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Small groups.

What can I say? I have never enjoyed them.

Till we joined this small group 🙂

We just finished up several months of going through the book of Daniel. We persevered & pushed through some hard passages. Some we came to a better understanding of & some we had to chalk up to the mystery of our God. But we finished & with a sigh & prayer, we closed the book of Daniel, for now.

But here are my final thoughts from Daniel, Chapter 12:

  • Whether or not we can explain it or understand it all, God’s plan will be completed. Daniel could not fully understand every prophecy given to him at that time, yet many are already fulfilled. May we always remember that the fulfillment of prophecy does not depend on our understanding of it. Daniel’s prophecies of the days ahead will surely be completed one day.
  • Israel will be delivered. The end. They are God’s people & He made a covenant with them & He will be true to them.
  • God’s Word is true & will come to pass even when it says something hard or difficult or unpleasant or something we wish it didn’t say. I think we would all agree, we hope that we never have to endure some of the things we have read about. But our wishing will not keep God’s plan from unfolding. May our lives be ever ready & be found true to Him.
  • God’s people will continue to be purified & made spotless & the wicked will continue to be wicked (verse 10). And may I add, probably with an ever-increasing wickedness as we can attest to seeing in society as time passes. But God will always have a people that He continues to purify.

But I think the one point that stood out the most to me is this one….

  • Lights willing to shine in the darkness will shine forever (verse 3). And Verse 3 tells us that those who are wise are those that will shine. May we seek God always for wisdom. As I read & thought about this, Philippians 2:14-16 came to my mind. May we remember that our faithfulness here on earth DOES matter.

At the end of our small group night, the question was raised: “How then shall we live?”

That question has nagged at me for days. As I have thought about it, two Scriptures keep coming back to me & I think they hold the answer 🙂

Paul, in his letter to the Thessalonians, gives an exhortation about the coming of the Lord in chapter 4 (verses 13-17). But then he closes this chapter with what I believe to be good advice for us as well: “Therefore encourage each other with these words.” The writer of Hebrews gives similar advice, “But let us encourage one another and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Heb. 10:25). If we are all going to live faithfully, it will be because we deliberately pursued Him. And in our pursuit of Him, we will realize that we, as His Body, need one another. And we will grow in our encouragement to one another. Why? Because we will need to. May we love one another & come along side of each other always.

I guess this post could also suffice as a plug for small groups. If you are in search of a good small group, check out our church.