Hopefully I need not say this…but I am a big fan of the Bible. In fact, over the last two years I have grown to appreciate the significance of this text and calling that it puts on my life more than ever before.
However, no matter how much I learn to love and respect the scriptures and understand my need to engross myself in this narrative, I struggle with consistently reading it. For me, the thought of reading my bible everyday for and significant period of time and I get totally overwhelmed. See, I am not the best long distance runner when it comes to these things. I am more of a sprinter.
So, I have decided I am going to try and different approach. It is what I have called a “bible blitz.” Here is how it works:
I pick a book of the bible that I want to focus in on. For the next seven days, I read this section as much and as in depth as possible as I can. This might mean I read the whole section, a part of it or even read it a few times. Pace is not important. After seven days I either take a few days off or start another project over again. I have invited the small group that I meet with in my church to join me and see how this little experiment works out.
The thought here is that not all of us are able to look at a huge project (like reading the bible for a year) without being completly overwhelmed. Its not about being spiritual enough, its about how we have learned to work and how we are made.
I was a good long distance runner when I was in high school (ran the mile in 5:35 if I may brag) but I did it by running a bunch of short distances in my mind that equaled a mile. I could comprehend running to the next tree or landmark but was not so excited or motivated to see the whole mile in front of me and make that my goal (this is a technique that is fairly common among long distance runners from what I understand).
We’ll see how it works out. About 10 of us from my small group are trying it so I am sure we’ll have some fun conversations next Wednesday night.
Oh, some of us are reading I Corinthians if you want to join is.