A Year In The Word: Reading Through The Bible
Last winter, on my 29th birthday, I wanted to reach another goal and check another dream off my bucket list by the time I turned the big 3-0. I spent a few weeks considering what goal would be worth pursuing based on my interests and values.
It was December 2020 and I, like the rest of the world, felt as though I was continually taking one step forward, two steps back. As winter emerged and COVID restrictions tightened up again, there was still so much uncertainty. I hesitated to set a goal, only to face another disappointing adjustment or canceled plan. I craved a project I could control, as well as a project that would weather the world’s detours and derailing.
I figured that no matter how unpredictable the world continued to be, I could set aside 15 minutes in my day to work towards a goal. In fact, if the world did turn upside down again, I would likely stick to my goal to maintain a sense of control over my days.
Surely I could fit 15 minutes of reading into my day, no matter how my day looked at the time and could take shape over the course of a year. And of all the books I could study, I had one in mind that would leave the biggest impact on my life.
The Goal: Reading the Bible in One Year
Reading the Bible, all the way through and cover to cover, always seemed an intimidating goal only attempted by seminary students willing to wade through all the ancient texts that make up our faith. But I was ready to fuel my faith in a new way. And the more I considered the challenge, I found many ways in which the goal would be far easier and sustainable than I imagined.
One story…
My first goal was to read through the Bible to get a big picture perspective on how all the books and stories fit together. I was interested in reading the Bible using a chronological reading plan, organized based on when the books were written and events took place, to see how the collection of stories and ancient texts, poetry and letters fit together. As much as I wanted to study the background and language in each passage, I knew the only way I would manage to read the entire Bible in one year was if I read with an approach to gain a complete overview. If one book or passage stood out to me, I could do an in depth Bible study later.
…in full
I wanted to read the Bible- all of it. I wanted to read passages I had never turned to before. Our generation can be guilty of picking and choosing passages that we like, that we are familiar with or confirm the way we want to see the world. We shy away from books and passages that make us uncomfortable and challenge our point of view. Reading the Bible all the way through, no books skipped or skimmed, would force me to unearth forgotten passages and seek to understand scripture often overlooked.
…simply read.
Before reading through the Bible, my faith had been fed by an assortment of sources, ranging from sermons and discipleship books to even podcasts and Instagram feeds. I wanted to understand the context for myself without any slant by another interpretation. Any time I read a book or listened to a sermon I felt like I was putting on each person’s spiritual spectacles and seeing the Bible through their lens. Quite frankly, I was tired of others telling me how to interpret scripture. More often than not, spiritual leaders provided answers rather than serving as guides that sparked curiosity within myself. I needed to take a step away from Bible studies and sermons and simply read the bible on my own, using the interpretation and guidance I have been given. I wanted to go straight to the source of the truth rather than sift through sources of interpretation.
After all, we don’t have to rely on others to interpret scripture for us. The Holy Spirit guides us to reach conclusions about the truth. In the Old Testament, priests were the only ones who could read scripture and could be trusted to speak the truth it holds. Today we can read the Bible and trust the Holy Spirit will reveal the truth to us. (John 16:13)
Old Testament: Life Under the Law
Before this reading challenge, I felt as though I was dropped into the middle of a story whenever I read the Old Testament. For the first time, the chronological reading plan allowed me to read the stories of the Old Testament in order and see how the stories were woven together. For example, the bible started with the creation in Genesis, but immediately jumped to the entire book of Job, one of the first men on earth. When I reached the legacy of King David, each day’s reading jumped between summaries of the historical events in 1 Samuel, 1 Kings, 1 Chronicles and a glimpse into David’s emotions at the time by reading the corresponding Psalms.
A Test of Faith
I wish someone would have prepared me for the hopelessness I would experience while reading the Old Testament- because if you are reading the Bible correctly, reading of the rebellion and selfishness of God’s people, you should experience strong emotions. I found it hard to read certain sections of the Old Testament when the people of God chose to be hard headed and hard hearted.
Deep in Ezekiel, when God was particularly fed up with his children acting out while being disciplined, the rebellious people were shamed using strong language. I sped through the rest of the chapters, both teary eyed and angry, to finish the book. Hope did emerge in the latter chapters as God promised to breathe his spirit into the dead, to shepherd his people, and build a temple with a flowing river teeming with life.
