Finals week is over... but not really.

In about two hours from now, I’ll be done with all of my finals.
Done with studying and memorizing every major city and geographical feature of Israel on a satellite map, as well as their connection to biblical events, and all of the ancient geographical routes used in biblical times…
Done with studying Rabbinic literature and levitical festivals. The intricacies of a synagogue service. The Holocaust. The Jewish view of eschatology and the Messiah…
Done with studying Hebrew verb tenses and vocab. Semitic sentence structure and syntax..
Done with studying the entire chronology of Christ’s life and ministry, from the early Judean ministry to the Passion Week and resurrection…
Done with writing a 15 page paper on Elisha’s impact on the foreign nations of Aram and Moab and on the Omride and Jehuide dynasties…
Done with studying the various time periods of the history of ancient Israel. The battles, and the psalms and prophecies in context. The kings with names I can’t even pronounce. The local and international situation during the exile…
Done, done, done…
Or am I?
I hope I’ll never be deceived into thinking that I’m “done” studying the Bible. “Teach me, O LORD, the way of your statutes; and I will keep it to the end.” (Ps. 119:33) That verse implies that I will always be a student- always learning the way of God’s statutes, always striving to keep them to the very end.

I am fully aware that I’ve only begun to scratch the surface during my time in Israel. I have a professor back at Master’s who always points out that the more you learn, the more you realize how much you DON'T know.
And that’s exactly how I feel right now. The more I study, the more I realize how much there is to learn, how ignorant and biblically-illiterate I am. There’s no room for laziness or complacency when it comes to learning God’s Word.
I’m not done. Not done studying, not done learning, not done applying. Praise God I’m not.

Finals week won't be over in two hours- not really.
I pray that my whole lifetime will be one long "finals week" spent pursuing God through His Word. And I pray the same for each of you.

a week from now...

You guessed it.
A week from now I'll be leaving.. on a jet plane.. don't know when I'll be back again :(
Just thought I'd let you know.

See you soon!!

Joey