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I started reading the Bible in a year (plan). I've never done one of these before, and I remember why: It takes something like 30 minutes for me to read all the way through it, and starting with 1 Chronicles chapter 1 is quite possibly the most gruesome thing EVER. The only interesting thing about those chapters for me, right now, is that in the first chapters of Luke, which is also in the reading, I get the genealogies backwards (so they're easier to follow, knowing the outcome).
I usually wake up when my husband gets ready for PT early, early in the morning, roll over, and read the Bible. Sometimes it's hard, sometimes I just breeze through them. The Psalms always offer a prayer, a song, and thought for me. I recently got an app on my phone to READ to me my Oswald Chambers and Charles Spurgeon devotionals (give my eyes a break). Pretty sweet to be filled with all those words and life giving thoughts.
Now, why am I telling you about my Bible reading adventures? Because I swear by the fact that spending any amount of time in the Word of God is absolutely life giving. And I have to try it out every once in a while to see if my theory holds true :). Even if it's scrolling through the first 7 chapters of 1 Chronicles on your phone and jumping over to a chapter in Luke and reading about mysterious miracles performed by Jesus. The author of Hebrews 4 notes that the word of God is living and active, sharper than any double edge sword...it penetrates the heart, soul, and mind of an individual. And to spend time reading the Bible, is spending time with God.
Also, I have gone several weeks only reading the verses that were apart of my devotionals, and I noticed that it wasn't cutting it. Oh yes, I was still learning and growing from those devotional pages, but the peace of God didn't settle in my heart as firmly as it has since I began this Bible reading plan.
Why is THAT important? Because I realize that even though everything seems pretty okay right now, my sinful self could screw things up PRETTY badly at any given point in time. Whatever vices grip me, whatever sin I've not surrendered to God, I know Satan is just waiting to get me up on that tightrope feeling stuck and full of regrets. THAT, my friends, is why peace is important for me.
Despite the number of things that can go wrong in life- general freak accidents and general life events, I feel like through God I can handle those. But nothing causes me more stress than myself. It is myself that I may feel insecure about, myself that I can be the hardest on and not tell anyone, and myself that is too weak to take the blame for the things that happen because of... myself. If I weren't in the Word of God, listening to what God says of me, how I am, how he is making me, and the great things God has in store for me and those who love Him in this world, how he heals hurts (not just mine, but others), loves others through me, and has always had a plan for this messed up world that doesn't include what I read about Noah and the flood or what I heard about in church today (Sodom and her sins)... spending time with my God via His Word, The Bible, breathes life into my soul and refreshes me more than a random early morning full of productivity, and large bowl of healthy kind of breakfast.
With that, it's time for sleep. This week is going to be challenging.
Big shout out to the man in my life who keeps me accountable and makes me kinder with his kindness.
Amen.
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