Bible Literacy Challenge {January & February}

For the new year, my aunt challenged us to read the entire Bible in 2012. She blogs about each day's reading at the Bible Literacy Challenge. So far, my Bible Gateway reading plan has taken me through all of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, and Matthew. I'm currently working on Numbers and Mark. 


It would take many lifetimes to fully comprehend and appreciate all that the Bible holds with its history, literature, poetry, wisdom, adventure and eternal truth. Speeding through the whole thing in just one year seems impossibly quick. This has been a great challenge and has gotten me and many others back into daily reading. I'm already looking forward to making 2013 a year of in-depth study.  


I thought I would share two passages that have really struck me and are totally stuck in my head, one from the New Testament and one from the Old.  

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Most of us know the story of Adam and Eve. God gives them all of creation and walks and talks with them daily, but they sin. As a result, they are kicked out of the garden and cursed to a lifetime of toil.  Do you remember Genesis 3:21? I didn't until I re-read it this year.  Right after God administers their punishment, He makes them clothes to wear.  This must really speak to my crafty side, knowing the love and time that goes into sewing, knitting, and otherwise making.  I just can't get this image of the Creator of the universe lovingly making coverings for Adam and Eve even though they've just seriously messed up. They wouldn't even need clothes if it weren't for their sin, but He's literally covering their sin as Jesus has done for each of us. 


I've always thought of God in the Old Testament as serious and rule-oriented and that it wasn't until the New Testament that His love and mercy were revealed. I was so wrong! There have been so many instances in reading just the first couple chapters of the Old Testament that His unchanging love and forgiveness has been revealed.  


The New Testament verses that have been replaying in my head are Matthew 25:34-40. It is part of a parable told by Jesus.  Although it is told as a story from which we are to learn a truth, it is not at all unclear what we are being called to do. 

³⁴ “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶ I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’   ³⁷ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’   ⁴⁰ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Since reading this I've been asking myself, how often do I personally feed the hungry, clothe the needy, care of the sick, and visit the imprisoned? Let me tell you, it's not often. These are very specific actions Jesus is asking me to take  in order to serve him. I am now praying for opportunities to implement this calling. 


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