Learning from my children's study Bible!

Having just posted a comment on studying the "deep" things of God, I had to point out something I learned the other night while reading my son's Bible! I wanted to share this to show that it is possible to learn the deep things of God in some of the most "basic" of formats . . . You don't have to pull out a lexicon and study all the words in the original Greek or Hebrew to learn something new and deep and amazing about God!
We were reading the story of Abraham and Isaac, when God tells Abraham to sacrifice Isaac (I know, this Bible covers some hefty topics!). This is one of those stories in the Bible that I tend to tread lightly around. I don't completely understand it. Why would God, the one who tells us not to murder, tell Abraham to go sacrifice Isaac, the promised son and the one God's promises would start to be fulfilled through? Obviously He really meant for Abrham to sacrifice Isaac, but He apparently also fully intended to provide a substitute (ok, so can you see this is where I start to get lost? I haven't worked through all this yet, so bear with me!). The cool thing - in the kids Bible, the author tends to end each story with a foreshadowing of the cross (have I mentioned I love this Bible?!). So, at the end of this story, it said: "God wanted His people to live, not die. God wanted to rescue His people, not punish them. But they must trust Him." Basically, what I got out of this was that God wanted Abraham to sacrifice Isaac to show Abraham (and us, by extension) that God does not want us to die in our sins, to be punished for them. He wants us to live, He wants to rescue us. But - we MUST trust Him. Just like Abraham had to do - God didn't want Isaac to die, He didn't want Isaac to be punished. But, in order for Isaac to be rescued in the end, Abraham had to trust God completely. And Abraham didn't know that fact at the beginning! God wants our best, He desires life for us and He longs to rescue us. But - before we know the ending, before we know how a situation will turn out - we must trust Him. All of that from a children's Bible story!!!

Why the deep thoughts . . .

I've been asked, either through posts or in conversation, why I'm bothering to think about some of the things I'm working through here. That's a very valid question. For years, I've thought it's a waste of time to think about the things I'm posting! So do I just have a lot of time to waste now? Absolutely not - as I type, I'm constantly checking the clock because one of my two small children is bound to wake up soon! I'm thinking through these things now because I've realized it is essential, it is important, and it is biblical. Someone (Mark Talbot) much smarter than I explained it this way: Why do we study the deep questions about God?

(1) Because we're commanded to love God with our whole mind, and this is the greatest commandment ("Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind . . . " - Luke 10:27).
(2) We are told to search for knowledge, wisdom, understanding. Prov. 2:2-4 - ". . . turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God." All of the phrases used here, in relation to wisdom - turn your ear, apply your heart, call out, cry aloud, look, search - all imply an active search for knowledge and understanding about God. If you look at Job 28:1-11, it explains how hard it is to search for silver - man searches in the farthest recesses, in the balckest darkness, far from where people dwell, in places forgotten by the foot of man . . . man's hand assaults the flinty rock and lays bare the roots of the mountains . . .. THIS is the way we are to go about seeking wisdom and understanding, knowledge of God!
(3) God wants us to understand Him so we can give Him adequate glory.

That last point is the crux, really. If I'm seeking God and asking questions just to acquire knowledge, I'm missing God and puffing myself up. BUT - if I am seeking God so that I can give Him adequate glory, that glorifies God! Want to know the exciting thing? The more I learn about God and learn about what the Bible says about how He works and who He is, the more I want to just drop to my knees and worship Him. If I ever reach the point where I don't have that reaction, I'll stop asking questions. And if I ever get to the point where I think I fully know and understand God, I'll stop asking questions and repent! But, for right now, I feel closer to God than I ever have, and I feel more excited than ever before to tell other people about Him because He is real and He is so much more powerful than I am! So, for now, I think I'll keep asking these questions - and keep digging and searching for understanding.

Cool hymn

I didn't write down the name of this hymn, but I heard this stanza and had to share it. Wow!

When through fiery trials your pathways shall lie
My grace, all sufficient, shall be your supply
The flames shall not hurt you
I only design your dross to consume and your gold to refine.

Praise God He knows which parts to consume and which parts to refine!!!