How often do you hear in the Christian community how boring or unexciting the bible is? I imagine quite a bit if it is anything like my experience. In fact, I have thought it boring myself on more often than I would like to admit. I don't know if it is because of familiarity or lack of appreciation for what the bible truly is. For me it has likely been both.
Lack of appreciation.
This book called the Holy Bible is full of the most amazing preeminent being called God. It's about God. A God who isn't prominent among other great beings but preeminent. THere is no match and there will never be a match. He is unsurpassed in every way. All powerful and all knowing. The epitome of greatness. He is the only one that is due (deserves) praise. And He died for us. As my gangster friends would say, BOOOM!!!! Many claim to have a God who is powerful god, however, we have the only living and active God. Not only is our God real and living but He was willing to die for His creation in a demonstration of unsurprising love that was not deserved. The bible is the written record of His love, full of stories of His continued patience, grace, loving kindness, righteousness, holiness, mercy, and so much more. In it He teaches us, scolds us, encourages us, blesses us; all of which we never deserve. And yet we ignore this 'Letter from God to man' of sorts. So many times I have gone through life with His message collecting dust. It seemed familiar and un-needed. That needs to change. Now.
Read it.
Open it. Pray. Start reading. In the past I have tried to do the "Bible in a year" programs and various other plans. Those don't work for me. Reading the bible became another chore I had to get onto now for if I procrastinated it would just mean more work later. It becomes quite painful after a while. Haha. Instead I have begun reading two chapters a day. The first is the chapter of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. I have always thought whether or not that was God's intention from the beginning with making 31 chapters in the book of proverbs. I then go to another book of the bible and read one chapter. Right now I'm reading a chapter out of the book of John. That's a good place to start.
Question it!
Get this! When you are reading, have a journal. For the longest time I avoided this like the plague. Nothing could be worse. However, once I tried it I found it to be exactly the opposite. Here are some good questions to ask when you are reading:
Is there an example for me to follow?
Is there a sin to confess?
Is there a truth to understand?
Is there a comfort for me to embrace?
Not only does it really help you focus and dig up what is so great about what God is telling you in that passage, it gives you a place to go back to when needing encouragement. It is the reminder to you that God speaks. Clearly.
***Plan it!
God's gonna say something. It's gonna matter. Yet so often I walk away with the best intentions really believing I should get on that. Before I know it, I've forgotten what it even was and the day goes on like God hadn't said anything at all. The bible likens this to a man who looks in the mirror and forget what he looks like. It's like looking in a mirror, seeing there's ketchup caked around your mouth and thinking, "I should probably clean that off," and then walking away without washing it off your face. Make a plan to do something about what you learn! If God has convicted/encouraged you, act on it. Confess it. Then plan to do differently THAT VERY DAY!
Thank Him for it! Pray!
God Almighty just talked to you! Thank Him! Praise Him for being so awesome yet still even talking to you specifically and individually! It's amazing!
Share it!
Find someone. Share what God revealed to you. Do it often. It encourages you. It encourages them.
Why? Because God is awesome and not only does He deserve your time, but He has good planned for you if you are willing to accept it.
