Bible Wanderings

I've been a Christian for 25 years now--maybe more.  As a Catholic teenager, I knew God distantly, though I struggled with absolute faith in His reality and refused to align my life with Him for years. A prodigal daughter, I had my doubts and rebelliously went my own way.  It took all of my teen years and some of my 20's before I sorted that mess out.  Or He did.

When I became a Christian--definitively and freely--at age 24 (1993), I began reading the Bible in earnest.  By now, I'd guess I've read it cover-to-cover 15 times or more.  For many years I worked through it annually, though I eventually tired of that pace:  it was too fast, as if I was flying over the landscape when I wished to walk.   The last four years I've spent at the opposite extreme--working through a chronological reading plan that was supposed to take a year. This allowed me to get lost in the landscape, which was fun in a different way.  I was mature and disciplined enough to eventually re-emerge, find the trail, and pick it back up--until, I'd get lost again.  It was a lovely journey with many worthy side-trails, but I'm ready for more structure again.

The last five months (June through October) I've worked through three different women's online Bible studies through Lifeway.  Each required the purchase of a study guide, but the accompanying videos were available free at the website for a limited time. This was a good exercise and kept me faithfully moving along--something different for the lazy summer and early fall.

Here are the ones completed:

Entrusted (2 Timothy)--Beth Moore

We Saved You a Seat--a study of Biblical Friendship--Lisa Jo Baker

All Things New (2 Corinthians)--Kelly Minter

I enjoyed all three for different reasons.

Beth Moore has good content and great passion, though I must admit that I tired of filling out those blanks.  At age 48, I suffer from blank burnout!

I also find I have little patience for chatty "reflect on your own life responses."  It's not that I'm against reflecting, but more that I'd rather do it in my own way and time---not because I need to fill a blank in some study guide. So although I'm a rule follower at heart, I  confess I've skipped many of the chatty blanks this time or just put skeletonal bits.

Men's Bible studies and general audience Bible studies don't typically  torture their audience with these types of exercises.  Why do women's studies insist upon this with women?  It feels too much like forced confession or scripted intimacy to me.  I know their intent is good, but....I would rather get on with the scriptures and leave the heart implications to the inner working of my spirit in good time.

The friendship study was worthwhile because I wasn't raised with a Christian concept of healthy female friendship--definitely a void. The videos were structured around a group of four of Lisa Jo Baker's friends chatting with her in authentic ways about various friendship issues.  Although I'd say this was the least "meaty" of the three studies, I found it a refreshing format. I thought this study would be a good one to do with our girls because they had a teen version of the study guide, but I just don't think they were ready for the videos--too adult in content for the 13 year-old and the 18 year-old was in transition to college and too many other things pulling.  I determined after this that the teen guides, although a nice attempt, don't bridge the gap enough.

 Kelly Minter's study on 2 Corinthians was strong in the content of the study guide, but unfortunately I lost my first copy in a hotel and the second one I ordered got lost in route.  So I finished the study on my own, reading through 2 Corinthians, relying on just the video commentary.  It's gotten me through, but it's probably not fair for me to evaluate the study because of the wacky way it's been.

So what next?  I was thinking about some kind of Advent focus....but a quick online search left me uninspired.  Either the readings were too fragmented, jumping around to snippets of gospel and prophecy, or they were predominately the beginning of Luke, dragged out for weeks.  

I do know I've gotten too far from the Old Testament for sure.  My son David and I were talking the other day about an Old Testament Survey class he's in, and sadly, I couldn't remember the name of David's mistress (landed on Delilah's name first before Bathsheba) and went through several male names before I remembered her husband was Uriah.  Although I'm getting older, and I do know the story well, the rusty thing with the names is not good.

In looking through the Advent readings, I inevitably stumbled upon multiple references to the book of Isaiah---boom--there it is.  Isaiah fits nicely with the upcoming Advent of Christ, is a book I haven't visited in awhile, and will keep me grounded through Christmas.   And the new year? Too far off to guess at yet, but I'm thinking back to the Old Testament in some concrete form.

In the meanwhile, I'll be in Isaiah.  Here is a rather ambitious study in Isaiah (178 page document) that I might pick through from Grace Church Memphis.  I'll let you know how it all goes.