
I hesitate to post this, because it sounds like bragging – even worse, it sounds like bragging about a spiritual matter. Even worse, I might actually be bragging and in denial about it. Maybe I can pour enough self-deprecation on to counterbalance the sin of pride.
Last night, at bedtime, I finished the Book of Malachi in my Bible (I always do my bedtime Bible reading in Norwegian, to multitask, stacking education on top of edification. I’ve done this for more than 50 years.) I started (in English) when I was in confirmation class at church; I must have been about 13 years old. I’m now… considerably older.
Since I read from the Old Testament and the New Testament at different times of the day, I get through the New Testament several times for every full reading of the Old Testament. I don’t know how many times I’ve read the New Testament. But last night marked my 20th reading of the O.T. (Actually, it may be my 21st. There was a time I lost track of the hash marks I put in the inside cover; I opted for the lower count to be sure I wasn’t cheating.)
At the rate of one chapter a night, five nights a week (I give myself a break on weekends), it takes me a little over four years to read the Old Testament through.
Twenty readings seems to me like a milestone. I could have racked up more hash tags, certainly; there have been periods in my life when I got out of the habit, not without guilt. (At one point I grew deeply concerned about my spiritual state, as I was having such a hard time picking the book up at night. Then it occurred to me that the print was awfully small. I procured a pair of reading glasses and found my spirituality restored.)
I’m sure there are a lot of people who’ve read the Bible more times than I have, adjusting for age or not. Some people follow reading plans that get them through the whole thing (New Testament included) in a year. I respect that, but I’ve never felt right setting goals in my Bible reading. It’s like scheduling visits to one’s grandmother.
There was an age when the number of times you’d read the Bible earned you esteem in the United States. Emotionally, I suppose I still live in that time.
Rewards in Heaven? I believe there are such things, but I generally don’t consider them in practice; when we get Over There, we’ll cast whatever crowns we’ve acquired at the feet of the King. So the only reward I expect for my Bible reading is whatever wisdom manages to work its way into my mind and spirit. That ought to be enough. Adults don’t expect a reward for eating healthy food – the food’s effects are the reward.







