Gettin' into the groove
Monday, August 22, 2005
I’m starting my plan to get myself back on the Bible-reading track!
As much as i thought that i could just read the Bible in some random pattern and still be diligent about it, i was completely and totally wrong. I read the Bible straight through once before, but since then i haven’t tried to do any formalized reading plan. It felt too restrictive, too rigid. So i would just open the Word up randomly. Sometimes it worked like a charm and i found great stuff that was really appropriate at the right moment. Mostly, though, i found that i read the same books over and over again. I’m a big fan of Galatians, Ephesians, Phillipians, and 1st,2nd and 3rd John.
Anyway, i’ve decided to remedy this issue by downloaded a Bible reading plan from Abundant Life Church in the Bay Area. Today was the first day of being on this plan. (Wow, i feel like i’m on a diet or something! hahaha!) It was weird! I felt like i’d never read that part of the Bible before! Let me share what i found.
Today’s reading included 2 Chronicles 30. There’s this great part that i though has great meaning for churches everywhere. It starts in verse 18 and goes until 20. Just to give you some background, King Hezekiah set about to reform the ways of Judah, bringing everyone back to God from their errant ways. So for the first time in a really really long time, Jerusalem was celebrating Passover.
(v18) “Although most of the many people who came from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun had not purified themselves, yet they ate the Passover, contrary to what was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying "May the Lord, who is good, pardon everyone (v19) who sets his heart on seeking God--the Lord, the God of his fathers--even if he is not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary. (v20) And the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people.
When i read this, all i could think of was the church and how so many times we make snide remarks about those who are somehow “not purified” in a more obvious manner than ourselves. We have it so wrong. It’s not about what you are at the moment but what you are seeking after. It was just beautiful to see that God understands that we are all a “work in progress.” And boy, am i really in progress. Yeek! But God heals. What a great passage! And who knew i’d find it in the middle of the boring history part of the Bible! Woohoo!
I’ll let you guys know how this goes. Download the daily reading thingy! It’s pretty good and looks manageable. 
can you post a link to this plan in case others (namely me) want to check it out (and are too incompetent to find it themselves)?
Posted by on 08/22 at 07:12 PMHehehe i made a mistake and posted before i finished writing the whole post. :S I’ve included it for you!
Posted by on 08/22 at 07:17 PMhow’d you find that website? Do you know someone who goes to that church?
I just recently started reading the Bible more frequently. Seems like it’s been a long time since I’ve been led to it. I’ve been reading lots of other Godly books and have not lacked for spiritual food But my main diet has not included a whole lot of the primary source. It’s very good to be back!
Posted by laura on 08/22 at 07:36 PMI found it through Slim. Like i mentioned, i already did the Bible-in-a-year thing, but i wanted to mix it up with another reading list. The site i found it at is Slim’s old church up in the Bay Area. It TOTALLY changed his life.
They just happen to have the daily reading plan up. It’s nice because it skips weekends, which is much easier for me since weekdays are so much more “scheduled.”
Posted by on 08/23 at 08:04 PM