Bedtime Scripture!

So... 11 days felt like a long time. Updates, updates. Well! I've been struggling in Calculus and when finals rolled around, I was scared senseless. When I found out I got a B on the final, I was ecstatic since it raised my grade from a 66 to a 77%! Crazy, huh? But honestly, like I'm not even exaggerating or trying to make this story sound cute or whatever. I seriously don't know how I could've managed that if God wasn't helping me out. SERIOUSLY. When I went through that test, I skipped about 10-15 questions out of 30. When I went back to it, it was though the HS was taking the test for me. AHAH. Not saying he can only pull off B's (I'm pretty sure He can get something greater than an A), but God's grace man. Oddly enough, I am a pessimist. I'm proved wrong countless times. Mara, Nazh, and Oliver know very well! I'm glad I was proved wrong here (:

Hmm.. What else? Oh, so Thursday for LT Bible Study, we covered 1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13 and Luke 4:21-30. I just want to share one thing (for now, since we covered  A LOT of ground). That we are all supposed to "respect, restore, and love every personal equally."  Hmmm.. Mother Teresa of Calcutta is my greatest example of that. And hey! It appears as if I wrote about her in a post earlier! But yeah. Love her despite her beliefs (whether it be atheism or Christianity), love him despite his temper, love them despite their controlling personality, etc. Show the same love you show to your mom, your brother/sister, friend, boyfriend/girlfriend, that one stranger!

But yeah! I know I'm just touching up on them, but if you're really curious, I encourage you to do some studying on your own! Go attend Bible Study, go to Mass, go have lunch with SOMEONE.

What I really wanted to share though:

Psalm 54:5-11

For he who has become your husband is your Maker; his name is the LORD of hosts; 

Your redeemer is the Holy One of Israel, called God of all the earth.

The LORD calls you back, like a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit,

A wife married in youth and then cast off, says your God.

For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with great tenderness I will take you back.

In an outburst of wrath, for a moment I hid my face from you;

But with enduing love I take pity on you, says the LORD, your redeemer.

this is for me like the days of Noah, when I swore that the waters of Noah should never again deluge the earth;

So I have sworn not to be angry with you, or to rebuke you.

Though the mountains leave their place and the hills be shaken, 

My love shall never leave you nor my covenant of peace be shaken says the LORD, who has mercy on you.

O afflicted one, strom-battered and unconsoled. 

I lay your pavements in carnelians and your foundations in sapphires.

Why does this strike me so? Well, I got some background information. I've been studying up on some theology pertaining especially to Covenant. God's covenant with man through the ages. So I'm just gonna hit some points real quick! And these are points that our Church Fathers have learned and passed on, what theologians have discovered, and all that good jazz. My source is... Scott Hahn! (: What makes covenants differ from contracts are two major differences:

1. Contracts are promises, whereas covenants are oaths where God is our witness. Covenants are wayy more serious, trust me.
2. A contract is an exchange of property, while a covenant is an exchange of persons. Instead of saying "this is yous, this is mine", a covenant goes along the lines of "I am yours, you are mine"

So if we look throughout Scripture, we see how God is after our hearts--so much that he wants to make these "sacred kinship bonds" in order for us to be a part of his royal family. So much that God wants to make COVENANTS that cannot be broken.

Which is WHYYYY the above verses strike me so! God has made covenants with his people. You, me, everyone who wants to be a part of that is welcome. But see, these covenants have bonds that are so strong, that not even God can break them. He doesn't want to, out of his love for us. His mercy, love, tenderness overcome all the times he wanted to abandon us for good, feel wrath, hurt. His love for us is so strong. He knew what was gonna happen even after the flooding in Noah's time. He knows what you and I are going to do tomorrow. But He chose to make this these covenants before all these things happen, because He's after our hearts. He wants to make sacred bonds with us that He, you, me cannot break. So as you sleep tonight, think about your day. And think about how you've made an effort on your side of the bargain errr.. bond. Can we choose to live our days after His own heart. Can we be the "man after his own heart" (1 Samuel 13:14) just as King David was?

There's another challenge! It appears as if I'm full of challenges. Pray that I'll be able to live it out as well! ^_^

God Bless!