Rooted In Scripture

My Year With God

This year so far, I am pleased to be able to say that I have read my Bible every day. I am sticking to the Bible In One Year plan that I began, and am really enjoying the approach of it.

I thought it would be a more linear approach, but actually, I am finding more insight in it, with it not being so.

I am currently part of the way through the book of Job, which, incidentally, was one of the first books of the Bible that I read after becoming a Christian (John was the first).

When I first read the book of Job, I couldn’t understand it. I didn’t understand why Job seemed to be complaining about his woes, and if I’m honest, I actually sided with his friends who were telling him that if he was going to be that miserable about things then he may as well just give up. I almost gave up and I was only reading it.

I am so glad that this book was one of the first ones that I read. It wasn’t until a good few months later, after a discussion with a very dear friend (and fellow bookworm; but that’s another story) that I realised the true importance of this part of scripture.

We all go through suffering. It is an absolute; an inevitable fact of life. Job’s life shows us this, but it also shows us what can happen if we cling to God throughout it. Job never once spoke out against God. He simply trusted Him to look upon him kindly, and to see him through in the end, which is what happens.

The thing is, when we go through hard times, our tendency can be to not turn to God; to not read His word, and in reality, that is the worst thing that we can possibly do.

I have read passages of scripture on and off before, but I have never delved into the Word like this before, and as I travel deeper into what God wants me, (wants us all) to hear, I can see how much I have missed out on, and how much I may now gain from being rooted in scripture.

If you’re struggling to get into the Word, I can highly recommend the Bible in one year plan by Nicky Gumbel. It has helped me more in a month, than other reading plans have helped me in my ten+ years as a Christian.