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1 Corinthians 9-10


My grandfather lived in Chicago most of his life.  Every year or two our family of six would pile into our station wagon and drive out to visit my mom’s childhood home and her parents.  I loved being with my grandfather.  He was tall and straight with a large bristly mustache that tickled you when he came near your face.  Our favorite time was sitting on his lap to hear him recount Old Testament Bible stories.  He never used his Bible because he knew the stories by heart.  He never embellished them with added details, but as he talked it was as if he knew each character in a close and personal way – as if he had grown up with them and they were his friends.

In our reading today, looking into 1 Corinthians 10, twice we see the phrase “Now these things” took place or happened as examples for us.  Paul is referring to the journey of the Israelites out of Egypt to the Promised Land.  Although all of them were God’s Chosen People, had walked through the sea, had eaten manna and drunk from the rock, God was not pleased with most of them.  They were idolaters and grumblers. 

Paul instructs these new Christians in Corinth not to forget their heritage.  These stories also help us not to make the same mistakes that others have made before us.  They are “examples” to aid us in these last days to be God-pleasers.  

Today, I’m not so sure that people spend much time in the Old Testament.  One of the reasons may be unfamiliarity except for the major stories like Noah‘s ark or Daniel and the lion’s den.  Another reason we might major in the New Testament is to learn more about Jesus’ life and the letters of his followers so we can have a more dedicated Christian walk.  It also might also be a problem of not using a real Bible in book form, but an app on your phone.  It is easy to be paging through a Bible and see something that grabs your attention or a cross reference that leads you deep into the Old Testament.   It’s a little harder on a phone to take side trips unless you are reading through a book.

So I encourage you to expand your reading during this down time when we are stuck at home.  Read out loud to your kids and grandkids.   Begin with the history books such as Genesis, Exodus, and Joshua through Esther to see what these people did wrong and what they did right!  Remember Romans 15:4  “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”
Beth Thompson

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