I was not always the best student, I didn't really like to study and hated taking tests. As I've gotten older I've realized the value in being a life-long learner. Especially of Gods word. Whether I'm ready or not, I want to take every opportunity to teach my kids, and I want to instill in them a love for learning.
This year I am doing a little schooling with Evy every week. We talk about one letter of the alphabet and do crafts and activities related to that letter. She is also memorizing one verse a week that has that letter at the beginning of the verse.
She and Liam are also going to two Bible Studies with me this year, and I'm so thankful I can be a part of them.
The first study is on the book of Hebrews with some ladies from my church, and the second study is the book of Matthew, which is in a BSF group in Eagan, MN. I am learning so much every week, and its a big time commitment but like I said, I'm so thankful that I can go and for the great children's program that BSF offers.
I thought I would do a little report every week on what I'm learning because its easy for time to go on and for me to forget what I learned in weeks past!
Hebrews:
This is a very deep study by John McArthur that takes me a lot of time to get through. A big theme in Hebrews is the supremacy of Jesus Christ. And a big part of this first section of Hebrews (1-2:18) was about who Jesus is. One aspect of Jesus Christ that I wanted to spend more time thinking about was that Jesus is the "express image of His person" (meaning God's) or "the exact imprint of His nature" So He has all of the same qualities that God has. He is always with us, He sees all things, He knows all things, He radiates the glory of God, His love NEVER fails! What really struck me was that despite being so magnificent, and because of His great love that we can't even fully comprehend, He chose to come to earth, despised and rejected, by ME. And died on a cross, so that I could call His Father, MY Father. I have been reminded who I am, and who God is, and I am so thankful that because of what Jesus did for me on the cross, I get to have a relationship with Him.
This has given me a renewed desire to be humble. Pastor Dan Miller at Eden Baptist talked about this on Sunday, how, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble" (1 Peter 5:5) I used to just focus in the humility part, that we would receive grace, I had never really thought about those who are prideful being an enemy to God. I'm prideful. It's something that I really need to work on that God is showing me more and more this week. The pastor also talked about those who are persecuted. They are not mighty warriors who are out in the battle field, fighting for truth. No, it is the humble servant, who is willing to do whatever God has planned for him. Whatever hardships the humble servant is going through, it does not matter because he has God's grace to conquer the difficulties!
Matthew:
So at BSF they really encourage you to pray before you begin your study and ask God to show Himself to you through His word. Again, my faith was challenged. We are in the first two chapters of Matthew and talking about Christs genealogy and the people that God chose to be part of Jesus' heritage. There are five amazing women of faith named: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba, and Mary. All of their examples of obedience and faith really amazes me. I was able to have some time to reflect on Mary specifically and realize how quickly she accepted what God had for her. There she was, a young, excited bride-to-be, pure and innocent, when all of a sudden her world was turned upside down. Yet her response was obedience. She had humility and she was exalted, just like God promises us, 1 Peter 5:6. She was blessed, Luke 1:45, because she believed The Lord! There were no cries or complaints, or, "let me pray about it". She knew what God wanted and was ready to be used. What an encouragement she is to me, may I have the faith to respond the way these women did that were a part of His story.
