Ancient Words

So, I did it!  I read the Bible in 90 (actually 87) days!  I am so proud of myself for accomplishing this feat, but more than this, I am thankful.  Thankful for God's Word.  Thankful that the God of the Universe cared so much for us that He wrote this story just for me and you.  Thankful that words written so many years ago still have deep meaning and significance today.  Thankful for this beautiful tapestry of God's mercy and grace.  Thankful that the Author knows the beginning and the end of this story (and every single detail in between).


I want to encourage everyone else out there to take on this challenge.  I have read the Bible through several times in my life, but never this quickly.  What I've learned from this journey is that the Bible is intended to be read from cover to cover.  In order for us to fully understand the redemption God has given us through His Son, we must go back to read the story from the beginning.  I wouldn't pick up a novel and start reading it 3/4 of the way through and expect to understand the plot or the background of the characters.  I also don't pick up a novel, read a few pages, set it down for a few months, then pick it back up to read a few more pages.  And, I usually don't just read 2 pages at a time of a great book.  I get lost in reading and find that an hour has passed without notice.  I do everything I can to get back to reading because I want to know what's going to happen next.  I'm ashamed to admit that this hasn't been the case when it's come to reading the most important Book ever written.  But, my perspective has changed over the course of the past 3 months.  I now see that I can't just pick and choose which passages I want to read and know what they mean without knowing the whole story.  That's not to say that God doesn't speak to us when we read select Scriptures each day or that we shouldn't spend time in deep study of small passages at a time.  But, I do believe that every person who calls themselves a follower of Christ ought to read His story.  The whole story!  Not just the Gospels or Paul's writings or the Psalms and Proverbs.  Because every Word in the Bible embodies this Christ we claim to follow.  He is the Word.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life,a and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." ~ John 1:1-5

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." ~ John 1:14


Read the Word.  Read it as though you are reading a wonderful work of fiction.  Full of action, adventure, romance, and drama.  But, recognize that this is not a plot made up in the mind of a man. It is written by God Himself. And every Word of it is true.  And He wrote it all for you.  So that you would come to know Him.
  
"The LORD is with you when you are with Him. And if you seek Him, He will let you find Him." ~ 2 Chronicles 15:2


As one of my friends so aptly put it, God never was good at hide-and-seek.  He wants us to find Him.  We just have to look for Him.  One of the best places to do that is in His Word.


Michael W. Smith wrote a song that beautifully describes the Bible.  It's called "Ancient Words".  {For those reading by email or feed reader, click over to see the video}