The World Race has been so good for so many reasons. One of those is that I have fallen in love with my Bible. I have always loved, studied and craved more of the Word, but now I am able to explain why. I have had time to really dive into the word and it has brought me out of some habits I used to take with me to my devotional time. So, here are 3 ways I was reading the Bible wrong.
God didn’t make you a checklist, He wrote you a book
One of the biggest ways that Satan comes to steal our joy is telling us that Bible reading is a chore. He wants more than anything to keep it unopened and dusty on your shelf (with the occasional visit on Christmas and Easter). This is tricky to pull off for those who don’t let this book collect dust so he tries a different tactic; when they do open it make it a chore, not a treasure. I used to feel thrown off when I didn’t read my Bible in the mornings. This was because my routine has been interrupted, not because my time with my Savior is something that I treasured. I don’t feel off when I don’t read my Bible anymore because I know that God always gives me the daily sustenance I need. But, because I don’t view it as a chore, I make it more of a priority to get it done since I actively see the fruit in consistent reading. Treat yourself to the voice of God. His word is living and active. God wrote a book. The creator of the universe wrote a book. How silly it is when we normalize this gift that he has given us.
Read the New Testament with the Old Testament not instead of it
What I would give to go back to my younger self and tell her to stop spending so much time reading the same chapters of Philippians, James and Romans again and again. While those books are amazing they are only a piece of the puzzle. I fell under the assumption many Christians have today that there is not much to learn from the Old Testament. After spending 3 months reading it, I can safely say that is far from true. By reading the Old Testament we get to fully understand the prophetic miracle the crucixion of Jesus Christ was.
God’s character never changes; new or old covenant He is the same yesterday today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). So no matter what part of the Bible you are reading you are learning more about God’s character. I have learned more about how his character demands perfection and worship. I have learned that by reading the Old Testament that God’s justice never overshadows his promises. I learned that all throughout history God gives expectations whether that be a goat offering or a heart posture, but with it always comes an opportunity for restoration. This used to mean bloodshed of an animal, but now it means the blood shed on the cross. Reading the Old Testament is just as important as reading the new because we symbolize Israel. The Lord brings us out of slavery, he gives us our needs, we rebel, he is merciful without dismissing his justice, we rebel again, He is again merciful.
Tasting not feasting
I used to pick a few verses a day. I would pick them apart, I would analyze them. But as Rosaria Butterfeild put it, “Milk readers read short biblical phrases or sentences, using a Bible-lite translation. Meat readers, however, feast on the word — and a feast is a big meal. I suggest reading around six chapters a day, taking notes to help you see the twin movements in every biblical passage: God’s promises (what God will do) and your obedience (what you will do).” As someone who has done this kind of ‘feasting’ on the Word I can assure you that the long term effects are: clarity of the gospel, a deeper understanding of God’s character, and a stronger ability to speak scripture over yourself and others in times of trouble.
