It Isn’t Just About What God Said. Consider Where He Said It.

There's a saying that goes: "It's not what you say, it's how you say it."

You're likely familiar with asking somebody how they're doing, and getting that simple answer. "Fine."

But they're not fine, are they? Their eyes are like lasers, corners of the mouth turned down, posture closed off. They say it like you just kicked their dog. In reality, they're un-fine. How do you know? It's not what they say, it's how they say it. The body says how we're doing long before our mouth ever says it.

While this handy saying works with people, let's talk about our Heavenly Father for a moment.

Many people I've known - myself included - look at what God's word says to us and assume He's saying it with arms crossed, an icy glare, corners of the mouth turned down. It's like we just kicked His dog. We imagine He has to love us, but that He doesn't really like us very much.

If this struggle is familiar to you, try this: It's not just what God says, but where He says it.

5 Important Locations to Visit in Scripture

Genesis - Here in the very beginning, we get a very different picture of God than many expect. Adam and Eve are hiding in their shame, having started a clothing line out of leaves. With all the gravity of original sin hanging over them, God is out searching for them. But we don't think, 'searching for them.' We think, 'hunting for them.' But what do we actually find?

"The Lord made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them." (Genesis 3:21)

Three chapters into the Bible, and in the midst of sin, here's God providing already.

Job - A chronological timeline wouldn't place Job where our Bibles have it, but personally I enjoy the arrangement. We're given the devastating loss, suffering, and questioning that fills Job's story. And then? Psalms. Wow. Does that not say something? Right there, just a flip of the page away, we get all kinds of circumstances and reasons for which to praise God. And it's given to us as psalms we can still use to do so.

Matthew - The ancient world viewed blessing the way we tend to. If things are good, you are blessed. Things are bad? You missed out. But in the first sermon Matthew gives us from Jesus, we get something different. If you're poor in spirit, you are blessed. In mourning, you are blessed. To the meek: you are blessed. Are you persecuted or insulted (among other things)? You are blessed.

And where is it said? Much closer to the middle of Scripture than either end. It's comforting to hear that in the middle of tough stuff.

2 Corinthians - Writing to the church at Corinth again, Paul is dealing with what has been a tumultuous relationship with the Corinthians. Taking into account all the potential baggage, all the relationship ups and downs they'd had, and the challenges to his authority by some who thought they knew better, Paul says this:

"I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation." (2 Corinthians 6:2)

How about that? Like the blessing of Matthew 5, favor is found in the middle of our perceived difficulties. And at church of all places. That helps me remember that the church, though flawed, has His favor.

Revelation - Whenever I've opened this book, I've gotten that apocalyptic feeling that there's no time left. I've pictured God saying, "You've had your chances...now listen to what's in store." But here at the end of the Bible, another opportunity:

"You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place." (Revelation 2:4-5)

Can you hear it? There's still time to return, and Jesus says it at the end of the Bible.

Now piece all this together with me:

• In our sin, God says "I'll provide." And that was at the beginning of it all.

• Surrounded by our suffering, God shows up clearly enough for us to praise him, and even gives us psalms for doing it.

• In the midst of all the stuff we'd rather avoid, he says, "Blessed are you."

• When difficulties arise, His word isn't that we're forgotten. He says now is the time of His favor...in the middle of all of it.

• And when it seems there's no time left, he says, "Repent and return. Come on back to that first love." Even at the end.

Where He says what He says tells us all we need to know about how He's really doing. Yes, He loves us. But if you ask me, He really, really likes us too.

Until next week,

Nathan