Mid-November Reflection

 I'm still following this plan that I began earlier this year---maybe January?  Honestly, I can't recall. I'm entering August, even though it's mid-November, but I've learned to let the Spirit dictate my pace rather than the calendar.  I'm okay with slow, even though I like to know I'm making progress.

I felt like I was in Kings & Chronicles forever---always so much to keep up with in those books, so many J names and bad kings, so many cycles of tearing down idols and repairing the temple only to leave "the high places" often untouched. Then the next generation undoes what the prior had accomplished.  In many ways, it's like Judges.  Or our political system.  It reminds me of Ecclesiastes too---Solomon knew the deal.

So, this is where I am today:

Because I've worked through Kings & Chronicles separately, I've encountered all the history twice. I'm still not done.  To keep me on track and record my learnings, I've made a Google slides document that I fiddle with each day.  It helps me keep it straight, focused, intelligible.

I still have much to do before leaving it.  Jack Abeelen recently preached through these books, and I need to listen to those messages and integrate all four books in this slide document. It's a healthy discipline for me, cementing and refining the details and lessons, but it will continue to be a devotional commitment that takes time.

Then I can begin to think about the prophets---all of them--within their proper historical context.  I'm looking forward to this part...hoping that the pursuit will give me better context and understanding. All insight comes from the Lord, just like everything else, but our minds and hands need to be faithful to the pursuit as well.

In the meanwhile, I'm excited to move into "August" and some new New Testament--looking forward to the T's and more Luke.  I really like the slow pace through the gospels---just enough to tuck away for one day and turn over.