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  • Mary Grace Whatley

Back to the basics

Lately I have had a weird sense that I don't know the Bible at all, and I 100% know that that is very dramatic and not that true. It's also Satan attacking a core fear of not knowing what I long to know. But this weird feeling has shown me how the Bible can be overwhelming for some people that didn't grow up in church hearing the stories or reading them before bed every night, or maybe for that person that did grow up in the church but lost connection with God and His Word overtime and forgot what it was all about. I love God's Word and read it every single morning and when I don't - I panic. Just ask my husband. My whole DAY is thrown off! Even though I have daily time in His Word, it's easy to miss the point of what I'm reading. Whether it's a story about a man and a boat or a woman that sits at a well - all of these stories are great to read, but the true meaning of them is supposed to point to something greater.


And that's the truth about the whole Bible.


"No, the Bible isn't a book of rules, or a book of heroes. The Bible is most of all a Story. It's an adventure story about a young Hero who comes from a far country to win back his lost treasure. It's a love story about a brave Prince who leaves his palace, his throne - everything - to rescue the one he loves... You see, the best thing about this Story is - it's true. There are lots of stories in the Bible, but all the stories are telling one big Story. The Story of how God loves his children and comes to rescue them. It takes the whole Bible to tell this Story. And at the center of the Story, there is a baby. Every Story in the Bible whispers his name. He is like the missing piece in a puzzle - the piece that makes all the other pieces fit together, and suddenly you can see a beautiful picture... This is the Child upon whom everything would depend." - the Jesus Storybook Bible


I often forget this truth when I read the Bible. That it's pointing to something bigger. It's a love note written to us from God. It's a story that shows us His plan, His reign, and his awe-striking love for us. While every story is fun to read, if you change the outlook on how you read it with these truths in mind, with the whole picture in mind, they can be life stories written on your heart that you can hold on to. They can be stories that you resonate with when you or a friend are going through a hard time. They are real life stories that are true evidence of His power and sovereignty. So I'm heading back to the basics - I want to read all of these stories in the Bible with a different lens. I recently started picking up the Jesus Storybook Bible to read these stories. It's a resource that so beautifully points to the Gospel in every story - showing us that missing piece in the bigger puzzle. I want these stories to be written on my heart and to live my life with them in mind, reminding me and pointing me to the Author who wrote them. Care to join me? Click on the picture to order on for yourself!



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