I began reading the Bible last year. It had been decades since I read it. I had never read it in its entirety. I had never made it a priority, nor felt I had the time.
In hindsight, not reading the Bible kept me from being a good Christian. I could not commit to what I did not know. I was a Christian in name only. Now I am Christian in name also.
Reading the Bible can be uncomfortable at times because it challenges us to become better versions of ourselves. It is through the Bible that God speaks to us.
The Bible speaks to me, in a figurative sense. Sometimes it speaks to me differently than it did before. Sometimes it eludes me. Other times it reveals. The Bible is the ultimate love story, revealing in its own way and in its own time the depth of God’s love and sacrifice for us.
In a way, reading the Bible reminds me of navigating the river. Bible stories are like navigational markers on a spiritual waterway: They warn of hidden dangers, mark the way, reassure we are on course, and mark our spiritual progress. They exist to be available to everyone, but unless we seek them out and explore their meaning, they are worthless — sometimes contributing to a false sense of security. Having a Bible and not reading it is like ignoring a danger sign on the riverbank and plunging into a strong current. Only a fool trusts the current; the same type of fool who would have access to a Bible and not read it. I know. I was once that fool on both accounts.
But not anymore.
I pray that you read your Bible… and be ready to alter course.
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