Now on to the Good Stuff?

I have now finished reading the entire Old Testament - and in 60 days flat. (It should be noted that the reading plan called for 68 days but as I've pointed out before, I'm a bit of an over achiever.) I'm so relieved to be done with the OT. As I mentioned a time or two, I did not enjoy it. Sure, there are a lots of genealogies, endless measurements using cubits and shekels, and the constant referring to of women as either prostitutes or quarrelsome wives, but I could get past all that.

The bigger issue for me was the picture of God that we get in the Old Testament. Why do some people get grace and others don't? What can the average person do to ensure that he or she is chosen, favored, saved or even tolerated by God? I've written about specific examples before and I'm not going to rehash that, but the point is, reading the Old Testament has challenged my faith.

When I started this endeavor, I didn't think it would change my life much in any way. If it did somehow change something, I assumed it would make my faith grow, become stronger. I did not anticipate the anger and disappointment I experienced when I really learned, as Paul Harvey would say, "the rest of the story." And with that anger and disappointment comes guilt. I feel guilty about being disrespectful to God. It seems blasphemous.

But here's the deal: apparently challenging your faith can be a good thing. Examining what you believe and why can apparently make your faith stronger in the end. A wise person recently put it in terms I could understand. She said "If you keep running the same distance and the same pace, you're never going run any farther or faster. If you challenge yourself, it'll suck for a while. It will hurt. But you'll be stronger and faster in the long run."

Ok. I get it. But that doesn't mean I'm not still hoping the "good stuff" is coming in the New Testament.