The #1 Thing I Have Learned While Reading The Bible in a Year

I want to start with this. Reading the Bible through in a year is not my preferred way of reading the Bible. Thought I would just get that out in the open at the very beginning. It’s not that I don’t deeply love God’s Word or that I don’t like the feeling of getting behind (because I am, 6 days actually). It is really because I prefer to read God’s Word in smaller bites, marinating on one part of scripture. Reading the Bible in a Year has been like massive portions at a buffet restaurant. Still good, just different.

But as I have read most mornings on my blue suede coach, there is a word that has deeply impacted me. After you read it again and again, you can’t help but notice how much Jesus talks about it. And if we know anything about studying people, then we know what they repeat matters.

Want to know what it is?

Faith.

Jesus says the word again and again. He says it to children and to moms and wives and men and outcasts. He says it to his dearest friends and his enemies. He can’t quit talking about having faith or asking people “where is their faith?”

In one real life story, a Roman officer sent some of his people to Jesus to heal one of his highly valued slaves. He even asked Jesus not to come to his house because he wasn’t worthy of his attendance. Although he asked Jesus not come, he did say, “Just say the word from where you are and my servant will be healed.” (Luke 7:7) And wouldn’t you know, Jesus said to this man, “I haven’t seen faith like this man in all of Israel.”

Further, we see Jesus rebuke his disciples as they panicked on their boat in the middle of a storm. For fear of drowning, they cried out to Jesus, “Save us!” Immediately the wind and waves died down and Jesus asked them about their faith.

One story of great faith and another of a little. Regardless, Jesus couldn’t quit talking about it.

I wonder if we don’t lean too heavily on faith because what if God doesn’t come through the way we want him to? So, we stop begging, pleading, petitioning the Throne Room with what our heart is screaming at the top of its lungs. We fear disappointment, so we stop asking.

But doesn’t a good Father want to hear it all? All your hopes, all your dreams, all the miracles? All of Heaven being roped down to Earth?

Of course, we aren’t God and we don’t know what is best. The late Tim Keller whom we are all so grateful for said this, “God always gives what you would have asked if you knew everything that He knows.”

So go on and ask in great faith. There is a mystery of prayer that we might never know. But we can know this: wild, audacious faith mattered to God and He promises to give you what is best.

Question: What is your heart screaming, but you haven’t asked God for?