Did your home have a Family Bible? These books were used for recording births and deaths, and they were often passed down through several generations. Most Family Bibles had a family tree conveniently inserted near the front cover. What also made them perfect for this job was their size. Since the hefty Bible was unlikely to be misplaced, there was little danger of family records being lost.
Family Bibles were hard to lose. They were usually gigantic. Not to mention ostentatious. They lay open on the coffee table, proudly dusted, their gold-tipped pages gleaming. Ready at a moment’s notice to provide answers to puzzling questions like the date of Great-grandpa Smith’s death or the middle name of Aunt Cassandra’s seventh son.
If you’re not familiar with a Family Bible, you may have seen Christmas greeting cards featuring a Bible. Again, a massive book with gilded edges, surrounded by greenery and soft candlelight.
These memories, ideas, and images we have of the Bible, many of them carried forward from childhood, can make the thought of reading the book intimidating. Maybe some of your ideas about the Bible include ones like these:
- “The Bible is a huge book. I could never finish it.”
- “The Bible is filled with facts about people I don’t even know.”
- “The Bible is for old people. Sick, sad, lonely, and dying people.”
- “The Bible is for important people in the church to study.”
All of these ideas may be exactly right! But instead of intimidating, maybe you can think of them as God’s invitation to you. He wants you to find out who He is, and who you are, in His Son.
Intimidation: “The Bible is a huge book. I could never finish it.”
Reading the Bible from cover to cover isn’t a rule. Even if you set this goal for yourself, you could read the entire Bible each year for the rest of your life and still make new discoveries. God will show you new things about Himself and about His love for you every day. It is a huge book. Filled with God’s huge love. You will never finish it.
Invitation: The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness. –Jeremiah 31:3 NIV
Intimidation: “The Bible is filled with facts about people I don’t even know.”
You may not know the people of the Bible, but they were just like you. They struggled with disappointment, war, sickness, unfair bosses, ungrateful children, and all the same problems that plague us today. The Bible teaches how God cares for his people, with love that will never change.
Invitation: God’s loyal love couldn’t have run out, his merciful love couldn’t have dried up. They’re created new every morning. How great your faithfulness! I’m sticking with God (I say it over and over). He’s all I’ve got left. –Lamentations 3:22 MSG
Intimidation: “The Bible is for old people. Sick, sad, lonely, and dying people.”
The Bible is for old people. And for young people. It was written for all people. Young or old, you can have the joy of knowing that Jesus:
- Loves you enough to die for you.
- Rose from the grave so you don’t have to be afraid of death.
- Wants to bring peace, hope, and happiness to your life here on earth. Today.
Invitation: (Jesus said) The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly –John 10:10 NASB
Intimidation: “The Bible is for important people in the church to study.”
You are an important person. God gives all people special abilities. Some people work as teachers or pastors, translators, priests or professors, and they are helpful in explaining or preaching God’s word. Whatever your occupation, you, too, are important. You are God’s child, and you matter to Him. Whether you are in jail or in the White House, you couldn’t be more loved by the Creator of the universe. He is waiting to tell you that in the Bible.
Invitation: But now, thus says the Lord, your Creator, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine! –Isaiah 43:1 -NASB
Try not to be intimidated by the Bible. It is God’s way of reaching out to you in love. If the size of the book and its sometimes-strange sounding language is especially overwhelming, one suggestion is to start reading in the Gospel of Mark. “The Message” is a Bible translation that is easy to read, and it is available on our app.
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