" I took a speed reading class where you run your fingers down the middle of the page, I was able to read "War and Peace" in twenty minutes, it's about Russia".--Woody Allen.
I got a book of quotes for Christmas, so your in for more of these. Remember back in school? You know, you read your assignment, but remembered none of it. Have you ever read the same 10 pages 10 times and still not known what they said? Do you ever read the Bible like this? I used to get the "Read the Bible this Year" guide, and read the word of God in a year. You know, you read a certain number of chapters some in the New Testament, some in the Old Testament and some in Psalms or Proverbs, then you can check the box, that you finished that days reading. I couldn't tell you much of what I read but that wasn't the point, checking the box, was the point. I must have read through the bible 10 straight times but did not remember half of what I read. I was reading so that I could check that box, not remember what I was reading.
What good does it do to read through something so fast, that you don't comprehend or even remember 5 minutes later, I mean besides being able to check the box? I believe you could "Study" one verse a day, or even a week, and get everything there is to get out of that verse, and get more then speed reading your way through the bible.
That brings me to another point, do we sometimes do other things in our lives, just so we can "check the box"? I was just thinking this morning that my church is having a "Watch Night" service this New Years Eve, from 8:45- 12:15 AM. Then we are not having a service at all on Sunday New Years day. I got all excited, I could sleep in on Sunday, relax, watch all the football games, spend the day being lazy and goofing off. I was happy NOT to HAVE to go to church. Is that the way I think about going to worship God? Having to? Like it is a chore, a problem, out of my schedule, time wasted, when I could be doing something I like instead? Sounds to me like I need to stop "speed reading" my way through my walk with God, and slow down and see what really is there. God has meat in His word, in this life. There are lessons, there is JOY like we have never seen, there is hope, there is LIFE. But many times we are to busy with our schedule to see it. "OK, I went to church this week, I read 10 chapters in John, I think it was John, and I paid my tithes, I even spoke to that homeless man on the corner down by the Target, wow, good week, see Lord?" "OK, now I can check off 3 NO 4 boxes, great week"
We are trying to "speed read" our way through life, but like Woody Allen, we have no idea what the story is about, except where it takes place. Back in school, I would "Skim" through allot of my reading assignments, I got pretty good at picking out the major points, the things that would, more then likely be on any exam. But, if it was English class, and the teacher wanted to know what the characters felt, and why they seemed to do such and such, things like that, I had to read the entire book. You cannot get the total experience of a book, or life for that matter, by hurrying through and "skimming" your way along.
Readers Digest is famous for their "Condensed" books. They got many people mad at them years ago for publishing a "Condensed Bible". But I always liked those condensed novels, they kept the "jest" of the story intact, but left out all the rest. You could get the meaning of what was going on, but you didn't have to "waste your time" with all that other stuff. BUT the Bible is not like other books. All that "Other Stuff" is just as important as the main stuff. There is not one single word in God's word, that is not there for a reason. I know what your thinking: "What about all those "....was the son of, was the son of..........? Well, the lineage of bible time people is important. How else would we know that Jesus' was in the line of David the King? That He had royalty in his blood, here on earth, AND from God His father? These things are important.
I heard a preacher one time say: "Every letter in the bible is important, from the "H" in Holy Bible, to the ..8 in "copyright 2008"
Just remember that reading the bible fast, and checking that box, is not important. Going through life just to check those boxes, is not what life is all about. We are here to share Jesus Christ with everyone we meet. To communicate Him in EVERY part of our life, so that others will see HIM, through us, and want what we have. If we are simply "Checking off the boxes" they will see that, and who really wants a life like that?
1 Peter 1:25
"But the word of the Lord remains forever.” And that word is the Good News that was preached to you."
"The word of the Lord remains forever", I think then that the word of the Lord is important for us to KNOW, not just skim over. There is NOT ONE SINGLE thing in the Bible that has not come to pass that was said to happen. What other author can say that? No, not one. Speed reading the Bible, is for the ones who don't really care about anything but checking the box.
I do not want to be a "Check the Box" Christian, do you?
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