Reading

About a week and a half ago I began reading through the Bible. The idea is to start at Genesis and read through to Revelation. In a very real way, I felt God calling me to do this. While I have read most of the Bible, I cannot say that I have read every verse in the Bible, especially from beginning to end. As of this morning, I have made it through the book of Ruth, and I have to say that I have no idea why I did not do this before now.

I have already learned so much from this exercise. Again and again I am able to see God's sovereign hand over the course of every event from the provision of Adam to the establishment of Ruth in the line of David. I have acquired a fresh appreciation for the covenants of God and the character of God. I have been able to see myself in the people of Israel who, despite having seen the wonders of God, take every opportunity to turn from Him or take His word for granted. I have been empowered by the stories of faith and the stories of deliverance. I have been challenged by the holiness of God that is presented so clearly in Leviticus and Deuteronomy.

Reading the Bible in this way has also allowed me to have fuller appreciation for the stories that I felt that I knew so well. For so many of us who grew up in church, we never think that there is a need to dig deeper into passages about Noah or Moses or about the tabernacle. The truth is that there is so much more to these stories that we need understand. Just because we know the events, we seldom know the entire context or the theology that these events represent. For me the key has been to read with questions, asking why this or that happened. I also try to appreciate what the passages mean for me spiritually. On a practical level, I have found that it helps if you underline key verses or passages. It helps me to focus on the reading.

My hope is that every Christian can come to the point that they have a desire to do this. I know that there are passages that intimidate or seem burdensome to read, but even these passages are present for a reason. The intricate details of the tabernacle's construction help us to understand the perfection that God required in order to dwell among the people. The genealogies demonstrate the course of God's plan and how the nations of the world came to be. My prayer is that God will put a desire in your heart to read the Bible, God's word and the story of our salvation, so that you will come to a greater knowledge of Him who has given you life.