Even the bits we don't like!

We all have bits of the Bible that we really like, and we have bits that we don’t like as much, or find more difficult to get anything out of. If you are reading this blog you probably know, or at least you can very quickly find out, that I have been working through the whole Bible. Initially I went through the Bible in fairly large chunks, and completed the all of it just over 2 years ago. Since then I have been doing mostly New Testament books in considerably more depth. So it should be pretty obvious that I love the Bible! Even so,like anybody else, there are parts I like more than others, and some I really struggle with. However, one of the many things I have learnt in the course of doing these blogs is that we should do the bits we like less.

This was first brought home to me when it was time to do Leviticus and Numbers in my initial scurry through the whole Bible. I was really not looking forward to it and was tempted to put it off, but I kept to the plan, and I found these two books so rewarding, especially Leviticus. I got a much better insight into how Leviticus foreshadows the cross. I even preached a sermon on Leviticus to the church which seemed to work quite well. 

Now I am doing more in-depth stuff. I have to admit that my natural inclination is to prefer the letters to the gospels, where there is more overt theological argument, but yet again I have found doing John and Luke immensely rewarding.

So what is the point of all this? It is that the Bible is God’s word, it is not just a book (or books). When we set our minds to study the Word we have an encounter with the Holy Spirit, we open up our minds to God Himself.  So do not neglect any parts of the Bible, read all of it, it all comes from the same Lord.

Having said that, I still do find it very difficult to get inspired by the lists in Chronicles and elsewhere, but maybe one day the Holy Spirit will open up my dull mind to see the delights in those parts as well!