The Bible

Should you read the Bible? You probably haven't. A century ago, most well-educated Americans knew the Bible deeply. Today, biblical illiteracy is practically universal among nonreligious people. A couple of years ago, I questioned family, friends and co-workers,  quickly learning that most had not done much more than skim Genesis and Exodus. Even my small group at church weighed in 80/20.  80% had never read the Bible in it’s entirety; 20% had. So even among the faithful, Bible reading is erratic. The Catholic Church, for example, includes only a teeny fraction of the Old Testament in its official readings. Jews study the first five books of the Bible pretty well but shortchange the rest of it. Of the major Jewish and Christian groups, only evangelical Protestants read the whole Bible obsessively. 

When I did my original 365 Challenge, I read the book of John for the first time from start to finish.  I studied it. I read then journaled.  Then I went on to Mark, then Matthew.  I wanted to read the entire Bible.  God's Word is alive! The more you expose yourself to it, the more it will expose itself to you.  I believe that.  I also believe that to know God better you must spend time hearing what He has to say. The Bible is His message to you. If you want Him to listen to what you have to say, you should also listen to what He has to say.  And I did listen. 

Each day.  A little at a time I read and studied and wrote.  And almost three years later, I did it.  I’ve finished reading/studying the entire Bible.  Of course this just means I now want to spend more time re-reading… re-studying parts of it.  Continuing to commit key verses to memory.  Continuing in my spiritual journey.  ~ Christina