"Get Back Up Again"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Q_-9FyIxQE--great song, been in my head lately and totally goes with this blog post :)!

Allison:  Hey there you!

So I don’t know about the rest of the world, but for me, this week has absolutely FLOWN by!  I can hardly believe we’re about to start another one, but alas it is true.  And so, we shall bless you with another blog :)!

This week we moved on to 2 Samuel where David’s reign begins.  Actually, it opens with the mourning of David for the deaths of Saul and Jonathan.  My heart went out to David—gosh I cannot imagine the anguish he felt in that moment!  And he mourns both Jonathan AND Saul with the same respect.  Even though Saul had wanted his head on a plate for some time now, David still showed great respect for Saul as one who had been anointed by God and served as King of Israel.  And this isn’t an isolated incident either.  David is shown to be a man of great virtue and honor, which makes him a very good and honest king.

He faces some hiccups at the beginning of his reign.  There’s some misunderstanding with who exactly is the king of Israel, and a man named Abner has crowned Saul’s son Ishbosheth also the king of Israel.  The two “nations” engaged in a sort of civil war until the commanders of the troops realized there was no benefit to fighting between “Israelite brothers.”  So Abner contacted David and they formed a peaceful relationship and worked to unite the halves of Israel.  David could have chosen to be skeptical and wary, but he chose to trust Abner because he knew that was the only way to have peaceful progress for his nation.  However, the commander of David’s army didn’t trust Abner and he killed him.  David was disappointed in his commander and ordered his people to mourn the death of Abner, showing him great respect.  Soon after this, two men killed Ishbosheth, the son of King Saul and David’s “rival” (can we just pause for a moment and appreciate the name Ishbosheth).  The men came to David, thinking this news would bring him joy and satisfaction, but David was less than pleased.  He was angry that these men had killed one who he deemed to be an “innocent” man, and he did not condone this revenge.  David clearly had forgiven Ishbosheth and respected him.  Later David searched for the living members of Saul’s family so that he could show them kindness in memory of his friend Jonathan.

So basically here you have the writer of 2 Samuel telling story after story of how honest and honorable King David is.  I really like King David by this point, and I was excited for where his life was heading.  I just forgot that the story of Bathsheba was next.

Bathsheba is a low point in David’s life and reign.  It’s a moment of weakness and he gives in.  He’s not limited by power, and his morals aren’t strong enough to hold him back, and he stumbles.  And one bad decision leads to another, and soon he’s got on his hands a pregnant woman, who’s not his wife and whose husband has been killed per David’s command.  So how do you get from honorable honest David to that?  Wasn’t David a great leader? 

He was, and I believe he still was after he fell for Bathsheba.  But David was a human.  He was a great man, but he wasn’t perfect—no leader is.  And I think the writer of 2 Samuel knew this.  There are moments in the life of David the author chose to include to tell the story of David’s life and the story of David and Bathsheba could easy have been skipped.  The author could have chosen to only include favorable stories, stories that only reinforced the goodness of this leader.  But instead he chose to be real, and to show how even a great leader like David, a man with an incredible faith in God, had weaknesses and messed up sometimes--which in my opinion makes David an easier character to read about only because it makes him relatable.

Any person we know personally or read about, any leader or mentor we admire, everyone has faults.  Everyone messes up.  We’re all human, and we’re all in this together.  And that is important to keep in mind as we build relationships with others.  Holding each other to impossibly perfect standards only leads to existential disappointment when we come to realize that person isn’t perfect.  And we should also remember this when we oh so easily fall into judging people for their faults.  It’s so easy to condemn someone for a poor decision they've made, but the reality is, that decision shouldn’t define them for us.  It doesn’t define them for God, that’s for sure. 

I’ll admit, my first reaction was great disappointment in David.  And I forgot all the notes I had written about the virtue of David in earlier chapters.  But this sin by David didn’t erase the truth of that virtue, and in looking through the text again, I was reminded of what a great person David was.  Yeah, he messed up.  And it was a pretty big deal too.  But God continued to use David for incredible things.  God didn’t disown David or strike him down for his sin—because God knew David’s heart.  David had given in to temptation, but David loved God.  I think the woman who speaks to David in chapter 14 verse 14 says it best:

“Our lives are like water spilled out on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. But God does not just sweep life away; instead, he devises ways to bring us back when we have been separated from him.”

