I have read the entire Bible before, however I had never done it in a year. So I decided in December last year to make 2009 the first year I read through the entire Scriptures in a calendar year. As I blogged in January, I decided to read a certain amount of pages per day. If my chapter didn't end at the "3 1/2 page mark," I would keep reading until the end of the chapter. Then on my monthly spiritual retreats, I would usually read double or triple (or even more). This method allowed me to complete the entire 66 books last week.
Here's what I gained from this experience:
1. I saw things in context more. Context is important to me. I was pleased to see how much my understanding of the context of a passage improved by reading three-and-a-hald pages each day.2. I grasped the bigger story. This goes along with the previous idea. By reading larger portions each day instead of just a chapter or a section, I could see the bigger picture more clearly.3. I couldn't avoid the troubling passages. Many times this year I hit passages that really challenged my theology or seemed to grate against other passages. I'm glad I had to work through these sections and not just skim over them. Some have been resolved, but some still are bugging me (which I actually think is a good thing).4. I had motivation to read. Having a goal to read the whole of Scripture in twelve months increased my desire to sacrifice the time to read. I found myself eager to get to the Word daily, and if I missed a day, I gladly read 7 pages to make up what I had missed the day before. But I realize my motivation only stayed high because I stayed disciplined to read regularly. If I had gotten a couple of weeks behind, I might have lost motivation. Thankfully the most I ever got behind was two days.5. I had to persevere. I'll admit - I started to get a bit antsy to skip to the New Testament while trudging through some portions of the Old Testament. Parts of the Pentateuch got long. The first half of Ezekiel was brutal. The Minor Prophets weren't filled with very many "happy-warm-fuzzy" verses. But I am VERY grateful I read each word of these portions. Many of these tough sections helped me see and appreciate the amazing grace of God more than I had previously. Plus, James 1:4 tells us that endurance/perseverance is good for us.
6. I realized I forget too easily. My 12-year-old has been reading through First and Second Kings. One day she was telling me about what she had read. I couldn't recall much of the story she was sharing! I had read that section just months before, but I couldn't have repeated the story to her if my life had depended upon it. This was convicting! (And ever worse - I almost forgot to include this point!)7. I worshipped God. This isn't unique to reading the Bible in a year, but it was a wonderful experience I feared might not happen. I had an unconfessed worry that reading the Bible in a year would feel more like a duty than a delight. Yet day after day, God continued to impact me. I was regularly humbled, in awe of Him and His plan for me and His Church.
If you have never read through theScriptures in a year, I recommend you do it at least once in your life. With a new year just around the calendar corner, why not make 2010 the year you gain your own seven lessons on reading the whole Bible in twelve months?
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