Encouragements: Finished And Yet Barley Just Begun

Firstly if this sounds like a boast please forgive me but I'm not a natural reader and this was a struggle that I 'failed' in (at least) the first three times I tried and am happy and encouraged enough to mark this occasion.

At 1:22pm today I finally finished reading through the entire Bible. After getting my new NIV Bible this Easter I aimed to study through it with commentaries and colour code the verses before I finished at Saywers but I suppose finishing it after in my holidays where I would have more time off, with hindsight, seems much more realistic.

Reading through it with a number of various commentaries and notes was useful although I still wanted to make sure I developed my own perspective on the verses before I resorted to the knowledge and historical information of others; simply because I believe the Bible speaks to us as individuals (also I'm questioning the possibility that even historically inaccurate conclusions can contain good advice and accurate moral standards).

My order of reading was as follows: Pentateuch (Genesis-Deuteronomy), New Testament (Matthew-Revelation), Books of Wisdom (Job-Songs of Songs) and The Books of History (Joshua-Esther) and of Prophecy (Isaiah-Malachi) together. I only started with the OT because I'd read much of the NT already and felt a lot weaker in my knowledge of the OT; but I highly recommend reading all the NT first (as great as the OT is) for anyone wishing to do the same. And I recommend reading the preface and introduction (if you have one) if you want to find out a little about the translation method and history of the manuscript.

Anyway as I've realised that I don't like reading other peoples long blogs I'll get to the point (if there even is one). That although I've finally finished reading all the words in, what is, an English translated version of the Bible I've only just begun to search its meanings and it's beauty, only began to understand the reality of it's truths and the depth of the many characters, especially the author Himself. And so I continue to read, to study hard and memorise; but moreover to be inspired and encouraged, to put into action and to fall more in love with the Creator and his creation. Then my life will glorify Him more and find joy in him increasingly.