Alright, I have a confession to make: I have absolutely no musical talents. We're talking tone-deaf and total disregard for beat. So much so that my husband has already informed me that he will be holding our child during the worship at church so she has some chance of developing rhythm. That is, of course, if she hasn't already been scarred from nine months of my off-beat swaying.
The saddest part is that I have come to the realization that I am worse than I previously thought. I used to think I at least had the words to songs down. Words make more sense to me than beats and I can typically remember the lyrics to any song. However, as Jason and I were watching Monday Night Football, they played the song by the Who that is apparently called "Who Are You?" You know the catchy jam. Well, I hadn't been paying attention, but suddenly looked up and said, "Are they saying 'who are you'?" Jason, confused by the question, gave a head tilt and a simple "Yeah." I busted out laughing and informed him I had always thought it said "Cool water, Oooh Oooh, Oooh, Oooh." And there went my credibility with lyrics.
Now, I have heard this song a million times and apparently never once understood it. After I had decided in my head what the lyrics said, I never again listened to the words because I assumed I knew them. Instead, I just belted it out as only one who is tone-deaf can do. So when I took the time to truly listen to it, one, I understood the true lyrics, and two, the song made a lot more sense. I don't think this only applies to songs. But I think this is an approach we sometimes take when reading the Bible.
If you grew up in church or have read the Bible through countless times, it can become easier and easier to tell yourself you know and understand it. The excuse of "I already read that" becomes easier to accept and harder to fight. We develop this mindset that we already know what Exodus says about the use of porpoise hides (Exodus 35, NASB) and therefore determine that we don't need to read Exodus ever again. Okay, that might be an extreme example, but do you get what I'm saying? We fall into this trap where we convince ourselves the Bible has nothing new to teach us. And this, dear friends, is a lie.
Hebrews 4:12 reminds us that "the word of God is alive and active." The Bible isn't some fiction book you can read once and, because you know the ending, it loses its appeal. But it moves and works no matter how many times you read it. Think of it in these terms: Maybe you determine to read through the Bible once a year. So for the sake of example, you read Genesis every January. But each year that you read Genesis, you will have another year of life under your belt. You will not be the same person who read Genesis last January, but one who has grown through God's teachings and life experience. Therefore, Genesis should become completely new each year. Your eyes will see different parts, your heart will be comforted in different ways, and hopefully, the wisdom you've gained from the past year will help you to see God's word in a whole new light.
You see, every time you open the Bible, it should teach you something new or remind you more deeply of a truth you may have forgotten. So as you read your Bible today, do it with eager expectation. Do it with the knowledge that God has something to teach you in your quiet time with him. We will never be intelligent enough to know all of him, but our God is in the business of revealing himself to those who earnestly seek him. Look at God in a new light today. Read his Word as if you've never read it before and be amazed by what God teaches you. Don't be content with the lyrics you thought you understood, but listen with new ears and be open to a God who knows your intimately and wants to be known intimately by you. And when you learn something new or re-learn something, sing him a song of praise, no matter how tone-deaf you are.
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