Monday, February 23, 2015

Slow: Nahum 1:3


Looking through a journal/notebook I realized that there are more Slow thoughts that I've jotted down and I have never written here. Each of them are a continuation of my searching God's Word for slow. Today, let's start with Nahum 1:3 ~

"The Lord is slow to anger and great in power; the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished. His way is in the whirlwind and the storm, and clouds are the dust of his feet."

* Look at verse 1; who is this passage about? {Nineveh}
* At the time I wrote this, I had just finished studying Nineveh while looking at Jonah's life and slow. I noticed one very interesting thing in the intro to each book:
- Jonah was written around the time of 785-760 BC
- Nahum was probably written during the time of 663-612 BC
Did you catch that? This passage is 100 years later and it seems Nineveh has not remained changed for the long haul as a prophet is being sent a second time.

* Look at verse 2 - how does God see Nineveh? {as His enemies; angry}
* Write out verse 3a {see above}.


* vs. 3-8:
- the next verses describe His power displayed; list some of the ways. Here are the ones I came up with:
:: whirlwind/storm/clouds
:: rebukes the sea and it dries
:: makes rivers run dry
:: wither/fade
:: mountains quake
:: hills melt away
:: earth trembles
:: wrath like fire
:: rocks shattered
:: overwhelming flood
:: darkness
- What do these things have in common? They are all created things - and God is reminding us of His authority over Creation. We are also His Creation.

* verse 7:
- In the midst of all these reminders, He holds out a light of hope. Look at verse 7 and write it out, "The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him."
- What is my responsibility to receive this refuge from Him? 
- TRUST. When I lose that - I am like Nineveh trusting my own strength or thoughts.


* Now, go back to verse 3 {written out at the top of the post}
- How does it encourage or challenge you that God reminds us He is slow to anger in the midst of this trouble and judgement to Nineveh?
- Remember how many years this has been?
- How does trust fit with a s.l.o.w. posture to you?

:: I am grateful to be re-visiting slow in God's Word - I'll be looking at passages and reflecting on them here all week. Hope you will join me in slowing!

1 comment:

Sherie said...

I so love your "Slow" posts. They remind me to stop. Stop and breathe and look around. For the last 3 years I have not slowed at all. NOW I am in a place that has slowed me. I am looking forward to a slower way of life. Thank you.