I’m in the process of going through the entire Bible. Now I definitely tried to do it in a year, but that just proved almost impossible. As I started to read, the Holy Spirit was just blowing my mind. Every scripture, every chapter, and every book began to bring new light into my life and new understanding.
From the stories of Adam and Eve to David and Goliath and beyond, I didn’t realize there were so many details that are missed when you just hear the “Sunday Service” version. Ain’t it crazy, that hearing a good word today seems to suffice our appetite for God. But when you start digging into the scripture and what they actually say and mean, it gets harder to quench the hunger.
This is the first post that I’m writing and actually putting out there since I started this journey. I’m on year 4 I believe since I started with Genesis. I’ve read the New Testament to a very limited understanding though. I notice, when you don’t understand, you tend to just read it to get it over with. The same happens if you’re just checking the box of “I read the Bible today” and then moving on.
I won’t lie, sometimes I still do that. Especially lately when I began reading the prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, etc… There’s just so much information in there that I don’t really understand because it’s prophesying of things that have already happened or yet to happen. However, there are a few things that begin to stand out.
I notice when I pray before reading, asking the Holy Spirit to show me what he wants me to see in His Word, that’s when I start picking verses and staying on them for a bit.
This happened recently when I was reading Amos. I’m currently up to Jonah, but I’ll get to those other books in a different post. Amos was the one that stood out. Reading the prophecies in Amos was pretty tough. It’s a short book, and most of these prophecies are saying Israel is going to go through some things, but a savior will come. Which in itself is amazing.
The verse that stood out to me in Amos was the following:
Amos 7:14 – 15
Then Amos answered and said to Amaziah, “I was no prophet, nor a prophet’s son, but I was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore figs. 15 But the LORD took me from following the flock, and the LORD said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’
Sound crazy but that verse hit me pretty hard. Amos was not a prophet, yet he has a book in the Bible prophesying. He says it right there too, he was just a farmer, taking care of his herd and growing figs, but God took him out.
What is God calling you to do?
We can always make the excuse, I don’t have time, that’s not for me, or I’m just too busy. But when God calls, are you answering?
Sometimes I think Amos must’ve heard God and been like, “What!? That’s not God, I’m just a farmer. He can’t be asking ME to do that.” But yet here he is, prophesying to Israel, doing exactly what God asked of Him.
I love it. It says to me that anywhere we are in life, is a place that God can use us, regardless of our situation.
Maybe we just have to open our hearts and our ears a little more to hear God’s call.
God bless ya’ll!