I just finished my trip through the Bible from cover to cover. I find it fascinating that the story of God and man starts in a garden, and so, so quickly goes bad. The twist at the end of the book? Eden restored.

After reading the entire Bible, I find hope in the promise of future restoration: Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nation.

People throughout the Bible suffered persecution, warfare, famine and calamity. Stories of cowardliness and pride emerge, as well as powerful examples of bravery and sacrifice. Life rolls on, the good and the bad, the uplifting and the tragic. The upheavals and setbacks that mark our lives never seem to end. We live in a fallen world.

But the promise at the end of the book remains. One day, leaves from the tree of life, nurtured by waters from the throne of God, will carry their healing powers to all the nations. You and me included.

Then there will no more curse, and the servants of God will look upon His face. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

Revelation 22 in week fifty-two of reading the Bible cover to cover

Photo by Timothy Eberly

As a follower of Jesus, I know the value of reading my Bible. But the Bible is a big, intimidating book, filled with thee’s and thou’s, odd names and arcane rules. Some days I think, maybe I’ll just skip it. If that’s the way you’re feeling, here’s some handy excuses I tell myself to avoid my times of reading.

Summary

As you can see, I’ve developed a pretty good list of excuses. You can borrow any of these you want, or add some of your own. Even though I read through the Bible annually, I still have to fight through the inertia of getting started some days.

Remember, time in the Word of God is worth the effort. Your heart and soul, as well as those around you, will be better for it.

Week fifty-two of reading the Bible cover to cover

Photo by camilo jimenez

Psalm 102 carries this header in my New International Version Bible: A prayer of an afflicted person who has grown weak and pours out a lament before the Lord.

The writer indeed pours out anguish and despair. My days are like the evening shadow, I wither away like grass. I appreciate the honesty with which the writer approaches the Lord. It reminds me that I can take anything to Him. Intellectually I know this, but to read another person’s lament helps me feel that truth in my bones.

Then the psalmist turns to the greatness of the Lord. In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but…you remain the same, and your years will never end.

To finish, this writer of lament and praise closes with hope—The children of your servants will live in your presence; their descendants will be established before you.

That’s intriguing—how do I bless my children and their descendants in this way? Clearly, leaving a legacy of blessing carries great value. An old Greek proverb says that a society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they shall never sit. How do I plant spiritual shade trees?

One way is to engage with the Holy Scriptures and allow them to influence my life. The Word of God forms the servant of God. Time spent in scripture benefits me and you, but it also blesses our children, grandchildren and future descendants—even those we’ll never meet on this earth. For those without children, you bless those around you and their future families.

Children yet born benefit from our chosen acts of serving God. When I read my Bible and allow the Holy Spirit to knead those words deep into my life, I bless generations still to follow.

Psalm102 in week fifty-two of reading the Bible cover to cover

Photo by Jan Huber