Introduction

Getting To Know Christ

A Year (or so) of Your Life

Introduction

Many years ago now, I began reading the Bible chronologically.  I found reading God's word this way helpful in demonstrating for me how God's story all fits together.  I had been a Christian for many years, but, sadly, I must admit that I had never read the bible completely through.  I would always start out well.  I love history, so Genesis and Exodus flowed pretty easily.  Leviticus was totally useless as far as I was concerned, but I knew that more history was to come when Numbers began so I would skim Leviticus and then settle down to enjoy the stories presented from Numbers through 2 Kings.  Then, I would hit what appeared to me to be a brick wall with the first nine chapters of 1Chronicles.  Try as I might, with teeth clenched together in determination, I just couldn't do it.  What in the world could possibly be inspiring about chapter after chapter of names?  I'd give up in frustration, deciding that I probably just wasn't spiritual enough, or smart enough, or disciplined enough to conquer God's Word to me in total.

Then, there were the prophetic books!  I really didn't get them at all!  There was all this doom and gloom which, for me at least, was taken completely out of context.  They made little sense at all.  I could appreciate the wisdom literature for the most part as a standalone, but I couldn't really see how it could all fit together.

Then there was the New Testament, was it a completely different book just bound with the Old Testament, or was it actually connected to the Old in more ways than just a physical binding?  I did not see the Bible as one continuous story.  I saw it as a collection of stories and mysterious writings.  I suppose, like most people, the Psalms and the Gospels were what I gravitated toward the most.  Paul's writings were too complex with his continual habit of run on sentences.  It made the teacher in me want to grab for a red pencil and write, "too complex!  Break this in to two, or perhaps even three separate thoughts please!"  I felt as though I had, what I had been told to believe was God's Love Letter to me, but the dots connecting it together were made of invisible ink and the way to make the ink visible was hidden as well.

When I began reading the Bible Chronologically, I found the secret ingredient that made the ink visible.   I learned how to see the Psalms and the Prophets in their historical context.  Even those dreaded first nine chapters of 1Chronicles were broken down and placed in their proper context so that they were no longer a barrier to me, but an enhancement of my understanding of the historical books that I had thought that I already knew.  I began to know scripture almost as well as the back of my hand.  I grew in leaps and bounds in my understanding and all of a sudden, I was able to appreciate it all so much better.  This understanding worked its way into planning and designing worship with understanding.  I started to get excited about my daily readings.  It was no longer a drudgery or burden to me.  Every day there would be something new.  That discovery still takes place, even though I'm in about my tenth reading now.  What a gift I am enjoying!

Around six years ago, when I had begun probably my fifth or sixth time through the bible, I began really understanding something else that I had always been taught, but never really understood or appreciated.  I had been told that Jesus was the central figure of the Bible.  Probably most people are taught the same and agree with it intellectually anyway.  This time, however, as I was reading, I began to really grasp the truth of what I had been taught.  The prophecies about Jesus began standing out for me.  The longing of the people for a savior became very clear.  The story of Jesus Himself, put together chronologically helped me to see, not just the differences in the gospels, but how they are all focused on different aspects, but put together, create an amazing portrait of the Savior hoped for.  Then, the Epistles pointed back and continued to place Jesus in His historical and prophetic context.  It was amazing to me!  Wow, Jesus really is what the Bible is all about!

I started talking to my friends about my new way of seeing the Bible, but I was often frustrated with not having enough time to convey all that I was learning!   You can imagine that I was really fun to be around at that point!  Then, the idea for trying to share what I had been learning this way, through a devotional, was born.

I have taken the Story of Jesus from the Chronological Bible and have broken it down into about 360 daily readings with just some commentary of my own which is some of what I have gleaned from what I have learned.  On some days, I include a lot of different scriptures so that if you are interested, you can take the time to read all of them and hopefully, make many connections for yourself.  The hymn suggestion at the end is just that, a suggestion.  I hope to add more contemporary music as well as time allows. 

I numbered the daily devotions, but I didn't assign a calendar date.  I know how it is to miss a day in a devotional and feel like you need to play catch up.  I wanted anyone who reads this to be able to just pick up where you left off, as your schedule allows.  There should be no added pressure or guilt because your schedule caused you to miss a day.  This isn't about time or schedule or completing something.  This is about getting to know Jesus better.  That may take a year or two.  In truth, this is not exhaustive commentary.  My hope is that this study will help you launch into a better discipline of bible reading and prayer.  If so, you will learn that it will take a lifetime.  Then, when you meet Him in eternity, you'll probably discover that even what you learned here is barely scratching the surface.

Finally, if your schedule won't allow you to do most of the suggested readings or listen to the music, I have also tried to select a key verse from all the readings which serve as the main point of the daily readings and devotional reading.  At least with this, you will have a crumb of scripture for the day when you must forego the banquet being offered.

   In Isaiah 55:8-11, we read:

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways," declares the Lord.  "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.  As the rain and the snow come down from Heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is My Word that goes out from My Mouth: It will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."

May God bless the reading of His word as you, whoever you are, receive it.  May it accomplish in you what God desires for you and may you be blessed.  Amen

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