In 2008 I read through The Daily Bible.

In 2009 I did not. On purpose. And I hated it. Experiment over.

So in 2010 I’m looking for a group of online friends, fellow disciples, companions in following in the footsteps of our Rabbi Jesus, to join with me in reading through The Daily Bible. We’ll discuss online, give each other support and, at the very least, be in the Word each day. It’s the least we can do.

Who’s with me?

Update – December 29
The point is not to read the Bible in one year. The point is to be in the text each day. We cannot expect to be like Jesus if we don’t know what he was about. The Daily Bible, in my opinion, is just a good way to see the story and have something consistent.

In addition to the Daily Bible I’m offering another challenge – read through the Gospels each month. One Gospel a week. That’s in addition to the Daily Bible. Again, if we’re not sitting at Jesus’ feet we cannot expect to be like him. The very purpose of a talmid (disciple) was NOT to know what the Rabbi knew. It was to be just like the Rabbi. We did not choose Him. He chose us. We must follow him everywhere. We must be covered in the dust he stirs ahead of us.

Last December 18 I set out to do several things in 2008.

- “I will buy no new clothes. Now, many who know me may think I’ve been doing this challenge since 1997. And it is true that I don’t buy a lot of clothes. But for 2008, and possibly 2009, I will wear only what I currently have or what is given to me, and anything that is given to me will replace something I already have or be given away. Note that the no-new-clothes thing does not apply to socks and underwear. You’ll thank me for that later.

And how have I done? No new clothes, except that which was given to me. I was given one youth group tshirt, one youth group hoodie, one Fender hoodie (from my mom, no doubt…and it’s an awesome hoodie, thank you), and one or two other shirts, I think. I think I still need to rid myself of one jacket (which the Fender hoodie replaced) and one tshirt. Those items will go to Goodwill or ARC or the guy under the bridge.

I will continue this pledge for 2009, and likely forever (save socks and underwear, remember).

The resolution continued:

- “I have vices (don’t get crazy on the speculations), none of which I really want to dispose of, and I don’t see the need in disposing of them if my conscience is clear.”

No more cigars for me. Not because I wanted to, but because my new health coverage won’t allow it. Fair enough.

- “I do want to hone my ministry, my daily work, and become much better at it. I plan on accomplishing this (or trying to, anyway) by stepping into things I would not normally step into, following God’s lead instead of my own.”

Check aaaaannnnd check. Aaron and I started Innate Productions in August and are hoping to shoot the first scene of our first short film in January.

- “And I feel led to not say “yes” to so many requests, especially those that will take time away from family or the work I have specifically been charged to do. That will mean some will get angry with me for telling them no, but my prayer is that they will instead be inspired to do more themselves (with hidden talents they might be afraid to use) or find someone else who might be longing to fulfill such valid requests.”

Not so sure about the latter part of that hopeful paragraph, but I did say no to more things until being such a disappointment to so many people became so overwhelming I just gave up and started back to saying “yes” to most everything. Shame on me. There’s got to be a better way.

- “I want to read more, but I doubt I’ll do it. I read a lot more this year, but it’s still hard for me to concentrate on a book (unless, apparently, it’s on the level of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which I read this year and adored). I also want to write more, which I started into a few months ago after a several month hiatus. Nothing much ever comes of my writing time, but I’m actually trying my hand at a book now. We’ll see what happens.

Well, I’ve gotten no farther on writing that book but I did read a lot more. Here’s the list.

- Walking With God by John Eldredge (working on it the 2nd time now)

- The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

- The Daily Bible (almost done)

- Pop Goes the Church by Tim Stevens

- Many children’s books – yes, they count

- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (again)

- Stuart Little

- Charlotte’s Web

- Two Harry Potter books (I think they were this year)

- The Rest of God by Mark Buchanan

- The Way of the Wild Heart by John Eldredge

- Too Small To Ignore by Wess Stafford (Compassion International)

- Everything Must Change by Brian McLaren

- The Return of the Prodigal Son by Henri Nouwen

- Reveal by Greg Hawkins

- unChristian by David Kinnaman

My reading of the Daily Bible is almost complete. It’s changed my life in many ways. I will likely not do it again in 2009, however, but switch to another daily study as well as start the daily readings in “Diary of an Old Soul” by George MacDonald.

