By Mark Siverling
When I came to faith as a teenager, I asked my pastor what I should read to understand Christianity better. He said I should check out Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis. I devoured it, and read it eight more times in my first couple years of being a Christian. It became a part of how I think and feel and see the world. Most people who know me have heard me say, “C. S. Lewis once wrote…”
I’m the same way with other books that move me. I’ve read The Lord of the Rings trilogy multiple times, as well as my favorite novel, G. K. Chesterton’s Manalive. Maybe you’re not a book nerd like me. But you’ve probably watched your favorite movie more than once or binge-watched reruns of your favorite television show. We like to return to things that resonate with us – it’s comforting to laugh at the same jokes, watch the same scenes, or hear the same songs. They become a part of who we are and shape how we see the world.
This is the kind of familiar delight you can bring to the Word of God. It is a comforting old friend – perhaps you first heard the stories in Sunday School. But there are so many layers of truth, challenge, and encouragement, that no matter how many times you turn to the same underlined, highlighted passages, you can always come away with something new. The Bible is not like any other book. It is living and active to change your life today. There is more in it than you could receive in many lifetimes of study.
“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
Hebrews 4:12 ESV
When you read the Bible over and over, it becomes the normal lens for how you process your life. If you read social media or the news more than you turn to God’s Word, they become the main narratives for your story. But if you keep going back to the Bible, the Gospel of Jesus shapes your heart more than anything else.
The Bible is a big book. And it takes a long time to get through the whole thing when you study and digest it. But if you set aside a little time each day, you can cover a lot of ground in 365 moments each year. As you read it, over and over, it changes who you are. It is the actual Word of God; if you believe it is true, it can’t not affect you.
It’s fun to watch your favorite episode of The Office or to listen to your favorite album for the hundredth time. I encourage you to use that natural love of repetition and familiarity to tap into God’s wonderful Word. Read it over and over, and receive new gifts of clarity and correction from your good Father each and every time.