7 Days: Sample Day 1

The Bible is a collection of books of varying genres, all focused on the mystery of God and his relationship with his creation.

Though the Bible is often referred to as the Good Book, it is actually comprised of several individual books, written by several authors in several languages over the course of several millennia. The online publication Spiritual Journeys states, “Its books are ‘shelved’ by type and topic, just as in a public library: history, the Law, the Prophets, poems and wisdom literature, eyewitness accounts of Jesus (the Gospels), collections of letters, and mind-blowing apocalyptic descriptions of the past, present and future.”¹

But there is an added dimension to the description above that is worth pondering. The Bible itself claims to be the written and revealed word of the living God. God claims to be present and active in his Word—that he and his Word are one.

This is a mystery to say the least. In fact, “mystery” would be an appropriate addition to the list of genres in the quote above. In order to fathom any part of this mystery, one must delve in and read it for oneself.

Consider This

• What books do you have on your “to-read” book list?
• Why did those books make the cut for you?

Take Action

If you have not yet done so, put the Bible on your reading list. As a huge “library” in and of itself, you can check books in and out daily, even while you read through other books on your list. Practice literary analysis, comparing and contrasting the texts you read. Take note of your observations. Going to the Bible itself is the first step in answering your questions about it.