Thursday, February 21, 2008

Reading Through the Bible in a Year

Well, this year I have done better than last year. After I had Jackson last year, it was not a habit to read the Bible every day. Habits, rather good or bad, stick. I have successfully read the Bible through in a year at least twice.

This year, I do not think I have missed a day of listening/reading the Bible (maybe I missed 1 day but made it up the next day). But, that does not mean it has not been without struggle. I have realized that I am so self centered/focused that I can daze off when I am reading Exodus and all the details of how the tabernacle should be. I think “what does this have to do with me?” Guess what, the world, and the Bible does not revolve around me. I guess I grew up reading the Bible for years from a “me” point of view and not from a point of view that saw the whole Bible as a story about Jesus. I was created to worship God, not myself, so I need to read about how to worship God and how to fear him.

I am now reading through Leviticus and it is interesting to read that when “the glory of the Lord” appeared to the Israelites they shouted for joy and fell facedown. Maybe that is what is going to be like in heaven. When we meet our maker we will shout for joy and fall facedown. Am I preparing for eternity today? Am I remembering to tremble and fall face down on the ground and realize how great and powerful our God is? Or am I spending all my time figuring out how to save money on our grocery bill? It is fine to spend time figuring out ways to cut back on our grocery bill (especially since I do not have a job and I look at this as my job) but when it becomes the only thing I think about and the only thing my heart and mind is set on, then that becomes idolatrous. I want to love God with my whole heart and mind no matter what is going on in my family’s life.

Leviticus has been a challenge - and I knew it would be - just because I knew I would be thinking “what does this have to do with me?” If I could have one word to describe this book is that God was very very concerned with the Israelites not being unclean. God really does have a lot to say about not being unclean.

Reading the Bible through in a year is a marathon not a sprint. But the rewards of learning what God has to say are more precious than jewels. Every year I read or notice something that God said that I did not notice the year before.

God has been teaching me so much this year and I am so thankful. I know he has me right where he wants me. If I had a full time job right now, I would have probably had to quit it by now since Jackson has been so very sick this winter and I would have had to taken off weeks upon weeks of work. God is always opening and closing doors for a reason.

Just wanted to give you an update on what God has been teaching me.

Ps- Since Jackson has been fussy the last couple of days and just wanted me to hold him for hours on end, while watching Mickey Mouse, I have been listening to my ipod and Mark Driscoll’s sermon series on the most frequently asked questions at his church (it has been a tremendous blessing!).

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