The Challenge and Joy of Reading
Written by: Rev. Dr. Scott Paczkowski
“This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to act in accordance with all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall be successful. ”
Reading has been a God-given gift. It has challenged me, entertained me, inspired me, and blessed me. If I am in someone’s home or office, I love to look at their bookshelves and find out what they’ve read and ask what books they cherish. Writer Ryan Holiday, shares, “Literature is the accumulation of painful lessons humans have learned by trial and error.” The Bible is a compilation of books, letters, parables, etc., that shares the story of the painful lessons’ humans have learned by trial and error, and how God intervened to create hope and life eternal.
Too often people give up on reading the Bible because they are intimidated by its length and ancient history, etc. I would recommend starting with one of the Gospels. Read about the story of Jesus’ activity in this world and his resurrection and ascension. Then, read the book of Acts, and find out about how the faithful took Jesus’ teachings, and the gift of the Holy Spirit, to continue Jesus’ legacy. Then, go back to the book of Genesis and read about what the ancient Judaic religion had to say about the creation of the world and its early development. Read it with an eye on the individual stories. All these stories help us learn the painful lessons, and trial and error of the faithful before us. Reading it this way, the Bible makes more sense and becomes a living document – used and guided by the Holy Spirit.
Today, think about the way you’ve read the Bible in the past. Were you able to get through it? If not, try it the way I described. After Genesis, read Paul’s letter to the Romans, to see how Paul used the early Churches’ teachings to form an early theology of what we are to believe and do. Then go back to the Old Testament and read Exodus, etc. Be sure to get a good study Bible, like the HarperCollins Study Bible in the NRSV. Read the introduction before you read the chapters, and be sure to read the notes at the bottom. Soon, the Bible will come alive and we will learn from the lessons of those who have gone before us.
Pastor Scott is currently on study leave. We hope you enjoy the above devotion, which was originally published on May 3, 2019. Pastor Scott will resume his devotions on Monday, May 10.