God

Imagine my...surprise when I encountered God in the pages of the Old Testament.

What's that?  The Old Testament?!?  But it's so...so...old.  And bloody.  And people are so hairy.  And what's with Song of Songs?  Or is it Song of Solomon?

All valid points.

The thought had never occurred to me until recently that I might not be the main character in the Bible.  I was shocked.  I thought God wrote this book just for me, and guided it along so that I would have it so that I would know what to do with my life.  And in some ways, that isn't totally false.  However, that line of thinking assumes "me" at the center.  The Bible has a lot to say to me today, but only because God does.  The Bible offers a lot of really practical guidance for life and relationships and choices, etc., because God sets a great example for us to follow.  The best part about the Bible, it turns out, is what it teaches us about Him.  You know, the Author.

For example, a simple commandment like "Don't Murder," reveals to us a whole host of information about God: namely, that He doesn't want us to murder other people.  But seriously, though, it shows how much God values human life, and that goes way beyond the issue of whether or not we actually murder someone--it has implications for how we treat others.

For something a little more obscure: Exodus 26:35: "Place the table outside the curtain on the north side of the tabernacle and put the lampstand opposite it on the south side."  Now, I am sure this verse is all over your home, memorized, emblazoned on plaques, knit into pillows, and even on your vanity license plate.  No?  Just me then?  A couple things of note here: at the time the Tabernacle was built, there were lots of temples for idols in the nations surrounding the Israelites at the time.  God does several surprising things here: 1) The Tabernacle is seriously small compared to the average temple (like 15ft. as opposed to 1/2 a mile!) and looked much like the typical Israelite tent; 2) Most temples had the lampstand in the inner room so the idol wouldn't be afraid of the dark--God, though, keeps it on the other side of the curtain so the priests can see; and 3) The table referenced in the verse would ordinarily be to hold the food for the idol in your average temple, but God uses it outside the curtain to provide food for the priests.

The contrast reveals a lot about who God is.  God is humble.  God is not here to be served, but to serve.  God doesn't need food from us and isn't afraid of the dark--He isn't dependent on us to survive.  God demonstrates that He wants to be close to His people, to identify with them, as evidenced by the type of "dwelling" He chooses...even though He doesn't actually need a dwelling.

More on this to come, but for now, start reading the Bible to learn about God.  Then, model yourself after Him.  Then, repeat.