Elizabeth:  Hey there blog readers! This week I read some of 2 Samuel which was primarily more about David. Like Allison mentioned last week, there's a lot of good in David's character. I'm still not a huge fan of the continued fighting and killing that is discussed in the first few chapters. I really enjoyed chapter 7 where David turned to God in prayer to seek direction and guidance in what he should do and how he might lead Israel. It got me thinking about how all of us ought to turn to God in prayer in both the certainties and uncertainties in life. Francesca Battistelli who is a Contemporary Christian artist sings a song titled Worth It, where she says "love's not easy, but it's worth it" and I think that is how our relationship with God should be. We have a loving God who calls us to love Him, but that isn't always the easiest task. It calls us to some work. It calls us to seek Him first and go to Him in prayer. And in chapter 7 of 2 Samuel, David does this. He isn't entirely sure that what Nathan told him was true, and if it was, what was he supposed to do? where was he supposed to start? He turned to the loving and faithful God for answers. Battistelli continues to sing "What you gonna do when the bottom falls out? And you're left with nothing but your fear and your doubt to hold to, who will hold you?" David knew that he needed to spend a few moments in prayer to move forward and do what was best. I think all of us can learn from David and learn from Battistelli's song, that it takes time and some work to have a relationship. God desires relationship with us and He wants us to look to him for direction. That can be in both good and bad times. Like any loving relationship, God wants to help us out and direct us in our lives. So, I challenge you this week to find a little time in your busy life to spend a few moments in prayer. Where is God calling you to? What direction is God guiding you? Just as God spoke to David, He too will speak to all of us. Love's not easy, but it's worth it!
And if you haven't heard it, go ahead and round out this blog session with a little Francesca
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nt8gp37w99A


And we once again leave you with these alphabitz....


Forgiving  Seeking  Revealing


Sisters in Christ,


~Elizabeth & Allison

It Ain't Always Easy

Elizabeth--This week I want to start out by asking you a couple of questions. Are there any verses or Bible passages that you find unsettling? Why is that? Have you found a way to cope with the unsettled feeling or do you still struggle with the text(s)? 

In reading 1 Samuel this week I found that there are a few places where this scriptural text makes me uncomfortable. 1 Samuel 15 is one of the places that really bothered me because at the beginning of that chapter, in the New International Version of the Bible it says "the Lord Almighty says: 'I will punish the Amelekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came to Egypt. Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them." (v. 2-3) Now, I'm not sure how you read that, but that sounds extremely harsh to me. How can the loving God I know be so cruel to a group of people. Regardless of what the Amalekites may have done, where is the love? the grace? the forgiveness? gentleness? Is this the same God who spoke to Jesus, the same God I know and love? The beginning of this text shakes up my beliefs. As of now, I would have a hard time explaining these couple of verses to others who may not know God the way I do. I'm still wrestling with how I can make sense of this text. I expand on this so much because it upset me enough that I had  to focus extra hard on the rest of the story, because this harsh voice of God was the only thing I could think about.

I didn't put my Bible down at chapter 15 verse 2-3, I did continue on. The story continues with Saul carrying out this message from the Lord. Again, hard to read about so many people and animals dying. However, Saul got a little too excited about his responsibility to wipe out a group of people because he decided to put his own spin on things. He allowed for his people to save the best of the best animals to later be sacrificed as burnt offerings to the Lord. While at first glance, that may not sound bad, Saul did carry out his duty--he did wipe out people, but he saved some animals and not others...that was not in the directions. Because of this, the Lord got upset and decided he was not the best fit for king. He did not listen to the Lord and he did not follow through as asked and that was problematic because Israel needed a king who could listen to the Lord and carry out His plans. Those plans would benefit the people the king served. 

When Samuel shared with Saul what the Lord had said, Saul realized what he had done and was quick to be upset and worry about whether or not he could still worship God. Saul did get another opportunity to worship God, (1 Sam. 15:30-31) and that is where I see some love, grace, forgiveness on God's part. Here is the place where I see the God who I know and love. A God who may not have seen Saul as best fit for the position of king, but he was certainly still welcome in worship. 

