Doing Bible Things in Bible Ways (Biblically Living 1)

Ten years ago, a friend challenged me to read my Bible from cover to cover as fast as I could.  She said, “read it as if God is writing it directly to you, and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal truth to you.”  Over the years, I had been priveldged to be raised in a reading home, and a home that taught that the Bible, the Word of God, was true and beneficial.  My parents read the Bible to us, they encouraged us to do morning devoations, and they bought us Bible studies, and Bibles.  We went to church, Sunday school, weekly Bible study, and revival services, and even Christian school at times.  I went to Bible college, and I knew how to read and study the Bible.  But, to be honest, I don’t think, before this challenge that I had just read the Bible, like a book.

To be completely honest, the idea of reading it from cover to cover seemed a bit overwhelming.  It is a big book.  It doesn’t read like other story books, it has stories, poetry, history, proverbs, and personal letters.  The idea of reading it from cover to cover challenged me.  When my friend suggested it I said, “I just don’t have time.”

It seemed like a legitmate excuse.  But, finally, I just gave in and said, “Lord, if this is what I need to do then help me achieve it.”

I decided I would read it every morning and evening when I woke and before I feel asleep.  I was pregnant at the time, and my husband was away for work often.  I had 11 children at home, and I was homeschooling them all.  Of course, I had other responsiblities as well, to my church, my community, and family.  Like most American women, I had a lot of different things I needed to take care of daily.  But, I just knew that I had to make this a priority.  I needed to know that I really knew what the whole Bible said.

So, I got my trusty NASB out.  I opened to the first page, and I began reading.  I read the forward, and I read the translators notes, and I read every opening word in my Bible.  Already, just doing that I found I didn’t know that the translators added words to scripture for clarification, I didn’t know that the translators used LORD instead of the Hebrew name of God.  I learned so much and I hadn’t even started the first verse.

I began reading Genesis and I kept reading every day for three months.  This simple act changed my life forever.

I realized that what I had been taught as a child was true, God doesn’t change.  His Word is one big story of hope and redemption.  I  learned that the Bible doesn’t contridict itself, but actually confirms itself.  I had spent most of my life primarily in the new testament books, and to be honest, had often felt confused about certain passages.  But, when I read them together with the old testament, I had clarity.  I realized that the writers of the new testament were just refering and reframing the old testament truths for the people they were writing.

Now ten years later, I have read my Bible from cover to cover many more times.  My husband and I, along with our children, have been blessed to read it through together from cover to cover over three times now.  Everytime we read through the Bible, we understand our Creator and Redeemer and His Word more.

The amazing and wonderful thing about the Bible is God prepared it for the simpliest of men and children to read and understand it.  It is not a collegate textbook, it is not a a mystery book, that can’t be solved.  No, it is a beautifully simple and easy to read love story for all time.

If you are finding parts of God’s word confusing or challenging then I encourage you to take the time, make the time, to read it from cover to cover quickly.  Let the Holy Spirit reveal truth to you of who you are and who your Creator is.

For our family, we don’t just read the Bible, but we do our very best to live it.  We want to apply scripture to our lives daily.

We want to do Bible things in Bible ways.

Written by ktmom15