The Word in a Year

This morning I finished something I honestly thought wouldn't be that difficult, yet proved to be extremely hard:  reading God's Word chronologically in a year.

When I was younger (still in middle school, I think), I tried several times to read it all the way through, but was never successful.  Something would also come up, or I would be exhausted at night, and I couldn't keep my eyes open or my brain thinking while I read the four chapters each night.

This time around, it was still hard, but I persevered.  Truly, I didn't really enjoy the experience too much.  I found that God's Word is not something I can quickly read and still get the good stuff out of it.  Being forced to read 4+ chapters a day did not leave much time for lingering on the Word, so I kind of feel like for the past year I have had a bird's eye view of things, but didn't actually glean too much from it.

Nonetheless, God's Word is living and active and I did come away with a few nuggets of truth over the past year.

1. Reading it chronologically was eye-opening.  It was incredible and encouraging to see the Father's plan from beginning to end.
2. I was constantly amazed by the intricacy of the Father's plan.  Whether it be in instructions for building the ark, directions for the tabernacle, and even up to the very end when the gates of Heaven are described, it is simply amazing.  Why should I ever worry--if He's got all that planned out, He surely has my small life figured out as well.
3. The Father uses ordinary people--broken people--to further His work and plan.  He is not twarted by man, but rather uses man's shortcomings to see His work proceed.
4. I am in constant need of Him.  Numerous people tried to do it without Him, much like I often try to do, but they were never successful.  It is only those who depended exclusively on the Lord that were able to truly live and make a difference.
5. The Father is faithful.  I feel like that is my take away from all of last year, in my own personal life and in His Word.  He is faithful to Himself, He is faithful to His people, He is faithful to His purpose, He is faithful to the end.
6. All through out His Word, His message was the same:  restore peace and a relationship with Him, pour out mercy and grace, satisfy the hungry and the thirsty with Words of Life.  Even in the last chapter of Revelation it says, "'Come.' Let anyone who hears this say, 'Come.' Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life."  It is an invitation open for all to come--all nations, tribes, people, and languages--and a promise that relationship of peace will happen to at least a representative from all peoples.

So, although I'm glad to be finished reading the entire Word, I am glad I did it.  I'm glad for what the Father taught me.  But, I'm also glad that tomorrow, I can move more slowly through a book of God's Word--thinking Nehemiah, thanks to my lovely HOL ladies who sent me a study book!