The Mona Lisa is more than a smile. If you simply look at
her, you will of course see her. But you will see more of her if you look at
the whole picture. Apparently the background has been painted in such a way
that the light draws the eye to her face and the hills are shaped in a way that
patterns and so draws out the detail of her shoulders.
Reading the Bible is rather like this. If we read only the
New Testament we will see something of Jesus. But God has gone to the trouble
of painting the background – of inspiring the Old Testament in such a way that
patterns and draws the eye back to Christ. And so by reading the Old Testament
we don’t simply learn more of God, we see more of his glory in the face of
Christ.
This is why your commitment to read the whole Bible this
year is such a worthwhile one. However it is a big one, and you may feel
slightly nervous about having made it. Of course big commitments should make us
nervous. They should be stretching. But I do want to give a few pointers to
help before we begin:
- Because
the Old Testament is generally more inaccessible, all that I write will be
based on the Old Testament reading. Obviously the New Testament one no
less important, so I hope you will still give it as much attention.
- It
is all too easy to read the Bible like the person driving when they are
overtired. They find themselves home but can’t actually remember driving
the previous few miles. To maintain focus you may find it helpful to read
the text out loud. Often, you hear nuances this way you wouldn’t otherwise
pick up. You can actually listen to the readings on the YouVersion App if
you are using it. You could also pause to pray home each sub-section of
the reading. This forces you to think about what it has actually taught
you.
- If
time is short, please skip the notes and just read the Bible itself. It
would be ironic and tragic if my attempt to help you into the Old
Testament ended up keeping you from actually reading it!
- If
you do read without the notes, the best question to ask of any text to
keep you attentive is: “What’s the main point God is making here?” I once
read through the whole Bible jotting down an answer to this question in my
Bible against each reading. I learnt so much. Other questions you could
ask are: “What is this teaching me about God?” “What is this teaching me
about God’s purposes?” “What does God intend this passage to be doing in
me?” If time is short you could note down some answers to these in the
margin of your Bible.
- To
help imbed what you learn, it is very helpful to just recall it and pray
it home again as you go to bed. If you can’t remember what you read, skim
reading it again in your Bible should (I hope) be enough to bring it all
back.
For now, why not pray this prayer for illumination used by
the great reformer John Calvin:
“Almighty and gracious Father! since our whole salvation
stands in our knowledge of your Holy Word, strengthen us now by your Holy
Spirit that our hearts may be set free from all worldly thoughts and
attachments of the flesh, so that we may hear and receive that same Word, and,
recognizing your gracious will for us, may love and serve you with earnest
delight, praising and glorifying you in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”
Yours in Jesus Christ our Lord,
Jon Hobbs