Jump Start # 3770
Psalms 119:97-99 “O how I love Thy law! It is my meditation all the day. Thy commandments make me wise than my enemies, for they are ever mine. I have more insight than all my teachers, for Thy testimonies are my meditation.”
My morning routine begins with taking care of our Jump Starts. I try to stay about a week ahead. So, I will read one in the morning, make some adjustments and then load it to come out on a specific day. You’ll notice that I set these to be presented at 4 A.M. No, I’m not up at that hour writing these. Superman could, but not me. Then, I take about thirty minutes to write a new Jump Start. It will sit a few days before I go over it one more time and then load it. That’s how I begin my day at the office.
I was loading a future Jump Start this morning and noticed on the platform that we send these on, it stated that the Jump Start was 948 words long and it would take five minutes to read. Five minutes! It takes longer to load these on the various avenues we use to send these out than it does to read these. Five minutes!
That got me to thinking about the production of the Bible. We are not told how long it took the inspired writers to pen what they wrote. The book of Philemon, 335 words, shorter than one of these Jump Starts, probably took less than an hour to write. Books like Job, Revelation, or, Genesis, seem like it would take a long, long time to write. Did the writers write from start to finish in one setting? Did it take them a few days to write those long books? As they wrote, did they pause, think about things, or say a prayer? Did they ever have to cross out a word that they misspelled and then write the correct word? What if they didn’t have enough paper that day? So many curious thoughts about the transmission of the Bible. None of those things really change anything. It’s the message of the Bible, not the one who held the pen that is important.
Books like Hosea, where the prophet is actually living the message he writes, would have taken a while. The book of Job begins with the death of his ten children and ends with the Job having ten more children. That’s got to take more than a decade. Was the book written looking back after all of it has happened or was it written in present tense, real time, as some say.
The value of a book of the Bible is not in its length, but in the message it carries. Here are some thoughts:
First, as one reads the Bible, slow down. Don’t be in a hurry. This is God’s word. This is the most important thing that you will read today. Notice what words are used. If you come across a word that you don’t understand, check that verse in another translation. Often, seeing how others render a word will help you understand. Also, notice the order of the words. A + B = C. A + C may not equal B. The order of the words matter.
Second, try to put yourself into the reading. As Jesus preforms miracles, be one of the people in the audience who witnessed it. Try to see things from the eyes of a Jew. Then, from the standpoint of a Gentile. Stand in the shoes of a Pharisee. This rich insight will help you to understand why people reacted the way they did.
Third, try to learn something each time you are in the Bible. Learn a new fact. Learn a principle. Learn a better way to walk with the Lord. As you read, underline words, circle words, notice repeated words. See Jesus in action. Open your eyes. Be amazed.
As you read different books of the Bible, you’ll recognize how inspiration used the different personalities of the writers. The books of the Bible do not all read the same. Visionary Revelation doesn’t read the same as practical Proverbs. The arguments of Romans require some thinking and connecting dots, while the historical accounts of the Kings is straight forward. You’ll learn that God had a purpose and a plan for each book of the Bible. You’ll see how each book is like a puzzle piece. Not only do they connect to one another, but combined and together, they make a beautiful picture of salvation through Jesus Christ.
Opening your Bible each day, is like sitting down with an old friend. You’ve known each other for a long time. You’ve found peace and strength within those pages. You find hope in the promises of God. There are sections that are challenging. There are questions that come to your mind as you read.
In my office I have a row of Bibles at my finger tips to use. There are three, side by side, that are very special to me. My grandmother’s Bible, with a certificate in the back when she was baptized. Next to it, is my dad’s Bible. It is well marked and smells like his old house. Next to that, is my personal study Bible. It’s a mess. Loose pages, lots of markings, years and years of study. Those three old Bibles don’t carry much marketable value, but they mean the world to me. They are more than just family, they represent generations of God’s people, which I am thankful to be a part of.
What a privilege it is to have our God’s message in our hands. It’s not locked up in a museum. It’s not for just a few special people. I have it. You have it. And, now, what will we do with it?
Roger