And here is at least a partial list of goals for 2009, in addition to any I hinted at above.

1. Travel to at least 1 foreign country.
2. While in Chicago, get to the Tigers vs. White Sox game. Highly important, I know.
3. Complete and release a short film, as well as enter it into at least one film festival.
4. Hike again. I’ve missed it so much.
5. Read at least book 1 of 4, Twilight, to better understand my wife :).
6. Take another family vacation.

I’m not even sure if the numbers above are correct anymore.

Job has come and gone. I have grown to love the story. I am more than intrigued. Yes, it’s a little slow in places but I so loved the conversation between God and Job. A few points I pulled out of this. I hate bullet points and lists but here I am with one of my own. Nice.

1 – Job is allowed to complain to God. God listens. Compassion and mercy in silence.
2 – God responds. I used to read this as God saying “SHUT YOUR MOUTH. You don’t know what you’re talking about it.” Sort of a harsh put-Job-in-his-place response. But it is interesting how your interpretation of Scripture changes as your relationship with God deepens. It’s kind of like that acquaintance at church. You know, that person that REALLY gets on my nerves. They’re grating, pushy and grouchy. Then I hear about their upbringing, how their father was a harsh man, treated them badly. The father was never close. Always distant. Suddenly I understand that grating, pushy, grouchy person as honest, passionate and maybe a bit depressed, instead. God can seem harsh. But then I got to know Him.
3 – This world sucks in many ways. It is, after all, where Satan was sent after his defeat in Heaven. (This will be hard to practice should it happen to me…) We have to remember that we are here for God’s glory. God’s response to Job says, “You can’t possibly understand what is going on here. It’s greater than you are. So you just need to trust me.” Now re-read that quote as a father kneeling down to comfort a hurting child. And I have to remember that if I am eternal, then eternity starts now. I cannot look at death as the end. My eternal life begins now.

Still working my way through Job. I’m enjoying it. Will comment next week. There’s really too much going on in the book to effectively reflect on in a blog post. I have to start summarizing things so I can grasp the story a little better. But it’s an excellent commentary on pain, suffering, justice and the never-absent God.

I’ve made it through the major prophets now. Job starts today and proceeds through much of this month. I’ve tried reading Job before but I have a new interest in it. I have listened many, many times to Donald Miller’s speech from last year’s Arts Conference. I had to buy the audio after hearing him speak – there was just something about it. He references Job. He talks about the historical introduction that goes through the first two chapters, and then Moses (or whoever wrote this) breaks into poetry. Why? Because it takes art – poetry – to communicate something that words alone cannot communicate. Not just words – the rhythm of the text (especially original Hebrew, it appears), the heartache, the passion – it had to be told in some other form from the initial historical account. Miller says, “What God is saying is ‘I can’t even begin to tell you how much pain this guy was in’.” So he says it through art.

And this is a very difficult story to grasp if you think out of the eternal. If I think out of the eternal, then it is horrible. It’s the most infuriating story I can possibly imagine. If I think within the eternal, then glory is brought to God and in the end evil is defeated and all is restored. And this is the fight of our lives. Perspective lies within us, though. If we are eternal, if our hearts lie in the eternal through Jesus, then despite the pain of losing my possessions and family and then arguing with friends and even God, I don’t curse Him.

I’m concerned that I’ve always thought the point was, at the end, the restoration. Job’s family and riches are given back. But what if they weren’t? What if Job had lived a life of disease and rot and sorrow beyond this story? Would God be less merciful? Or would the glory still be His? The restoration would still be Job’s, just not at that time. Just not in Job 42. More like Revelation 21. And I can’t wait for Revelation 21.