Genesis to Revelations

I've mentioned before that I recently embarked on a journey through my Bible. Exactly 7 months after starting, I finished on July 27, 2020. I honestly have dreamed of reading my Bible cover to cover for years and feeling at the state of utter brokenness and surrender was the push that got me to the finish line. The point of this post however is to highlight some of the things that I learned along my journey. I hope to dissect each point in a post of its own, if it doesn't already have one, in the near future.

1. It takes a whole lot less energy to forgive and move forward than it does to carry bitterness, anger and grudges around.

2. We deserve absolutely nothing in this life and should check our earthly entitlement at the door. I've touched on this one in a previous post that I recommend checking it out.

3. To know the whole story from start to finish will yield an appreciation for the truths and context to some of the most quoted verses. I plan on adding more to my previous post on this subject.

4. The hard times that we face might seem never ending and unimaginable but what the prophets, disciples and our saviour Jesus Christ endured can't even compare. Take a step back and remember we are blessed beyond all measure.

5. There is so much that we don't know. I speak from a place where I feel like I've learned a lifetimes worth of biblical knowledge that got missed throughout my Sunday school and youth years. To really know the word truly is the strongest weapon.

6. It is not about a list of rules to follow or a building to show up to a couple times a week. It is about loving God, loving others and building relationship. You are the church.

7. Do not let anyone belittle you in your faith. It is a journey. Be motivated by those that inspire your faith, step back from those who tear it down. Someone who makes you feel inadequate in your love and pursuit of God has missed the message of the Bible altogether.

I'm not saying that I didn't know some of these points before, but I am saying that the delight I have in knowing the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth gave meaning to a book that just used to be a book. The Bible came alive, the stories and people are more than memorized stories from my childhood; they are a metanarrative about where God started it all and he built relationship with one family to bring us to now and to His impending return.

If you have never tried to read cover to cover, I recommend you try. I also recommend the chronological reading plan, because who knew that Job fits right near the beginning of Genesis? I look forward to hearing about your journey and building on my lessons learned from my first trip through. I have started again because once will never be enough, he pursues us each day and we should do the same.