and I want to keep on track as much as possible over the last 100 days, so that I finish with everyone else doing it this year. Here's hoping.

One thing I don't need to worry about it God speaking to me. The question you could ask is how can God speak to me if I am skim reading? Well, in His own way He does. yesterday evening, I read about 4 days in one go, which is a whole bit of Isaiah and all of Galatians, with Psalms and Proverbs thrown in for good measure.

So I was, for God's reasons, focused on Isaiah - and here's what happened from it.

I found the songs that my church dearly love and know well, from the 70's

How beautiful on the mountains
    are the feet of those who bring good news,
who proclaim peace,
    who bring good tidings,
    who proclaim salvation,
who say to Zion,
    “Your God reigns!”  Is 52:7


You will go out in joy
    and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
    will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
    will clap their hands.  Is 55:12


Both of the songs - Our God reigns and The Trees of the field, were written close together, you've got to wonder what God was doing in the UK at that time among worship leaders and if it still happens today?


The second thing was the prophecy of the servant of god, who I know as Jesus, you might disagree with me, but here it is and it excites me that the bigger picture is laid out before the people to see and that the hope of a Messiah is long standing. I am really excited that I get to share the bigger picture with all the young people. 


The third thing is something that has really spoken to me, and I probably needed it 10 days ago, instead of yesterday! Isaiah 54:1-8


“Sing, barren woman,
    you who never bore a child;
burst into song, shout for joy,
    you who were never in labour;
because more are the children of the desolate woman
    than of her who has a husband, ”
says the Lord.
“Enlarge the place of your tent,
    stretch your tent curtains wide,
    do not hold back;
lengthen your cords,
    strengthen your stakes.
For you will spread out to the right and to the left;
    your descendants will dispossess nations
    and settle in their desolate cities.

“Do not be afraid; you will not be put to shame.
    Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated.
You will forget the shame of your youth
    and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood.
For your Maker is your husband —
    the Lord Almighty is his name—
the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer;
    he is called the God of all the earth.
The Lord will call you back
    as if you were a wife deserted and distressed in spirit—
a wife who married young,
    only to be rejected,” says your God.
“For a brief moment I abandoned you,
    but with deep compassion I will bring you back.
In a surge of anger
    I hid my face from you for a moment,
but with everlasting kindness
    I will have compassion on you,”
    says the Lord your Redeemer. 

The verses I have highlighted screamed at me as I read the verses. Knowing that God has me, he has called me his own, and he feels deep compassion for me is surprising, it's glorious to know. He has claimed me and will fight for me. Awesome.

And the last little bit is the armour of God, which reminds me that there is nothing new under the sun. 

He put on righteousness as his breastplate,
    and the helmet of salvation on his head;
he put on the garments of vengeance
    and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak.  Is 59:17

As I read the end of Ephesians tonight, I will look back at Isaiah and see the parallels. God knows what he is doing. I don't, which is why I find this fascinating. I like the apostles were just saying the things that had already been said, but with the help of the Holy Spirit, they speak to us today.

I know God has a huge plan for everyone, for all of the young people I see, for those who I don't and for the town I work in. I love that I am 'skim reading' the Bible, that I don't need to study it to great depth, but it gives me great depth for free.

I have been thinking about roots, deep roots for the young people that I work with and how we can encourage them. I have also been thinking about generational things. I hope I will get a chance to report all of that soon. Now though, I have to get ready to see my young people perform at school.