Categories: uncategorized
Date: 11 April 2011 09:04:59
Yesterday was day 100 of the year and of "the project" - the reading through the bible in a year. As such I thought I would reflect a bit.
I love the Old Testament. Reading through I don't get some of it and the view of God it gives is one I find difficult to reconcile with my own understandings sometimes. However, I have also found it funny, moving, sensible and liberating.
The humour, like Job's telling the annoying holier than thou friends that "they weren't even good enough to be put with his fathers sheep dog", is dry and very clever. It's what I would call "Inspector Morse" style humour. Loving it, as I say.
The moving bits have been the stories of God using ordinary, messed up people who have often endured depite of their humanity because of their relationship with God. Reading through you realise that very little in life hasn't been part of human experience for thousands of years.
Reading the law, particularly the beginning of Leviticus was great. It was one massive Food Hygene Course, but without the certificate at the end. I wasn't so struck by Numbers but Deuteronomy is back to the sort of solid no nonsense advice you need if you are going to survive.
As for the liberation, going through the laws and the stories I have found that whilst the culture may have been patriarchal God wasn't. God gave specific laws and instructions to protect women, and those fleeing persecution (aliens). Deuteronomy has alot about the "fatherless" and the "widow". For years "the laws" have been things I have been taught have been dangerous to me because they have been used to opress me and people like me. Yet, reading through them they have been liberating. Yes, there have been some questions they've left me with....but I have been able to see them in their context. Reading through, using the Methodist quadrillateral as my lens has been a truly liberating experience.
In terms of the Psalms and Proverbs. They've actually left me a bit dry. By that I mean some of them are boring, some are so blooming obvious and some are just so depressing. Often I've been half way between wanting to give the Psalmist a hug and a slap.
The gospel readings have been interesting, and I have gotten new stuff out of it, but less so than with the OT stuff. I think part of the issue is we are currently up to being mid way through Luke and so I keep bumping into stuff I've prepared sermons on and so have already, recently, done wrestling with. Therefore, whilst getting into it and reading it afresh I don't have that same level of wonder and awe I have with the OT stuff, (or indeed the wrestling).
Anyway, 100 days in and I'm so glad I've decided to go for it.