After I had a dream about the English Standard Version, I went out and bought a nice slimline copy with an embossed celtic cross on the cover, and I’ve decided to start reading the Bible in earnest, starting tonight. I’ve “decided to start reading the Bible” a couple of times in the last few years, but i have a weird feeling about this time, like I’m going to make it stick. I kind of feel, I don’t know. Hungry for it.
For what it’s worth, I’ve read the King James Version a couple of times (well, the Old Testament once, and the New Testament maybe three times, the Gospels at least one time more than that), but it was a long time ago as a Mormon missionary, and the experience was filtered pretty heavily through the lens of my Mormon belief. Nevertheless, grappling seriously with scripture for the first time resulted in some of the early seeds that eventually led me away from Mormonism.
I want to read the Bible again, as a Christian this time.
My wife and I have challenged each other to read the New Testament by the end of the year, in any version (sort of a Christian counterpart to the LDS Book of Mormon challenge). I also think I’d like to read through the Gospels in several different versions (ESV, Message, NRSV, NIV, and the KJV again). Ultimately I’d like to read the Old Testament again, but probably in an easier translation (NIV, Message, Good News, something like that). I have no desire to labor through the KJV Old Testament again; not without a much better foundation biblical knowledge.
What am I expecting to get out of my reading? Well, like I said, I’m feeling a bit of hunger for the Word (that seems lame when I write it out like that, but it’s pretty much true). I want to get a better handle on who Jesus really is. I want to feel closer to God. I want to strengthen my relationship with my wife. And I want to grow spiritually. I’m having trouble figuring out where and how to do the latter, but I’m planning on writing another post on that soon. Suffice it to say for the moment, that as a relatively new Christian, I’m lacking quite a bit in the guidance department.
Anyway, I’m really going to try to stick to reading this time. I’m not going to starve when the food’s sitting in front of me. I’ll keep the blog updated on any developments.
Sailing to Byzantium 