A (Not So) Subtle Jab

Well, the day approaches! This morning, on my way to completing my six-month "read through the Bible" program, I read through the Letter to the Hebrews. As I finished the letter, I was reminded of a wonderful statement that should confront all of us before we begin this little endeavor.

A quick explanation: I find myself apologizing to quite a few people that this will indeed be a lot of reading each day. But, I want to take a moment to assert a very important addendum to this phrase for all those who have bemoaned the reading. The word is: Relatively!  So, from now on, if someone says, "Wow, Derek, that is a lot of reading." I will respond, "Yes, RELATIVELY, it is a lot of reading."

Why, you might ask, have I decided to add this word to my response? Because as I finished Hebrews this morning I was emboldened by 13:22, "I urge you, brothers and sisters, to put up with this message of encouragement, since I've only written a short letter to you!" (CEB). Honestly, who among us would read all 13 chapters of Hebrews and say, "My goodness, that was quite a short letter. I wish you would have explained a bit more, author of Hebrews."

The answer is: No one.

Thus, though this may seem like a lot of reading, I submit to you that it is in fact a reasonable amount of reading, but we have become a lazy and complacent people in regard to study.

So here is my (not so) subtle jab. If any of us think seven chapters of daily Bible reading is excessive, then perhaps the problem is not with the amount of reading, but the amount of discipline. If the amount of reading is daunting due to our inability to concentrate or just plain laziness, then this challenge is even more important for us. Let us commit to this and see how it transforms our discipline in reading the Scriptures.