Stop--Bible time!

Yeah, not so much.

I floss more regularly than I read my Bible. Not something I'm proud to admit, but it's the truth. As a Christian I'm supposed to like the Bible...but it's not the first thing I reach for when I'm in the mood to read. Having grown up in a Christian household, I know the Bible pretty darn well. I have actually read the whole thing multiple times, so I do know what it says. But the way some people talk, you'd think rainbows and magic Jesus glitter come shooting out every time you flip it open. Guess what, the Bible is not always easy reading. Sometimes it actually feels a little pointless and doesn't seem to help me that much. There are passages in there that are hard to accept and require pondering over. It's not something you can passively read, you have to actively engage your mind. To be honest, there are passages that I wonder why they're there. I ask God sometimes why I need to know the measurements of the tabernacle or what fabric it was made out of. I get keeping the prophecies in the Old Testament that point to Christ, but for the majority of us who aren't theologians, some of it seems a bit dry (the book of Numbers, anyone?). And I know I am not the only person who feels this way--I'm just being honest about it. Some Christians seem to think that if you admit doubt or ask any questions, you're not really saved. Well, guess what, I love Jesus, but I don't always like reading his book, okay?! I do question why He can't just speak audibly instead of me trying to muddle my way through a huge book that is thousands of years old, written by various authors in numerous cultures. Yes, the Bible offers truth and salvation...but does it have to be so boring/confusing at times?

But I'm learning that God doesn't do anything by accident, He always has a purpose and a point. Just because it's confusing to me, doesn't mean it's meaningless. Part of being a Christian is bumbling along and having faith that God will take your hand and lead you where you need to go. Following Jesus is not like driving on a wide open highway in a fast car, following huge signs posted along the way; it's more like you're hiking in the woods in the middle of the night with a crappy flashlight on a poorly marked trail, and the moon occasionally comes out from behind the clouds and illuminates your way for a while. The map in your hands doesn't make a lot of sense in the dark, but you're trusting that the one who made it knew what he was doing. That's what it feels like to me at least.

Hopefully, you can tell that I'm not interested in being phony and pretending that being a Christian is all hunky-dory, JESUS IS THE BEST EVAR!!!! *huge fake smile as I clutch my oversize Bible* So, I try to read my Bible somewhat regularly and be real. I ask deep questions, admit I'm not perfect, and seek a genuine faith.