As I discussed this text with some people I learned to keep in mind that this is a text that was written after these events happened, so this is one writer's understanding of what happened and before he could write it down he most likely heard the story from someone, who heard the story from someone else, who heard the story from someone else, etc. It is possible that what the writer wrote as the words of the Lord were not word for word what the Lord said to Saul. That helps me a little bit, but it still frustrates me that this harsh sounding God is seen in the Old Testament. I was also reminded that following God was something that the Israelite people struggled with. Prior to this time people were supposed to rely on God, but they didn't do a great job then, so when they ask God for a king, they get Saul and that ended up not being the best fit either. This text is a story of a people trying to sort out who they are and who they need to follow. In 1 Samuel 16, a new king is anointed--King David and that's where things seem to start settling down a bit and don't sound as destructive and harsh. David shows obedience and respect toward the Lord and the people he is serving...well at least up to as far as I have read. As I understand this particular passage as a story, I am reminded that characters are constantly developing. The people are changing and so are the relationships and understandings these people have with God. 

I think the important thing for me is that while this text and various other texts I have encountered so far are uneasy for me, I am keeping up with this challenge of reading through the Bible. I could have easily put the Bible down and quit at this point or I could have just skipped over chapt. 15, but what good would that do? If I recognize the story elements that the Old Testament has, by skipping a few verses, a chapter or two, or an entire book, I miss out on the full story. Without the story, I may have never known the loving God that I do now. I would not have seen the love shown in the past as it is today. If you're like me and find some rough patches in your understanding of scripture, revisit the texts that frustrate you. Talk with people you know about them. Search for the meanings that may be buried deep in the text. It may be challenging, but who ever said reading the Bible and understanding it was supposed to be easy?!

Allison:  So first of all, I second what Elizabeth said.  That unsettling feeling about a passage or two comes up every time we talk about what we’ve read, and it’s definitely something that should be addressed.  It’s not easy to reconcile, but it’s challenging, and it forces us to really think about what we believe and grow in our faith.  That really is the whole purpose of this journey, and we hope you will be challenged and grow with us.

This week Elizabeth and I have gotten through most of 1 Samuel.  It’s been an interesting ride, and there’s so much to talk about.  I was really intrigued by the story of David and his relationship with King Saul.

However, before I go into that, I must say that if it weren’t for the fact that we focused on friendship last week, I would love to write a blog purely about the friendship between David and Jonathan.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE the bond of brotherhood that formed between those two—it’s one of those once in a lifetime types of friendships.  Even though circumstances could have torn them apart, and Jonathan could have chosen to follow his father and persecute David—David is the reason Jonathan won’t be king—their friendships is so much stronger than that and Jonathan is the reason David escaped and lived.  You know that friend or two you have where from the moment you met, you just clicked?  You felt that friendship blossom, almost in an instant?  You would do anything for them, without hesitation?  That’s exactly what these two men had.  And it is so cool to read about.  But alas, that is not the focus of my blog.

The relationship between David and Saul is a stark contrast to the brotherhood I was just gushing about.  David was off minding his business, living life as the insignificant little brother in the family of Jesse and shepherding himself some sheep when Samuel—hybrid prophet and judge—came and anointed him as the next king of Israel.  But then Samuel just goes back home.  It’s not until King Saul wants a harp player to sooth his tormented soul that David comes onto the scene and starts rubbing elbows with royalty.  Now Saul has been pretty unhappy since his fallout with God, understandably so, and David’s music provides him some distraction.  David ends up saving the Israelite nation by killing Goliath with a stone and a sling (this guy is the bomb), and naturally the Israelite people start to really love David.  They start singing about how Saul has killed men, and David has killed even more, and Saul just loses it.  He is extremely angered by this chant the people are singing all around town, and it is in that moment that Saul begins to feel threatened by David.

