So, I was sitting here snacking on Goldfish crackers … and wondering if that addictive chemical they put in food to make you eat more might be in Goldfish crackers. I wouldn’t be surprised if it is, because once I start snacking on Goldfish crackers it’s really hard to stop.
Then the thought occurred to me: What if God put an “addictive chemical” in our Bible reading the same way food manufacturers put the addictive chemical in food.
After all, the Bible is described as “food.” (Psalm 119:103 – “Honey”; Hebrews 5:13-14 – “Meat”; Matthew 4:4 – “Bread”; 1 Peter 2:2 – “Milk”)
That would be a good thing … right??
We all know God wants us to read the Bible every day. It makes us spiritually healthy and strong. So why not put some sort of spiritual “addictive chemical” in, so we can’t help but binge the Bible?
But then I thought about the way I feel after I over-eat crackers. I feel heavy and icky and too full. I feel disappointed in myself for eating too much. I feel annoyed at the food manufacturers for intentionally adding addictive chemicals to manipulate and control us.
It’s not nice to intentionally, underhandedly manipulate and control people … and God does not do that to us.
God wants us to read the Bible regularly (because it’s spiritually healthy for us) but God will never intentionally, underhandedly manipulate and control us. God gives us the free choice. We get to choose of our own free will whether to read the Bible or not.
Then my thoughts wandered to how many times I’ve attempted to read the Bible through in a year. I’ve never done it. I know many people have accomplished this notable feat … repeatedly. But no matter how many times I’ve tried, I just can’t binge the Bible like that.
For me personally, trying to read through the entire Bible in a year feels a lot like taking a fantastic trip across the country, from coast to coast, passing through amazing National Parks along the way … but never stopping to get out and actually see anything … because there’s just not enough time.
Driving cross-country from coast to coast … and passing through all kinds of different landscapes and amazing scenery … but only being able to take photos out the car window as we go cruising past!
Not being able to actually stop … and get out of the car … and really take in the places we are driving through.
When it comes to reading the Bible, I would rather read my Bible as if I’m taking a road trip from coast to coast but stopping at every scenic pull-off along the way. Gazing and gawking at the scenery. Marveling in awe at how the landscape is changing. Feeling the change in temperature from one place to the next. (like from going from the sweltering heat of the Great Plains up to chilly breezes at the Continental Divide) This, for me, is what I like about reading my Bible.
I like to stop and ponder and “gawk” (so to speak) at what I’m discovering in the Scripture passage. As I do, I see things which I didn’t notice at first. Really cool things! Things I would have totally missed if I had gone cruising past simply catching “snapshots” out the window.
Then I flip the pages of Scripture and find myself in a new and completely different “landscape” (so to speak). The tone and “temperature” here is completely different than where I was just reading.
It’s great to read the entire Bible through in a year. I have the highest admiration for those who are able to accomplish this.
But for me personally, rather than binging the Bible (like gobbling down crackers with that addictive chemical), I would rather read my Bible more slowly, taking lots of time to ponder.
What about you? How do you like to read the Bible?
Do you think it would be a good idea if God had put a spiritually “addictive chemical” in so that we couldn’t help but binge our Bible?
