Did you know this was in the Bible?

It occurred to me this morning as I was reading the daily Mass readings, that many of you may have been raised how I was, meaning you didn’t read the Bible at all growing up, and maybe you still don’t.  You may not even have a desire to yet.  So you might not know about some of the really cool stuff that’s in there.  It’s not all “fire and brimstone” (although there is some of that!), and it’s not all weird stories you can’t understand (although it’s some of that, too, to be honest!) – that’s all it used to be for me, but I’m thankful that’s not the case anymore.  Now I know that they’re all just different ways God uses to try to teach us more about Him.

I thought I’d share some neat readings now and then that I come across or some that I’ve always loved.  (Well, ‘always’ as in…since I began reading the bible a few years ago!)  I hope you learn something from it, or that it might spark an interest that makes you want to go pick up a Bible…

Keep in mind:

If you don’t think this bible quote is as awesome as I do, that’s OK.

• Sometimes a reading will hit someone hard and another person may not be moved at all.
• Sometimes you need to ask the Holy Spirit to give you the desire to read and “get” the Bible, and the passion to really want to stick with it daily.  I remember before my conversion I wanted to want to read the Bible, but every time I tried I fell asleep or became frustrated that I didn’t get any of it.  The Holy Spirit definitely changed something in me.  Even once I had the desire I didn’t always understand it all, though, but more of that comes with time.  Some things still stump me these days (like today’s Gospel as a matter of fact), but I don’t freak about it.  You can always ask a pastor, ask a good friend who might know, or try a Bible with good teaching notes.  (I used the Life Application Study Bible for years.)

Today’s readings:

Usually the new testament readings strike me more often than something in the old testament does.  (Read “What are the new testament and the old testament?”)  But today I didn’t really “get” the new testament reading (maybe someone can help me?  Luke 5:33-39), and it was the Psalm that grabbed me.  I write or underline in my Bible when I find something cool, and here’s the note I had by today’s Psalm reading because I’d found another translation that I thought was neat (from Psalm 37):

I loved that one today!  The more I read my Bible, the more cool verses I find.  And you will too if you stick with it!

photo credit, Creative Commons 2.0