Saul resolves to kill David, somehow, some way.  And he tries, a lot--whether it’s by hurling his spear at David while he’s playing music or leading armies to go find David in hiding.  It’s incredible the lengths that Saul goes to in his attempts to kill this one man.  He’s the king of a nation—you’d think he would have bigger issues to worry about.  But all he can think about is how he feels threatened by David, and he wants him dead.  Now granted, David has been anointed to replace Saul’s bloodline on the throne, but this is really the result of Saul’s own poor decision.  And when I compare the way Saul sees David through his jealousy and pride—letting it drive him to an obsessive hunt for David’s head, versus the way Jonathan selflessly loves David--openly acknowledging that one day David will be king and he, Jonathan, will be right beside him, supporting him, I can’t help but think that David and Saul could have had an incredible relationship if Saul had dealt with his own insecurities.  Saul was so concerned about what people thought that it crippled him as a leader.

Jonathan certainly had a reason to be jealous as well, but he didn’t succumb to that.  Jonathan took pride in being the best friend of a great warrior and the future king of Israel.  Jonathan was the son of the king, and he didn’t have a slew of military victories being chanted by the people—which might bother some men, but he wasn’t concerned about that.  He supported his friend.  He could be happy for his friend, truly happy.  And that wasn't the easy road, but I admire Jonathan for his attitude.  In fact, Jonathan may have made a good king.

My heart breaks for Saul.  He had no idea what he was missing and his sole purpose in life had become to kill another man.  Through the book we’ve seen where Saul was when he began as king, and we can also see just how far he fell.

How many times do we become so fixated on one thing, that we miss the beauty of life around us?  How often do we get so caught up in being the best, that we can’t sincerely congratulate others?  I myself am a perfectionist, and if there’s a score, my competitive nature takes over.  But we don’t always have to be the best or the greatest or the most loved.  Sometimes, God just calls us to be, and to humbly serve.  The God of the universe wants to be an integral part of our lives, and wants to show us what true life really is!  Isn’t that victory enough?  But often that's the last thing we're thinking of, and it's something we often skip over.

Pride is a tricky thing.  It’s the easiest way for Satan to bring someone down in an instant—and before we know it, we look back and wonder how we got so far off track.  It holds us back and it keeps us from growing enriching relationships with others. 

But I challenge you to work to be a Jonathan, especially in challenging situations.

Got any thoughts? Comments? Throw them out there! We love comments :)!

Wisdom Obedience Love

Sisters in Christ,

~Allison & Elizabeth

You've got a friend in me

Allison:   Hello blog world!  How’s life?

So the reading portion for this week gave us a good look at the lives of two people in the Old Testament: Samson and Ruth.  What really stuck out for Elizabeth and I was the relationships they had with other people.  As we were talking about the scripture readings, we both agreed that if Samson were alive today, we would be his friend, because let’s be honest—the poor guy didn’t have any good ones, so far as we can tell.  And we both really liked the relationship between Naomi and Ruth and the commitment they had to each other.  So, this week, we bring you a blog about friendship!

I love talking about friendship, and it makes me excited because I think it’s so cool how the different relationships we have in our lives mold us, and a huge part of that is the people who we call our friends.  Real friends that is—none of this “Facebook official business” but people you trust and love.

I feel I’ve been blessed with such incredible friends, and I can’t imagine going through this crazy life without them, and so my heart breaks for Samson.  This poor guy was chosen by God to do incredible things and had such incredible strength, and yet people were constantly taking advantage of him.  His fiancé, the 30 men who were supposed to be his friends and companions at his wedding, his father-in-law, his lover Delilah—all these people were people Samson loved and trusted, and they took advantage of him and manipulated him.  I find myself wondering how God could allow this to happen to Samson. This guy was filled with the Spirit and destined to rescue the nation of Israel from the Philistines, and he couldn’t even find a handful of good, solid, encouraging friends?  That’s not fair.  If this guy was called to such a great task, shouldn’t he have been surrounded by great people?  In fact doesn’t everyone deserve that?  And perhaps he did have some positive relationships that just aren’t mentioned because they don’t pertain to the story.  In fact I hope that there were some.  But my heart still breaks for Samson and for all the heartache and the less-than-ideal death he endured because of these false friends.

