Some years back, my father gifted me a Bible that was special that had a black leather cover. The pages were falling off the binding of the book while the book’s cover kept falling out of the Bible.
When he put it into my palm, I was able to feel the emotion he expressed in his voice. “If this Bible could talk to me, …” he started reliving his childhood memories as a young preacher. He informed me that it was his first bible that he used to preach. The worn, loose pages indicated the book’s constant use. The notes and verses that were highlighted in the margins were a testament to many hours of Bible study during sermons.
Though some people have that they have a certain reverence towards that Word of God they wouldn’t mark its pages, a lot of people think they should highlight significant verses which “speak” their. That’s why my dad’s Bible unique to me, being able to read passages that were most meaningful to him.
Do you think the Bible ever spoken to you? Did you read any of the 1,189 books, and suddenly a certain passage from Scripture leapt out of the page and to your soul? Dwight L. Moody once stated, “We ought to open the Holy Book as we would go into a sanctuary, where we would be sure of meeting our Heavenly Father face-to-face and of listening to His voice.”
At first look, the more than 1,500 pages in the Bible may seem like a daunting task for anyone, even an avid reader. Although it may seem difficult to imagine, there are people who read through the entire Bible each year, with an average of three chapters per day. An article from Crossway Publishing states, “In only 12 minutes a day, you can complete the entire Bible within one year…In only six minutes a day it is possible to complete the New Testament in six months.”
There are a variety of ways for going through the Bible. It is possible to start with Genesis and move through Revelation. There is a tendency for me to be caught up in the lengthy lists of Old Testament “begats.” It’s easier for me to begin with Matthew. Matthew and complete reading the New Testament first, then begin from the beginning.
Bible-reading plans recommend the reading of a couple of chapters of both the Old as well as the New Testament every day, and also a Psalm and a few passages from Proverbs. There are some who suggest reading and studying Proverbs which has 31 chapters, each one for every one day in the month.
Here’s more information. When you go through the pages of your Bible to read and study, seek God to guide you through the meaning of it. Then again, He gave us writing words. One of the writers wrote, “The word of God is eternal and active…and determines the thoughts and the attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12 NIV).
“The Holy Scriptures tell us things we can’t discover in any other way: they explain who we are, what us are, what we do as a result of how came to be here, what brought us to be here and what we’re obliged to do while we are here” as per pastor-author A.W. Tozer. Billy Graham once said, “The Bible can change our lives if we read it and follow its guidelines each day.”
The most amazing book you’ve ever written, at least once during your life. The first day of the year could be a great moment to start. Let the Bible guide you every day.
— Jan White has compiled a collection of her columnists in her book “Everyday Faith for Daily Life.”
The article Column: Read through the Bible in the next year appeared at The Andalusia Star-News.
