My New Bible

For my birthday this year I asked for a new Bible. I'm not the type to want to have 37 different versions of the Bible gathering dust on my shelf, particularly since I'm constantly aware in my ministry of whole people groups who have no Bible at all, so it's unusual that I'd ask for a new one.

The one I asked for (and got) is "The Narrated Bible in Chronological Order (NIV)", edited by F. LaGard Smith. The title is pretty self-explanatory -- the whole Bible rearranged so that items are placed in their historical context and laid out in the order in which they took place. So Psalms are interspersed with passages from 1 Samuel and 1 Chronicles and the Gospels are all mixed in with each other, for two examples.

I love it. It's really renewed my enthusiasm for reading the Word. Yes, you lose some of the uniqueness of the individual author and his intended audience, but someone like me gains a lot of perspective and context which makes it all a little clearer for me. I'm a history guy -- I enjoy thinking linearly and finding structure in things. The Bible has often defied those traits ... until now. I feel like this has already helped me understand God better, and I expect only to continue as I get further along.

Bottom line though -- anything that gets me into the Word more is a good thing.

P.S. Thanks to Doug & Sharon Jordan in Vienna, Austria who left a copy of this Bible in their bathroom for me to pick up and look at during one of my "visits".