Have you ever heard the saying, "The harder the struggle, the sweeter the reward?" Perhaps you've also heard, "No pain, no gain," or "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." These expressions all emphasize the idea that the more difficult something is, the greater the sense of fulfillment it can
bring — or the deeper the appreciation for what one has accomplished or learned.
The books of the Law in the Old Testament can often feel heavy. I’ll admit that my initial reaction is sometimes frustration and/or confusion. But one thing I’m committed to this time around is reading the Old Testament through the lens of God being a good Father. When what Im reading doesn't FEEL good, I go on a mission to learn more. The more I dig, the more I learn and the more understanding I experience. After a good amount of research there is ALWAYS good reasoning behind the "madness" I feel Im reading. There are times I put rules in place for my own children that may not fully make sense to them now, but one day my prayer is they know my goal was love, relationship and safety.
I may not fully understand the time period in which the people lived, or the challenges they faced, but one thing I do know is this: God desired a relationship with His people (ME) so much that He set systems in place to allow us (ME) to be in His presence — the tabernacle being one such place and sacrifice another!
Unfortunately, no matter what was put in place, it still wasn’t enough. Everything God did, and everything we tried, led to us coming up empty-handed. We needed a Savior. We needed Jesus.
Here are a few more of my thoughts from today: Leviticus 11 Vlog
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