Year of the Bible

“For every beast of the forest is Mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills” (Ps. 50:10, NKJV).

Graduation had just ended. The tired mommy shifted an infant girl from one side to the other. “I would love to have my children at your school,” she said. “I can see from this graduation program how much your church members love their school.”

I searched her face. Our church had just finished a six-week evangelism campaign, but she hadn’t attended. Does she have enough money to pay the required tuition? I thought, then stopped myself. This is God’s school, and He sends the seekers. Just then, one of her sons came running by.

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things” (Phil. 4:8, KJV).

I became acquainted with this verse as a young adult, and it quickly became a favorite of mine. Being raised in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, I often felt completely out of sync and appalled by pop culture, which only continues to deteriorate and get worse. So this verse, which extols all that is good and pure, was very comforting and inspiring to me.

“And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin” (Isa. 1:25, KJV).

I grew up in a nominal Seventh-day Adventist home where guilt abounded. “I’m going to be good,” my cousin and I would say. But we drifted away from God.

At 21, I was sincerely, miraculously converted. For 18 years, I struggled with guilt and could never quite “be good enough.” So I drifted away again.

Fast forward to 25 years of being “in and out of the world.” The tender pleading of the Father’s Spirit—wooing, entreating and drawing this wanderer to the Father’s heart of love—awakened my soul to return to God.

“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death, or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Rev. 21:4, NIV).

In the time we are living, especially with this pandemic, Revelation 21:4 fills me with hope and happiness because Jesus is coming soon, and there will be no more pain or crying. Recently, in a class in my Pathfinder’s club, we studied the first vision of Ellen White. That gave me even more hope, knowing that this will all happen, and that very soon we will live in a better place.