I once heard an illustration that I now regularly use... it goes something like this:
Nothing like it in the world.
Fresh Maine lobster each day, King crab legs, prime rib and luscious steaks. Amazing vegetables and salads prepared by the best chefs. Incredible desserts that would knock the socks off of any Iron Chef you encounter!
The guide shows you around and then fills your plate(s) with the best fare that you select! He then walks you to your table where you sit with linen tablecloths and napkins, beautiful goblets from which to drink and hefty true silverware!
You cannot believe what you are experiencing! This is so "over the top, knock your socks off" spectacular that you realize that you will come back here as often as possible!
As you sit down and your plate(s) are placed before you the most incredible thing happens. Your "buffet guide" removes the Lobster tail from the shell for you and slices it into bite-sized pieces. He then proceeds to place a bit in his mouth, chew it fully and then remove it from his mouth with his spoon and offer the spoon to you to eat. Are you appalled? Would you eat it? Certainly it can still hold some nourishment, right? Well of course but that is so unacceptable that most Americans (even though it was FREE) would never think of eating food that was "processed" by someone else!
However, when it comes to our own spiritual nourishment - the reading of God's Word - for some reason that is the only meal we get each week (and sometimes not even weekly). We get someone else's processed spiritual food from the Word of God! King David of the Old Testament felt this way about God's Word...
Psalm 119:97-105 (NIV)I love verse 103... The Message says it this way:
97 Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long.
98 Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me.
99 I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes.
100 I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts.
101 I have kept my feet from every evil path so that I might obey your word.
102 I have not departed from your laws, for you yourself have taught me.
103 How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
104 I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path.
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.
Psalm 119:103 (MSG)
103 Your words are so choice, so tasty; I prefer them to the best home cooking.
Why don't you begin feeding yourself today? Begin "chewing" your own food! Begin letting its savory flavor melt in your mouth and linger in your memory of something that is flavorful and will keep you on the right path! Did I say it is FREE? You have before you a FREE buffet of life altering principles and values that you can feast upon yourself and will be so satisfying to your soul!
I find that I have to intentionally work at this in my life - because I preach each week I spend hours reading, researching and preparing lessons to teach. Yet there are times, if I am not careful, that even when I am doing that it sometimes seems like I am the "buffet guide" - I am chewing it up and spitting it out for others without really being nourished myself.
Every time I open the Word to read, I pray first, "God, speak to me through your Word today - do not let me forget that You are speaking to me as I prepare to share with others."
Will you do the same - will you commit to a daily "meal" (not a snack) - of God's Word?
Try this:
For the next five days read Galatians all the way through each day. If you have a Study Bible, use the first day to read about the book - its setting, audience, author, purpose, etc and then read it through. Keep a notepad and write out the significant points that you see each time through. Make a list of words or phrases that you need to ask about or research. Make notes about what it is saying to you.
The next week - pick another short book and try the same process with that book. Here is a proposed list to get you through the next few months!
Bible Reading List:
- Galatians
- Ephesians
- Esther
- Philippians
- Colossians
- Malachi
- 1 Timothy
- 2 Timothy
- Haggai
- 1 Thessalonians
- 2 Thessalonians
- Habbakuk
- Titus and Philemon together
- 1 John
- Ruth
- 2 and 3 John and Jude together
- James
- Lamentations
Once you get this habit down you can start on the longer books and break them up into two or three sections and spread them over a two week time frame!
In just four months you will have read over half of the New Testament and have a great working knowledge of what God desires for you and you will have a great set of principles from the Old Testament under your belt also!
As I recently said to my own family of believers, "Read it for yourself, for crying out loud!"
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