Entering into Sonship

On the radio this morning, there was a song playing, with the repeating lyrics, "I refuse to replay the mistakes that yesterday I made". I heard this during the time I was taking my quiet time with God, reflecting on my past sins and failures and trying to work out how I stop myself from returning to them. I find it wonderful how God uses nature and those things around us to guide and support us sometimes.

January is often a time for action, shedding off the mistakes from last year and looking to become something better. One of my failures last year was Bible reading. I was trying a chronological 'bible-in-a-year' plan. However, I kept falling behind. I got so behind, that I gave up.

"The Bible that's falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn't"
Charles Spurgeon

Yet, thankfully God is a redeemer, a pursuer, a life coach, a friend.

This year, therefore, in the spirit of I refuse to replay the mistakes... I am going to pick myself back up and read through the Bible and dedicate time to doing it.

I have asked God for keys to stop myself slipping back into passivity and this is what he said: read whole books at a time. At first, this seemed daunting, as if he were raising the bar higher for me when I'd already failed to jump over the first hurdle. But, as I start, I notice that I can actually read many, if not all, of the books of the Bible in this way. In fact, it has given me a much better contextual understanding of the book. Thankfully the Bible I own has an index of timings, showing how long each book takes to read.

So far, I've read Hebrews (45 mins), Joel (15 mins), and Esther (30 mins). Today's task is Revelation.

As I read, I'm discovering some of the nature and character of God that I have been missing for so many years. God is a pursuer. He longs after a relationship with us.

As I gain a better understanding of who he is, I can better understand the world around me and have discernment for what is good and what is not; for what is right and what is wrong. Rather than searching scriptures to back up or test claims made, I find myself having a deep revelation of truth that God is injecting into me through my study times with him.

Stepping into this new season, I'm finding myself understanding what it is to be a son of the living God. I'm boldly stepping into a relationship that without the blood of Jesus, would be impossible.

And I'm loving it!