Handbook for Life

I love to read the Bible. The Disciple One class taught me the value of reading God’s Word every day. This is our Christian “handbook” for life! It is so alive for us today. No matter where I am each day, what I have on my mind, in my heart and in my prayers, the Bible meets my needs. God’s Word always ministers to me.

One of my New Year’s resolutions is to read the Bible from cover to cover. This will be the third time I have done that. The first time was in college in 1968-69. I read the Bible as a piece of literature, a collection of books, pulling it apart and examining all the different styles of writing. It was a very academic study. The second time was in Disciple One in 1992-93. Why then after twenty-some years? Well, I took a “little walk to Emmaus” in the spring of 1992. It became very apparent that I needed and, in fact, wanted to STUDY God’s word with my Christian family here at Good Shepherd. The combination of reading and discussing the many books with my “sisters in Christ” resulted in a very spiritual experience.

What is the reason I want to read His Word the third time? My easy answer is “the young man at the Giant in Oakton who helps put groceries in the car.” His name is Jefferson M. Ford, and he is truly a servant of our Lord Jesus Christ. I’m sure many of you know him. He is always cheerful, very helpful and really seems to care about everyone he comes in contact with. He wears his red Giant uniform hat that says “JEFF” on the front. While talking on the curb, we very soon discovered that we shared the same belief: Christ is our Savior.

One of his favorite questions to me in the past few months has been, “So, Millie (he knows everybody by name), what are you reading in the Bible right now?” Some times I had an answer for him, but lots of days I did not. He told me that he had recently made a commitment to read the Bible from cover to cover in one year. He had a written plan that he was following to do this. My comment was, “Well, I would like to see that plan.” He said he would be happy to share a copy with me.

A few days went by and when I returned for my next load of groceries, he did not have it, but asked for my address. I gave it to him, and the next thing I knew, right before Christmas, he express mailed the daily reading plan to me with about $3.50 of his own money. The following message was written on the back:

Dear Millie,
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
Matthew 7: 13-14 (NIV)

I hope that this “Family Bible Reading Schedule” will help you to be on the narrow road and lead you to life.

Because of Christ Jesus,
Jefferson M. Ford

Now the hard answer to why I have chosen to read the Bible a third time: I do not know! But I am sure that God knows why I need to do this again. He certainly has gone to a lot of effort to put this notion in front of me and give me a disciplined way to carry it out. I thank God for His infinite wisdom and undying love for me.