So then comes Ruth.  Ruth and Naomi were such incredible friends!  Ruth’s son married Naomi, and when both Ruth’s husband and Naomi’s husband died, Naomi decided to return to her home, and she encouraged Ruth to do the same thing.  However there was obviously a very strong relationship between the women, because Ruth chose to go with Naomi, her mother-in-law, instead, and vowed to follow her wherever she chose to go—which is incredible considering there was no blood relation between the women, and Ruth would be leaving her own family and homeland.  But Ruth insisted and the women traveled together to Bethlehem where they lived and worked and where eventually Ruth married a man named Boaz and carried on the bloodline that led to the birth of David—yes, King David.  So here we see a completely different picture of friendship.  I love this relationship because I don’t think friendships today are much different at the core.  There are ties of love that bind good friends together regardless of distance and circumstance, and Ruth and Naomi get that.

So what made these friendships so different?

Well we don’t know exactly, but there was obviously a difference in the kind of people Ruth and Samson had in their lives.  Ruth found people who cared about her, and who she loved in return.  And that’s something that’s lacking in Samson’s relationships—his “friends” were concerned with what they could gain from him, regardless of how it would hurt him.  I can’t help but think that Ruth’s friendships were closer to what Jesus had in mind when he called us to love one another.

So what would it take for me to be the kind of friend Ruth was? 

For me to build friendships like that between Ruth and Naomi?

 I’m only human, and it’s so easy to fall into thinking only about what I want out of a relationship, but what about what I have to give?  A good friendship is a two way street in communication, encouragement, serving and loving.  We can’t control others, but we can choose to love others.

And perhaps we will even find a Samson out there, who just needs a good friend.

Elizabeth:   This week we have finished reading Judges, Ruth, and we have entered into the first part of 1 Samuel. I have discovered that Judges is full of interesting stories. There are lots of people, events, and locations, but I have actually enjoyed some of what I read. I hope that when I re-read Judges one day or focus in on specific stories in the book one day, that I will learn new things. There are still quite a few mysteries in the text. I still have plenty of unanswered questions about the text, but I am okay with that. I know that I have finished reading the book, but I'm not done studying it and trying to understand it more clearly.

I really enjoyed reading about Samson. I began to really like Samson. I think he always tried to do the right thing. Sure there are some stories that involve Samson that are a bit rough around the edges. Samson did engage in fighting and he may come across as teasing Delilah. While I don't support either of those actions, I feel like he did what he felt was necessary in his situation. He fought with Philistines because they took advantage of him and gave his wife to his friend. How awful is that?! That isn't a fair act for the Philistines to do, so Samson took action. I'm beginning to think that fighting was the way people solved their issues in Samson's time because that seems to be  the tone of much of the Old Testament up to this point, especially in the book of Judges. Delilah once again took advantage of Samson. When he finally felt like he could trust Delilah, she turned on him. I really do think that Samson tried to do what was right and follow God's will, but he didn't have the easiest go at it. He was set up with a lot of temptation and I think he did a fair job balancing it all.

The book of Ruth is a refreshing change from Judges. The book begins with this great friendship that Naomi and Ruth have and there isn't fighting. That sounds super, right?! I think so, and that's why I liked the book of Ruth. The friendship between Ruth and Naomi is what could be considered the "perfect" example of Christian friendship. While qualities of that friendship may be valuable, there are some qualities to Samson's character that I like as well. If Samson were here today, I would be friends with him. I would want to be friends with someone who tries to do what is right and is trustworthy. Naomi and Ruth sure do highlight loyalty and I find that admirable in a friendship, but I want to look for more Samsons in life to be friends with.

My challenge for you is to consider what qualities do you look for in friendship? Do any of your friendships share qualities with Naomi, Ruth, or Samson?  

And consider these alphabitz this week...

Friendship  Character  Integrity

Sisters in Christ,

~Allison & Elizabeth

You Be the Judge!

**All credit for this witty title goes to Miss Elizabeth :)**

Elizabeth:  Since our last posting, I have graduated from TLU and have enjoyed most of a week of summer break. I have done some sleeping, reading, volunteering, and organizing since I have been on break. I have also been a whole lot better at reading my Bible daily and I have actually engaging reflection over the text. One thing I haven't done yet is meet with Allison over skype for coffee and conversation. Perhaps we will do that next week--Friday. Soooo, for our two blog followers, you don't have to be antzy...you can expect a new entry next Friday. In the meantime, let me share with you a few thoughts on the reading I have done this week.

