That One Thing
Do you have that one thing that you’re afraid to admit you’ve never done? I mean like something that even your closest friends assume you’ve done because they know you know it’s important. (Voted, had flu shots, immunizations, your teeth cleaned – to name a few)
Let me give you a little background so that this all makes sense.
I am a Christian. I wasn’t brought up in a family that went to church (well, we did go one time and I remember it like yesterday!) and we never really had discussions about God – not that they didn’t believe. God wasn’t something we talked about – like politics.
When I went to college, my eyes were opened to a whole new world – independence and a campus full of people who were ready to express their feelings or thoughts. So different from the family I grew up in.
That’s when I became a true follower of Jesus – not because someone talked me into it, but because I felt something change in my soul. And 40 years later, I’m doing the same.
Here’s the thing…For a Christian, the Bible is the instructional guide, so it’s pretty important that we read it. I have tried to read the entire Bible over the years, but would give up because I would catch myself thinking, ‘what on earth did that mean?’ – especially when reading something in the Old Testament. Some of it is so confusing. If you’ve read any of it, then you know what I mean.
A few years ago, a friend was talking about another friend of hers and how dedicated she was to her faith and how she had read the Bible from beginning to end. Just out of curiosity she asked if I had read it all. My reply was, “Umm, not all of it – but I do read it!”
About two months ago, another friend asked me if I had read it all. Honestly, I wanted to lie, but I didn’t. Again, they were asking out of curiosity. I’ve never been one to think you’re going to go to Hell because you haven’t, but I started to realize I was missing out on something. Something good.
This summer I was in Indiana for about a month. I went to church with my son, and wouldn’t you know – the sermon was focused on reading God’s Word and why believers should even want to. It wasn’t a message that condemned people for not reading it (as in all), but revealed all the reasons why we should want to- rather than pick and choose what we think we need to learn.
Because of that sermon, I am on week 4 of my commitment to reading God’s Word – all the way through. If you have struggled with reading it a well, I encourage you to do 3 things:
- Pray – for the desire, commitment, and for understanding
- Use a Bible App (I use YouVersion)
- Use a commentary for those times when you get stuck and don’t understand a word you just read.
You will be so thankful that you took the time. It will make a difference.
“For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” Romans 15:4
“Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.” 2 Timothy 2:7
Live-Write 