A Challenge to Read . . .

I finally made the commitment upon my 40th birthday. I was going to read the Bible through from beginning to end. I’d never done it before.

I’d studied all the books in the Bible–but not in order. The many guides available to help me read through the Bible didn’t appeal to me. So I planned my own steps to achieve this goal.

No Time Restraints: I knew my reading would be enhanced if I didn’t pressure myself with a completion date. I purposed to read each day. If I missed a day I didn’t panic. I just picked up the next day where I left off.

A Commentary Companion: When I finished reading a chapter in the Bible, I then read the same chapter in a commentary. There are many word pictures in the Old Testament. They meant nothing to me in my 20th century life, but everything to the Israelite of old. I needed help in understanding what they meant.

As there are Bibles there’s a wealth of different commentaries. I chose a simple, one volume commentary which addressed all the books in the Bible in an understandable way. It provided me just enough information to understand what I was reading, but didn’t overwhelm me with complicated, in-depth scrutiny.

One Chapter at a Time: My goal when I sat down to read was to complete one chapter–both in the Bible and the commentary. This kept me focused on the text at hand and assured that I had understanding of what I'd read before I moved on.

Each time I read a chapter in my Bible and commentary, I recorded the chapter number on a piece of paper. When I was ready to begin the next day, there was no confusion as to where I left off the day before--my accomplishment to date was before me. I also recorded the date I began each new book. These small steps encouraged me through the months.

What benefits did I gain? I gained the flow and focus of the Old Testament which has sharpened my knowledge and my understanding of Israel. It’s not necessarily facts that I learned, or relearned; but the humanness of the books, and God’s hand in the stories, has broadened my appreciation of the history of my faith. Although I was more familiar with the New Testament books, using the commentary broadened my understanding of each book which made them come alive. And the flow of the books deepened my understanding of how they connected.

Reading the Bible through from beginning to end is a conquerable challenge! It took me 2 years and 4 months to complete and is one of the best things I have done in my life. Since then I have taken the challenge twice. It’s a long-term goal that will enhance your daily life and impact your future service for years to come.

Take the challenge! Your prize is a greater appreciation for God’s Word, and the reward of reaching a goal that will satisfy your soul and enhance your relationship with God.