Revisit the Jan 13 post
I wrote about fairness and frustration. In the providence of God, the current situation--not unlike what I faced then--has found me less angry and more accepting, willing to wait rather than ranting/raving etc. for the matter to be resolved. Oh, another example of the grace of God!

Reasons to value the Old Testament

Shortly before this winter session of the women's Bible study I participate in began, I read the following, familiar passage from Paul's second letter to Timothy: All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17) I wondered how this would apply when we were going to study some of the Old Testament. I ought to have known better than to wonder.

What else did Jesus Himself use to reply to the tempter, as recorded in Matthew 4?

What else was Paul referring to when he wrote this to the church at Rome: For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope (Romans 15:4)

Where else was Paul pointing the church in Corinth to when he penned this: I want you to know, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. Nevertheless with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play. We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, not grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer. Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape (1 Corinthians 10:1-13). There are, therefore, many reasons to become acquainted with and to value all of the Old Testament.

Selected Scriptures and Personal/Physical Limitations

As one of those people with limitations for as long as I can recall--even longer than I can recall--I have gone through a variety of emotions: resentment, anger, resignation, finally reconciliation and realization. Realization?

Psalm 139:1-6 reads: O LORD, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out by path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it. How often have I felt hemmed in, limited, and not seen this as wonderful?

Yet, as David wrote in this intimate psalm: For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of them. (v.v. 12-16)

Given, then, that God was involved in those ways in my creation, how could I be angry or resentful or resigned? Instead, through this and other parts of Scripture, I became not only reconciled to my present (not eternal) imitations, but also realized that there are benefits to them, somewhat in keeping with these: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

I have found a lot of consolation in these verses from Psalm 119 also: This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life (50); Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word (67); It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes (71); Your hands made and fashioned me; give me understanding that I may learn your commandments (73); I know, O LORD, that your rules are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me (75); Let your steadfast love comfort me according to your promise to your servant (76); If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction (92); I am severely afflicted; give me life, O LORD, according to your word! (107); Trouble and anguish have found me out, but your commandments are my delight (143); Look on my affliction and deliver me, for I do not forget your law (153). By the on-going grace of God, then, I have moved from resentment, anger, resignation, finally to reconciliation and realization that these limitations (temporary) are part of God's process of sanctifying and making me useful.

Family Resemblances
I have been going through old photos recently and can't help but note family resemblances. If you ever met my rather extensive family, you'd see it too. I take after our dad's side and my sister after our mom's side in looks. Those are the obvious physical similarities. But beyond those, we also share common nonphysical interests--the exception being my never getting into golf. Because of our common interests, we are a close knit family. But more eternally important than that family tree is another tree, and a more important family likeness.
ROOT
(n) Source
(v) Establish or tear out
so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:17-17; NASB)
so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith--that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:17-19; ESV)
I decided to look this up--root it up?--after a Bible study some months ago. It seems that being rooted and grounded in God's love provides both source and establishment of our life and our growth and our fruitfulness.
Psalm 1:1-3
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers, but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is a like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.
TREE RINGS
Trees grow true
To their seed
Yet influenced
By soil, sun, water,
Storm and root,
Shadow and knife,
Each season marks
A ring of life
Unique though
Trees grow true
To their seed.
Jeremiah 17:7-8
Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is in the LORD. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the sttream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.
Psalm 92:12-15
The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. They are planted in the house of the LORD; they flourish in the courts of our God. They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green, to declare that the LORD is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.
1 John 3:1-3
See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God, and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

Waiting and Longing
Romans 8:18-30
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.