Every year at about this time, most of us look to the new year as a chance to start doing things differently. This year, as our church begins our “Year of the Bible,” many of us are resolving to be immersed in Scripture for the year. The truth is that some will make it through, and some won’t. Studies show that 93% of new year resolutions fail before the end of January, so the odds are stacked pretty high against us.
With that in mind, here are my top four reasons that, even though you may want to, you won’t make it through the Bible in 2017:
1. Ancient literature is hard
The imagery and concepts of bronze-age middle-easterners are difficult to translate! Right off the bat, there is a talking snake, volumes of Hebraic Law Code, Census data, and ancient war strategies. How does a 21st century American work through ancient Hebrew genealogy lists?
We want the Bible to be all poetry, inspiration, and teaching… but in reality, you dohave to wade through chapters of offering and sacrifice procedures, ceremonial cleansing, and tribal law. If you aren’t ready for all this, you likely will get bogged down and lost easily.
2. You are using a foreign translation
Nothing but love here for my “King James Only” brothers and sisters, but why read a Bible in a foreign language? You don’t speak Elizabethan English, and neither does anyone else you know. It is time to admit that King James’ cumbersome sentence structure and those obsolete words are literally foreign to you!
Modern translators have studied for years, even decades. They work hard using the best resources and tools to translate God’s inspired Word into your native language. (see earlier article on ‘missing verses’)
God doesn’t want you baffled by an archaic language barrier. His heart is to speak to you. He wants you to read, and to understand.
If you don’t have a modern translation, I recommend you download the Bible App. We use this at our church all the time. It gives you access to every translation you can think of, and then some! Plus, there are reading plans, live events, and more!
We also provide paper Bibles at The Orchard Church. Just stop by the Guest Services desk on Sunday!
3. You don’t have a strategy
Success in any challenge never happens by accident. You must be intentional. You need a strategy. Mark out a regular time on your calendar to spend in God’s Word. Have a place where you can be free from distraction, and can focus your heart and mind on what God is saying to you through His Word.
One of the strategies tools I will be leveraging is the audio in the Bible App. It allows you to open to any page of Scripture, and listen as it is read to you. I can get through a lot of chapters as I am running on the elliptical via my bluetooth earbuds. This will make difficult sections much easier to digest.
4. You don’t have a support team
Any challenge becomes easier with a team. Going it alone almost guarantees failure, but having a team means you can not only have accountability, but studies show you can be far more efficient and effective at reaching your goal of reading through the Bible.
At The Orchard, your life group is the best support team you can find! If you don’t already have a group, you should join one in January. Our next “Lifegroup Launch” is Sunday, January 15 at 6PM on our South Campus.
You CAN do this
Yes, reading through the Scriptures in 2017 is a daunting task. I won’t pretend it will be easy for any of us. But, you can do it. We will do it together, and I know that God will change us dramatically in the process! Be a different person at the end of 2017 by spending a year in the Bible!
Year Of The Bible
