I have decided to read through my NIV Study Bible again this year. Last year I took a break from a "formal reading plan" because I wanted to take my time and read through the New Testament in The Message (a paraphrase in contemporary English). That was a really good change for me because over the years I have become so familiar with many texts in the NIV that I can gloss over them without even thinking about the meaning. The language in The Message caused me to think about familiar passages in a whole new light. (Follow those links if you need a wake-up call!) I often had to refer back to my NIV to look up the more familiar wording, but The Message brought some passages back to life in my mind. That's not to say that God's Word is ever dead or dull, but sometimes this reader is!
Well, back to this year. I have been staying on track with a couple of chapters in the Old Testament and one in the New Testament each day. (By the way, did you know that it only takes 15 minutes a day to read through the whole Bible in a year...even for a slow reader like myself!) This week I started the book of Exodus and I was really hit by something. After God had miraculously delivered the children of Israel from their oppression in Egypt - remember the horrible plagues of boils, flies, frogs, blood, etc. - they immediately began to grumble against Him and against Moses. On one page of my Bible I can read their beautiful songs of praise and deliverance and (literally!) on the next page I can read about their grumbling and complaining.
Exodus 15:13 (pg. 108)
Exodus 16:3 (pg. 109)
4 comments:
I've started reading through the Bible in a year too. I'm going through J. Mac's Bible in a year. God's Word is so full of treasures! I'm excited to hear what you continue to find and see in "new" light!
you inspire me!
Good word! We all need to exercise that grace and forgiveness that God so amazingly gives to us.
Thanks for those good words, Serena! Another wake-up call is to go to the funeral of a beleiver and remember how close we are to eternity. Uncle Dean's funeral was a blessing.
I just got through writing on Susie's blog about how proud I am of my little girl. Now, I must say how proud I am of my firstborn also! Thanks for your excellent example, faithful servant's spirit, and godly life. (Oh, and thanks for doing such a good job in raising those three precious granddaughters of mine!).
Dad
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