Those weeks provided my 2021 life a glimpse into BC life - a time when God’s attempts to dwell with his people failed time and time again because of sin separation. I desperately wanted my God of love, but remembered there was no way for God to fully display his love for his children- yet.
New Testament: Life Lived in Love
Reading through the Old Testament, especially the hard weeks, made reaching the gospel even more glorious. Jesus’s arrival was the arrival of God in the world. God was finally with us! Love arrived! For the first time, I read direct words of God’s love and an invitation to live in God’s love.
My favorite expression of love was when Jesus said, “As my Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.” (John 15:9 ESV) The law of the Old Testament served its purpose, but now there is a new law: faith and love.
I sped through the New Testament, underlining words of love and freedom and new life. I read each letter in its entirety, as if it was a letter I was receiving, and identified new themes and ways I could apply encouragement in the letters to my life.
We have a new law of faith (Romans 3:27), we are not under the law but under grace (Romans 6:14) and that the one who loves another has fulfilled the law (Romans 13:8).
We are not separated from God, but Christ dwells in our hearts through faith. With him, we can be rooted and grounded in love and know love that surpasses knowledge (Ephesians 3:17-19)
With every book, I was struck by the simplicity of the gospel. We are to love God and love others; keep our hearts and our hands open to others.
Reading Rhythms
As I read through the Bible, I learned more about myself and the way I approach goals. I experienced weeks in which I encountered passages that piqued my curiosity and sent me down researching rabbit holes. I also found passages that escaped my understanding, and interest. I learned to embrace seasons of reading, knowing they would all come together to provide one complete picture.
I also embraced seasons of my life and adjusted my reading schedule to fit my days. There were days in which I read two or three passages in one sitting, engrossed in the story unfolding. On the flip side, there were days, sometimes even multiple in a row, in which I didn’t even touch the Bible. This approach would make regimented readers squirm, but it worked for me. I’ve always stuck to resolutions better when there is a bit of flexibility; I measure success by maintaining overall consistency.
Even when I experienced a series of days in which I wasn’t connecting with the scripture, I was encouraged to keep reading in the hopes of unearthing more treasured scripture. Every few days I would come across a verse, and sometimes entire stories, that I had either never read before or never read with fresh eyes. I would not have encountered these more obscure stories had I not read each and every section of scripture over the course of a year. There were times in which I didn’t understand all of the meaning in the scriptures. I sat with questions unanswered and allowed there to be mystery. I trusted that the truth would be revealed to me in time.
Books to Read The Good Book
As much as I wanted to read the Bible for what it was, with no outside influence to sway the experience, I knew there would be some historical background and scripture translation I would want explained by experts. I did read a few books to compliment my experience, serving as the slightest hint of bumpers in bowling.
The Bible Recap by Tara Leigh Cobble
When I reached particularly tricky days, such as passages in Leviticus of Joshua, I turned to The Bible Recap. This book provided passage summaries with a sprinkling of historical background and context for each day of a chronological bible reading plan. The best part was that each recap included a “God Shot”, or a snapshot of God’s nature at play in each person and situation. These God Shots didn’t provide a concrete interpretation, but rather a musing on the way Tara Leigh saw God revealed in the passage and inspired me to create a God Shot of my own based on what scripture revealed to me.
Reading God’s Story: A Chronological Daily Bible by George H. Guthrie
And of course, my constant companion for my tour through the Bible was a used copy of this chronological Bible, the best travel buddy for the journey. A ratty paperback copy was all the better as it flopped open on its own and accepted the wavy underlines I made while groggy.
Reading Through Life
I’ve now reached my goal, and my birthday milestone, and my approach to reading scripture is forever changed. I now see scripture as a whole rather than parts, each book a branch from one source: love. If I encounter a Bible verse in a sermon, or even read an inspirational verse displayed as wall art, I itch to flip to that verse in the Bible and read the entire chapter for context, if not the entire book!
My next challenge is to keep the habit I established and keep reading the Bible. I’d like to revisit of my favorite books using a Thematic reading plan:
If you are interested in reading the Bible, whether the entire Bible or a book at a time, here are some options:
Read Through the Bible- Classic
Read 3 passages each day, starting with Genesis, Psalms, and Luke.
Read Through New Testament in 90 Days
Read Through the Gospels During Lent
Read Through Proverbs in One Month
Grace is a writer based in coastal Georgia. She invites readers to explore and wonder about the goodness of God and make their own faith discoveries. Her husband and cats cheer her on, swimming is her escape and cheese is her fuel.