Thirteen

HAPPY DECEMBER 13!

I am thankful for Scripture.  

One of my goals for this year was to read through the whole Bible (originally, hoped to read it in 3 months... but life gets kind of crazy with two jobs and cable TV, I'm sorry to say!)  I was excited for this goal because although I've read through the Bible before, it's the first time I'm reading completely through the Bible Kevin gave me almost two years ago.  And I decided to read through it chronologically, so that the stories fit together more like a narrative (there's a good PBU buzzword for ya!) So I finished the Old Testament in a mere two months... and it's taken me maybe four months to get halfway through the (much shorter) New Testament.  Not good.  Today, then, it is my goal to make a huge dent in Paul's Epistles and Acts. 

Besides declaring the good news of our Messiah and the salvation He offers, let me share another reason why I love Scripture.  

As King David said:

How sweet are Your words to my taste, 

sweeter than honey to my mouth!  

Through Your precepts I get understanding, 

therefore I hate every false way.

Psalm 119:103-104

I truly delight in the Word of the Lord.  And I am able to delight because it is true, and these truths are (as Paul says) spiritually discerned.  Because I have the Spirit of God, the veil is lifted and my soul is encouraged and enriched by the life-giving words - I am transformed!  

I read this today, and it is oh so true:

Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end.  But their minds were hardened.  For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away.  Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts.  But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.  Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.  And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.  For this comes from the Lord who is Spirit.

2 Corinthians 3:12-18