NorthStar Community Daily Devotional

March 21

Scripture focus: But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand where you are and watch the Lord rescue you…The Lord himself will fight for you. You won’t have to lift a finger in your defense!” Exodus 14:13-14

When I was a baby believer, I thought the New Testament was a replacement for the Old Testament – sort of an improved version of the OT, with a few new chapters edited in. Later, I realized that wasn’t true but I still wondered why we needed to read the Old Testament. The New one seemed so much better!

As the years have progressed, I’ve come up with two reasons why I continue to keep the Old Testament on my daily reading agenda:

1. The entirety of scripture is about God. As I read about how God related to his people throughout history, I can learn about how I might expect him to relate to me today.

2. Jesus did not come to throw out the old. He says that he came to fulfill the promises of God, not push a holy reset button. Jesus did indeed come and bring good new news…but Jesus was a guy who honored both new things and old traditions. I can learn from the teachings that Jesus valued. It will enrich my understanding to catch glimpses of the history that that informed the coming of Christ to earth.

I still find the Old Testament confusing sometimes, but I also discover nuggets so rich it makes me get goose bumps. Throughout time, God has fought for us. May we experience God’s presence as we thank him for his provision.


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