Willing To Take on the Challenge?

The Christian life, if we’re honest about it, isn’t easy. We’re called to live by faith, which Hebrews 11:1 defines as “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Living in a visible, tangible world, trusting in the invisible and intangible can be difficult. 

But God hasn’t left us bereft of things of substance on which to cling. He’s provided the world with its sights and sounds and smells, tastes and feels, to reveal Himself to us. Romans 1:19-20 declares, “since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – His eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.”

 

Perhaps most tangible of all God has provided for us is His Word, the Bible that we can hold in our hands, read with our eyes, even sniff if you’re a fan of the smell of paper and ink. In a sense, it’s like a letter from a spouse or other loved one. Even though they’re not physically present, their words on a page make it seem as if they’re with us.

And yet the Bible is often described as the best-selling, least-read book in the world. In many homes, it seems, the Bible’s sole purpose is to collect dust. That’s unfortunate, because the Scriptures are a spiritual treasure trove God has given to teach us what need to know about Him. Even if you were to read from it every day of your life, you’d barely scratched its surface.

 

One of the most daunting challenges a follower of Christ can undertake is to read the entire Bible. It’s literally a book of books, consisting of 39 Old Testament books and 27 New Testament books. Depending on which version of the Bible you have – and whether it contains footnotes and other teaching tools – its length can range from 1,500 to more than 2,000 pages.

 

However, it’s a challenge I’ve accepted on many occasions. The first time I read through the Bible was in 1965-66, during my senior year of high school. Being an avid reader, I didn’t do it because of spiritual zeal. It was simply a goal, and admittedly what I gained from it then was minimal. I read it front to back, Genesis to Revelation, five chapters a night. Upon finishing the last page, I put it on my bookshelf and thought, ‘Well, I’ve read the Bible. Now what should I read?’

 

Thankfully, it’s been a different story since then. Over the past four decades I’ve read through the Bible more than 20 times. This isn’t to brag. I’ve just learned the Scriptures are inexhaustible, like peeling an onion and discovering that whenever you remove one layer, there’s another layer under it. It’s become my guidebook, “a lamp for my feet, a light for my path,” as Psalm 119:105 terms it, with new understanding and insights unfolding every time I read it.

 

John Quincy Adams, the sixth President of the United States, was a strong advocate of reading the Scriptures. Writing to his son, Adams said, “I have myself for many years made it a practice to read the Bible once every year…with the intention and desire that it may contribute to my advance is wisdom and virtue.”

 

Later the father explained to the younger Adams his strong belief “that when duly read and meditated on it is of all books in the world that which contributes most to make men good, wise, and happy….” Apparently, Adams saw no necessity for separating faith and government.

 

Have you ever read the Bible in its entirety? If not, you have lots of company. As I said, it’s a daunting undertaking. For most of us, it’s easier to attend a church service and have our pastors impart to us what they’ve digested from diligent study. That’s not bad, but it’s no substitute for spending time alone with God in His Word and letting the Holy Spirit be our teacher.

 

You might be thinking, “That sounds good, but I wouldn’t know how to get started.” Or “I tried it once and did okay for a while, but then I got to Leviticus and Numbers and felt like I was in the wilderness with the Israelites!” Yep, I know the feeling.

 

Articles, booklets and even books have been written about how to read the Bible, but let me offer a couple of suggestions:

 

First, I’d advise not trying to read the Bible cover to cover, front to back as we do most books. The Old Testament, with all its richness, can seem overwhelming. More than once while reading it I’ve wondered, “What’s this got to do with me?” I’ve found it helpful to read from both the Old and New Testaments concurrently. Frankly, when a section of the Old Testament seems a bit deep, switching to a New Testament passage can feel like coming up for air.

 

Second, I’d recommend using a guide for reading the Bible. “One-year Bibles” conveniently present portions from both the Old and New Testament for daily reading, and often include brief passages from the Psalms and Proverbs. I’ve used several of these editions.

 

Years ago, I came across a “Through the Bible in a Year” day-by-day reading schedule in a study Bible. It’s served as my biblical “road map” numerous times. It’s not mandatory to follow such a schedule “religiously.” If you miss a day or two, you can catch up later. And it’s not make-or-break; if you don’t finish the Bible in one calendar year you can progress at your own pace, even if it takes 14 or 15 months, or longer.

 

What a blessing it is to read all of God’s Word at least once. You’ll discover stories – lots of them – as well as history, poetry, prophecy, doctrine, rules for living, and countless reasons for hope and encouragement in a discouraging world. As 2 Timothy 3:16 states, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.”

 

Most of all, you’ll find Jesus Christ in every one of the Bible’s 66 books. He doesn’t wait to appear until the first chapter of the gospel of Matthew. John 1:1-2 declares, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning” – which means Jesus was actively involved even in Genesis’ creation story.