An Epic Adventure
UA-132360761-1
Many times since middle school - which we called junior high- I have tried to read the Bible in order. I would start with Genesis and either get bored or lose my commitment to the project. I would hit the begats and give up. I thought the Old Testament was pretty boring. Most of what I knew were the sanitized Sunday School versions of stories. Then I would say, since Jesus is the New Law, why bother reading the Old Testament?
So what has changed? Perhaps it is timing. I am retired and not rushing to work and activities. Perhaps it is just my age or my spiritual growth.
This time, I am already into Exodus. Reading the Old Testament is like reading an epic adventure. The people seem so real. The yielding to temptation (Adam and Eve) jealousy (Cain and Abel), favoritism (Rebekah and Jacob), rape and revenge (Dinah and her brothers), more jealously (Joseph and his brothers) enslavement, plagues, escape, flooding, food that falls from the sky, burning bushes, rods that turn to snakes. Drunkenness, incest, lying. It is everything you would find in a good soap opera. My grandmother used to call those her stories.
In just Genesis I have found 22 women that are actually named. Most of which I had never heard of. I find myself reading far past my intended chapter or two, and eager to pick it up and see what happens next.
So why do you think things might have changed? I think one reason might have been that in the past reading through the Bible was just a goal. I could say, "Oh, I have read the whole Bible." This time I am doing it without any goal but to learn more.
Another reason might have been the Holy Spirit or rather the lack there of. The Holy Spirit is given to us to assist us in understanding. He is called the spirit of Truth by Jesus. Unless we pray for understanding and listen to the Holy Spirit residing within us we can read but never understand.
I am going to cut this short, I need to get back to my "stories" and see what those Hebrews are up to today as they wander through the desert, complaining about that manna. I think I heard something about building a calf of some sort.
I hope you can learn to find this same excitement that I am finding.
Many times since middle school - which we called junior high- I have tried to read the Bible in order. I would start with Genesis and either get bored or lose my commitment to the project. I would hit the begats and give up. I thought the Old Testament was pretty boring. Most of what I knew were the sanitized Sunday School versions of stories. Then I would say, since Jesus is the New Law, why bother reading the Old Testament?
So what has changed? Perhaps it is timing. I am retired and not rushing to work and activities. Perhaps it is just my age or my spiritual growth.
This time, I am already into Exodus. Reading the Old Testament is like reading an epic adventure. The people seem so real. The yielding to temptation (Adam and Eve) jealousy (Cain and Abel), favoritism (Rebekah and Jacob), rape and revenge (Dinah and her brothers), more jealously (Joseph and his brothers) enslavement, plagues, escape, flooding, food that falls from the sky, burning bushes, rods that turn to snakes. Drunkenness, incest, lying. It is everything you would find in a good soap opera. My grandmother used to call those her stories.
In just Genesis I have found 22 women that are actually named. Most of which I had never heard of. I find myself reading far past my intended chapter or two, and eager to pick it up and see what happens next.
So why do you think things might have changed? I think one reason might have been that in the past reading through the Bible was just a goal. I could say, "Oh, I have read the whole Bible." This time I am doing it without any goal but to learn more.
Another reason might have been the Holy Spirit or rather the lack there of. The Holy Spirit is given to us to assist us in understanding. He is called the spirit of Truth by Jesus. Unless we pray for understanding and listen to the Holy Spirit residing within us we can read but never understand.
I am going to cut this short, I need to get back to my "stories" and see what those Hebrews are up to today as they wander through the desert, complaining about that manna. I think I heard something about building a calf of some sort.
I hope you can learn to find this same excitement that I am finding.
Comments
Post a Comment