If the Bible were written as a novel

I have tried and failed many times to follow-through with daily Bible reading guides that promised to help me read every word of Scripture in 365 days. The only exemption is Cover to Cover, a chronological plan by Selwyn Hughes and Trevor J Partridge. I have never been able to reread the Bible through after that.

I've tried My Utmost for His Highest, Our Daily Bread, the study plans on YouVersion. Nothing sticks, or, I don't stick to them. I tried reading Bible Promises, all that. I just can't seem to recapture the magic of reading the Grand Story.

Although, when I try to use Cover to Cover again, I feel dutiful, religious. No passion there. No love. No excitement. Dead.

So I stopped reading the Bible for a while.

The thing is, I have reread many several books in my life, favourites of mine, which I feel are treasures. Books I refer to over and over again, and I base workshops on. And I have tons of fiction, novels, that I read so deeply that the characters are alive for me. I am a slow and deep reader. I digest plot slowly. And when I am at the last few chapters of a book, I intentionally read out loud, so I spend longer with the book. The book is a friend and I don't want it to go away so soon.

So, I thought, why can't I read the Bible like a novel? One chapter bit of a story a day before moving to the next. Not dutifully gulping up more than I can chew or swallow because it's the prescribed number of verses to read that day. That leaves me with spiritual indigestion, and then I don't want to read anymore.

Let's read the Bible piecemeal. Let's read it like it were any other book. Let's find out who this main character is, this God. Let's judge this God by his/her actions and words and how he/she related to the Hebrew people.

So, today is Day 1. And if the Bible were written as a novel, this few verses will make the preface.

Preface

 

In the beginning, before all time, was the Word., and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself. He was present originally with God.

 

Before the mountains were brought forth or ever You had formed and given birth to the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting You are God.

 

In the beginning God prepared, formed, fashioned, and created the heavens and the earth.

 

(John 1:1-2, Psalm 90:2, Genesis 1:1, AMP)