Allison and I read Judges 1-12 over the past week. I'm finding that as I read the Old Testament, it really isn't as dry as many people make it sound, but it is extra confusing. When I can follow along to some extent, the text is interesting, but it gets so confusing when so many names and places are referenced. How am I supposed to keep up with all this information? On top of that, all these peculiar stories are happening. Jephthah has to sacrifice his daughter for the Lord?! (Judges 11) What in the world? Where does this stuff come from? And most importantly, why does it matter to me? How is this relevant?

As I shared this with Allison over the phone, she joked, "so you're saying that if you were the editor of Judges, it would all make more sense?" and at first thought I said yes! But, then I thought about it and if I were recording moments in my life it may sound as scattered as the book of Judges reads to me. When Allison and I carry on conversations, they don't always take a straight path. Often one thought leads to another, to another, and to another before we remind each other to go back to our original topic. And if I were to map out a single conversation, it may very well sound like a piece from Judges. One thing mentioned here and something else there. I found it especially interesting that when reading, I want something clearly defined, clearly mapped out. I don't want any gaps at all, but when I engage in my everyday conversations and experiences they're far from being clearly defined and I don't have a problem with it. In Judges I don't find any consistency. Each chapter seems to deal with different people and mention different places. In the first chapter Israel fights Canaanites, then judges are introduced, but more fighting takes place, more people are introduced. By chapters 10 and 11 Ammonites are the ones Jephthah is fighting. By that point too, the book has covered Gideon, Zebah, Zalmunna, Debroah, Abimelech, and many more. Among these people and places, odd events occur too, like the sacrifice of Jephthah's daughter to the Lord. It is all interesting, but it is a lot to keep up with.

Back to questions, where does this stuff come from? Well I'm not entirely sure. I cannot be sure that all of these things happened exactly as they are recorded, but I can say that each of these people were trying to find answers of their own. They wanted some direction, they wanted to see God more fully. The writer(s) of Judges most likely didn't record every detail of every situation, so there are gaps that I as the reader have to deal with. I'm left wondering what happened to the families of the people who died in the battles? What are these people thinking before they turn to God? Oh so many questions, but with gaps I have the opportunity to consider these things. So, why does this matter? Because ultimately the people in Judges were searching for a leader, some common ground, they wanted a foundation in their lives so that they could live fuller lives. And, this matters to me, because that is what I want in my life too. I want a fuller life where I know God is in control and can help lead me through tough times. God knows what happened in the gaps that were left open to the readers in the book of Judges; He was with those people. Like the people and places of Judges, God will be with me in rough times and will provide the direction I need in whatever place I may be.

My challenge to you is to think about the places in your life that seem most jumbled and consider how you may see God in the midst of it all.

Here, there, everywhere.

Allison:  Hello blog world!  Today is a big day!  You may not have noticed the small memo on your calendar this morning, but today is a day for celebration, because TODAY is the first official non-introduction blog of Alphabitz!  After reading this, feel free to pop open a bottle of your preferred champagne, or sparkling grape juice for us underage folks (….I think we actually have some leftover from New Years…).  But I digress….without further ado, I bring you a perspective on Judges chapters 1-12 :)!---that sounds lame…but don’t worry; it’s not.

So, Judges.  Aye, yes.  I’ll bet that hasn’t been a recent sermon topic!  And for a good reason too.  It’s a little all over the place, a little frustrating, and a little old (granted, it’s all old).  But there’s some cool stuff in Judges too, and I feel like I have more in common with the Israelites than I would care to admit.  But today I will admit away!    Judges 2 talks about how the people felt lost; they were turning to idolatrous gods, and basically doing anything but following the Lord.  Israel always seems to play the role of the poor and weak little brother, and it’s only through God that they ever reach any sort of victories (funny how God tends to choose those who we deem weak).  And so God took pity on them. 

Side note—while the Old Testament is notorious for presenting an “angry” and “harsh” image of God, I feel like there are quite a few places in this book so far that speak to God’s endless love and mercy, particularly in His dealings with the Israelites.  So chew on that.

Where was I?  Oh yes, so God took pity on them and gave them judges, who were more like political/military leaders than judicial figures. 

