The Missing Link_Some Reflections

Enjoying our last Friday Night Feast of The Missing Link

The Missing Link is now finished. What an exciting ride it was through God's story in the Old Testament. We were able to read through the whole Old Testament out loud and learn what each book was about. What a faithful, patient and wise God we have! Time and time again Israel went their own way, committing terrible sins despite countless warnings from prophets. All along God was seeking someone after His heart. He longed for someone who wouldn't toss aside all that He had given them for something worthless and useless. He longed for someone who didn't just say and do the right things on the outside and whose desires were selfish, but He looked for someone with a humble and contrite spirit who sought after Him. Many times the people He found where anything but perfect people. They made so many mistakes. They were mere weak men, but God is faithful and He kept his promises. We read through the Pentateuch, where we entered the Promised Land and recalled how the people of Israel fell into a cycle. They thought they didn't need God and sinned against Him. But God tried to get their attention by sending invaders. Israel would repent and God sent a deliver to rescue them and bring them peace again. But they would fall into sin again and again and the cycle continued. In Judges men did what was right in there eyes and mistreated and even killed their own countrymen. But in the hopeful story of Ruth, there is a glimmer of light in the darkness; redemption, love and sacrifice in the midst of foolishness, sin and violence, as a man named Boaz redeems a woman (a foreigner no less!) and her mother-in-law when they had lost everything. We read of the kings. The people wanted a king to be like the other nations but God wanted one who would rule righteously and follow after Him. Sadly Saul was the perfect picture outwardly of a king, but after reigning for a while he started to disobey God and go his own way. In response, God found a boy who was after His own heart and God anointed him king. Even though David messed up, God made a covenant with him and unlike all the other covenants before, this was an unconditional one which rested totally on God, a covenant where his throne would last forever. After David, some kings followed God and did what was right and some did evil.The kingdom split after David's son Solomon and things went down-hill from there. Instead of Israel being a blessing to the nations around them, they joined them in living a destructive sinful life. And God used the nations to discipline them. God sent prophets to confront the people and warn them of the things that they were doing wrong and what the consequences of their breaking the covenant was. Only a few listened.

Reading the exciting story of Esther.

Even though Israel was faithless a lot of the time, God was always faithful. When His people rejected Him, God kept His Word and is still keeping his Word. When people trusted Him, awesome things happened, seas parted, armies fell, nations arose and fell, rain was withheld and sent again, fire fell from heaven, lions' mouths were shut, and hearts were transformed . The Story isn't over though. It is continuing and we are a part of it now. It's like we are in a play, and if we want to play our parts well in this drama then it's best we know what has happen before our turn. Diving into the Old Testament through The Missing Link taught me a lot about who my God is and what His heart is for humanity. I encourage you, take time in your life and step back and look at God’s Bigger Picture. Learn what's happened and where things are headed. Get acquainted with the stories of those who lived before you and the One whose story is most important to know - God's. Then we can have perspective on the things that really matter in our short time here on this big ball called Earth. So when people look back at our lives, will they see people who believed God and took Him at His word and stepped out and faced new lands, mighty hosts, fire, hunger, ridicule, the lions den, and death itself all because we saw life as vanity, except to give it all for the One who is telling this Epic story? I am a Piece in an Epic.