The Bible Isn't Meant to Be "Finished"
A lesson from reading Job
Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. —Job 42:3 (ESV)
Recently, the Lord nudged me to read the book of Job. Not to mindlessly check-box my way through it, but to slow down and actually read it. I found myself puzzled by the book. And somewhere along the way, I realized that not understanding it was part of God’s invitation.
At first, I was frustrated by my lack of understanding. I was reading Job and thinking, “What in the world does this mean?” If you’re not familiar with the book, Job was a righteous and wealthy man who served God faithfully. One day, Satan asks God if he can make Job suffer in an attempt to get Job to turn away from God. God gives permission, and Job loses everything—his family, his livestock, his harvest, his employees, even his health. But he doesn’t curse God. As he is sitting in misery, some of his friends come to comfort him. Most of the book records their speeches to Job and his responses. Spoiler alert: In the end, God restores to Job all that was lost and commends Job’s faithfulness, even through suffering.
As I was reading Job, I found that I didn’t want to put it down. What started as a frustration with not understanding it sparked renewed curiosity about the story. It was as though the Lord was showing me that the Bible is so rich and so full that a lifetime of reading it will never plumb its depths.
Most of the time, we don’t reread a book. We read it and put it on the shelf—done. But the Bible was never intended to be read once and checked off the list. It’s meant to be read over and over again. Even though you’ve read the words before, sometimes reading them again can feel like reading them for the first time. And even though you’re familiar with a story, sometimes reading it again reveals new insights that you missed. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard someone say, “I’ve read this a hundred times, but I’ve never noticed that before.”
So, when (not if) you’re reading the Bible and find yourself scratching your head, don’t lose heart! It happens to the best of us. Keep reading. Keep asking the Lord, “What does this mean?” Wisdom takes time to develop. But we have all eternity ahead of us!