Why Should I Read it?

When I was a child growing up in Sunday School, I loved hearing Bible stories. I was fascinated by characters like David and Gideon, and by Jesus and his miracles. How on earth did he manage to feed all those people with just a small portion of bread and fish? And what must it have been like for him to walk on water?

I remember going to school one day, and being thrilled by the fact that my teacher was going to tell us the story of Jonah, until she ended her tale by informing us that of course, these things didn’t all really happen. Some of them were legends written in the Bible, but not necessarily true stories. At that point, my little voice piped up to declare that yes, of course they were true, because they were in the Bible, and everything in the Bible is true! I’m not sure what my teacher made of that, or whether it resulted in me being one of her most popular students. However, even at that young age, I felt I had to stand up for the authenticity of God’s Word.

Another thing I clearly recall is watching my mother reading her Bible in the garden one day, and asking her to read to me. She asked what part I’d like, and for some reason, I chose the book of Numbers. (I think I liked the name.) I quickly realised it wasn’t ideal study material for a young child, and we moved onto another text, but I began wanting to learn more than just the basic stories children hear at church.

I was given my first audio Bible on cassette at the age of 16,but this was only the New Testament. It came in a nice neat little box, but when I decided to go out and buy the Old Testament, also on cassette, the box was much bigger! Undeterred, I listened to tape after tape, and discovered there was even something new to learn in what I would have called the familiar stories. For example, although I knew David killed Goliath,, I didn’t realise he was the youngest son in a large family, and had been seemingly overlooked by his father and brothers since they sent him out to take care of the sheep. I didn’t know about Samuel coming to anoint the future king of Israel, and how Jesse, David’s dad, didn’t even bother to include David when he brought out his sons for inspection. Yet, David was the one God had chosen. That makes the story of Goliath even more incredible in my opinion.

Over the years, I have grown to love God’s Word more and more. It is, after all, living and active, and sharper than any double-edged sword. (Hebrews 4: 12.) You can read the same passages over and over, and yet God can have something new to say to you each time. I’ve heard the Christmas stories preached every year, and yet somehow, each time the minister has a new slant on what happened – a fresh word for us from God.

I know there are those who struggle to read the Bible for various reasons. I have always been a bookworm, but for others, reading doesn’t come so naturally. That’s why I think audio Bibles are such a wonderful invention. Also, if you’re struggling with one version, then why not try another. I grew up with the King James, but soon discovered the New Living Translation or New International Version contained language that was more familiar. Nowadays, if I want to dig deeper into a verse, I might look into the Amplified Bible, where alternative translations are given. We need to remember the original scriptures were written in other languages, and one word in Greek or Hebrew could be translated into English in various ways.

I genuinely believe God wants to speak to his people today, and one of the most regular ways in which he does so is through the Bible, which contains his written words. John 13-17 are my favourite chapters, and they are mostly the words of Jesus, spoken just before his death on the cross. Is the Bible relevant for us today? Absolutely! It contains the best advice for issues like parenting, friendships, and many other topics. If you’re feeling down, then turn to the Psalms. Many of those were laments written by David during the major storms of his life, and we can relate to his feelings as we read them and apply them to our own lives.

There are definitely parts of the Bible which are more difficult to read. Leviticus can be hard going, because it’s full of laws, some of which don’t apply to us today. Some of the prophetic books also take a bit of understanding. That’s where good Bible commentaries and teaching books can help. If you have questions about scripture, then why not discuss them with fellow believers. We may not have the answers, but discussing the Bible with friends can be a thrilling pastime. They may see things differently from you, but if you take the time to listen, there may be something new God wants to teach you.

Above all, remember these words from 2Timothy 3, 16-17:
“All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
That’s “All scripture”, not just the New Testament, or just the parts we find easier to understand. It is all there for a reason, and if we take the time to read and study it, I guarantee we will get to know the wonderful divine author better.