Lisa's

      when I was a baby Christian, I often heard people say, "You`d better start with New Testament, or you will be discouraged by all the sinful scenes in Old Testament." And after I finished New Testament, I told people to start with John too. It seemed that whenever I tried to read about the old stories, I got shocked and could not believe those are something that should be recorded in God`s book. The theme seems to be crime and punishment.

      However, when I started to listen to Daily Audio Bible last year, I sort of became attracted to the Israelites` stories. They were selected, guided, blessed yet they again and again strayed away from God. When you listen to the Kings, you become quite familiar with this sentence, "He did what was considered evil in God`s sight." Isn`t it the nation that has witnessed most miracles? Isn`t it the people that always has the best prophets? Didn`t God reveal himself to them countless times? Weren`t they led to the land flowing of milk and honey? If all the miracles had been done to another nation, say China, will all things be much better? I mean we never got the chance to really know God in ancient times. Our ancestors thought we were descendants of Dragon!

     Then I began to realize that no matter which nation God had chosen, it doomed to turn to be wicked for the sin had fallen to everyone through Adam. Don`t laugth at Israelites, they were much better than us in God`s eyes at that time. They worshipped Him and they called Him their Lord. Abraham is a great example of being faithful and David loyalty. Can`t we find anything similar with Israelites in ourselves? Don`t you think Israel is the very epitome of all human beings?

      By reading New testament, we come to know Jesus and the way we should live, yet by reading Old testament, we can come to know us and the way we actually live. The history of Israelites is virtually a history of human beings. And the more we read it, the more we will know about God`s plans and love. In spite of all our betralys and wickedness, He still loves us and puts His only son, a perfect one to die for us. He uses His son`s or His own blood to wash us clean. Isn`t that great? What are we to be served and loved so much by God? We are only His work yet He loves us with His whole heart and soul? Shouldn`t we love Him back in the same way or even more?

     I guess we really should~!