Loving the Bible

So, I am about ⅓ rd of the way into Numbers in the bible and I have to say I'm loving it! I never thought I'd love reading the bible. I haven't attempted to read the entire Old Testament for my entire life because it has terrified me. The times I have read it I found it so hard to get through for lots of various reasons. This time though, I love it! I've found it has giving me a greater appreciation for our Heavenly Father. From the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants we can see the dealing of God with men from before the time of Christ to after, and in our current age. The New Testament also shows Christ's ministry on the earth and the ministry of the Apostles after his death. I guess you could say that I had a greater appreciation for the dealings of God in those time periods. Now, in reading the bible I'm amazed to see that I feel my understanding and appreciation for Our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ has grown tremendously! I didn't expect that. But it's amazing to read about all the experiences that happened from the creation of the world onward. It truly has opened my eyes to "the greatness of God" (for lack of a better expression...). Seeing (or reading) how God has dealt with his children from the beginning is very humbling. It makes me feel so small and insignificant (or less egocentric...). There really is so much more to this little life I lead. There is so much bigger of a plan that what I see going on right now. It has put a lot of things in perspective for me.

I've also found a greater desire to draw near to our Father in Heaven in prayer. I've felt a greater desire to approach him as a daughter.

And lastly, in reading through Numbers and Leviticus there is so much tedium with the finer points of the Law of Moses. Surprisingly, though, it hasn't been that bad. Today as I read I got to thinking about how the Israelites had to give "the first fruits" back to the Lord, and these things, whether they were animals, flour, oil, gold or whatever were burned on an alter or something like that (maybe something else was done with them...I don't know). I got to thinking about that about how now we pay "tithing" instead of offering sacrifices. In a lot of ways I think tithing is a lot easier of a concept for me to submit to because money is money. One dollar bill isn't worth more than another, and I know that money goes to build the Kingdom of God here on the earth. I was thinking that for me it probably would have been harder to take the best of my fields/flocks or whatever and have it offered to the Lord because, in my head, I'd probably be thinking, "But that can do me so much better here! Wouldn't it be better to make lamb stew or something?" But then I thought that the reason those sacrifices were necessary was to remind the people that all things come from God, and he asks that the best part me given back to him. I think giving the "first fruits" back continually would be a constant reminder that all things do in fact come from God. I don't know why that was more forceful to me, but it was. That is why we pay tithing too, because all things come from God and we give a tenth back to him.

Anyways, those are some of the thoughts I've had as I've read the bible this year! Apparently I've been all worked up and worried over nothing. I'm really enjoying it!