The Old Testament were the stories that Jesus and His first followers knew. The Psalms were the songs that filled their homes and their worship. Understanding this can help us understand what problems Jesus was trying to solve. The reality is that the Old Testament has some wonderful, hopeful stories and the New Testament has some difficult, uncomfortable teachings. Having both helps us grow in our understanding. There is a famous saying, ‘those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it.’ Reading the Old Testament can help us clearly see the ways people fall short of following God fully…and maybe can encourage us in living more faithfully. – Pastor Trudy Stoffel