But what frustrated me was how they get one judge, that judge “rules” for however some-odd years, dies, and then the Israelites go right back to where they were before—goofing off, worshiping local idols, and basically living life like this judge never existed.  I mean my thoughts were something to the effect of, “Look Israelites!  This is ridiculous!  Can’t you just stay on track for a little while?”  And I was truly impressed that every time their antics got them in a situation of oppression or whatnot and they turned and “cried to God for help”, He immediately took pity and sent them another leader.  No hesitation, no lecture, no “this is the last straw”.  They realized their wrongs, turned back to God, and He welcomed them with open arms.  And He didn’t force himself on them when they turned away—it was a conscious choice on their part to turn back and follow the Lord’s leading.  And I couldn’t understand how God could be so forgiving, especially when they most likely were going to turn astray again by the end of the chapter.

But then I realized, I still don’t understand that forgiveness and that grace.  I still don’t get how God loves us infinitely and welcomes us back with open arms every time we realize where we’ve fallen, even though He knows we’ll mess up again.  I don’t know about you, but I am so much like the Israelite people.  Things are going great, life is good, I’ve got a great active faith community keeping me grounded, but the moment things change, the moment those circumstance get shaken up, it is so easy for me to fall away, to get off track, and try to do things according to my own plans.  And I’m sure anyone reading a story of my life would think the same things I did.  “Look Allison!  This is ridiculous!  Can’t you just stay on track for a little while?”  Because it’s so true.  I’m not perfect, and I definitely do my fair share of running back to God, teary-eyed and snotty-nosed and so truly repentant.  And that’s not to say it’s not sincere.  But I am so beyond thankful that our God is a God of grace, mercy and n^th chances.  That He knows our hearts and that He doesn’t give up.  So while the Israelites do frustrate me a bit, they hold a special place in my heart, because if I just substitute my name in there, those verses could be the story of my life.  But more than that, they are the story of the infinite grace our God gives and the incomprehensible love that is always within reach.  And that my friends, is the essence of the gospel.

So Judges eh?  Not so bad really.  Actually, I’m kind of liking this one.  Chime in!  What are your thoughts?  And as always, we leave you with some alphabitz to mull over…

Searching  Direction  Love

Sisters in Christ,

~Allison & Elizabeth

Chapel Coffee Conversation

Welcome to Alphabitz! We are Allison and Elizabeth. We met at Texas Lutheran University where we both went to school. Well, Allison is finishing her freshman year and I am getting ready to graduate. We thought it would be a good idea to start a blog to share our experiences with life in both college and in post-college life. Our faith is an important part of our lives and we have really enjoyed conversation about our faith. It was in campus chapels that we began to connect our faith to our everyday experiences in life. In January of this year we began a journey of reading through the Bible together. We did this by reading a little of the Bible each day and then we met on Fridays, after chapel, and joined each other for faith conversation over coffee. As the year went on we realized how much this journey challenged our faith. We began to understand why as Christians we often spend time reading the New Testament because the Old Testament is not always what we want to hear.

In Alphabitz we will share our experiences along our journey of reading through the Bible as we make connections with the scripture and our own lives as two young women of faith. We hope you will enjoy our thoughts and we hope you too are challenged and encouraged by scripture and everyday life!

Hi I'm Allison! As we've read through the Bible together so far, I've really enjoyed not only the different perspective that comes with reading scripture and hearing the thoughts of Elizabeth as she reads the same verses, but also the way the message comes to life. I've have also seen the way that sharing faith can create stronger relationships. I look forward to sharing this journey with you too, and I hope that you also can grow in your faith as you are challenged and strengthened by the scripture that has sustained our faith through the centuries.

Hey! I'm Elizabeth! I have really enjoyed this experience that Allison and I have had this year. I'm really sad that I will soon have to join her for coffee via skype to have our faith conversation about our Bible reading because I will no longer be living as close to her. I found that reading through the Bible is truly a journey which is much like faith. Reading hasn't always been easy. It hasn't always been easy to make the time to do reading and be faithful with it. Like my own faith, the experience of reading through the Bible has its own ups and downs, and begs many questions of me. As I enter the next chapter of my life after I graduate from TLU, I look forward to reading more of my Bible and I hope to spend a lifetime growing in my faith.

The two of us will end each blog entry with a few alphabitz for you to consider.

Friendship Journey Challenge

Sisters in Christ,
~Elizabeth & Allison