Reading the Bible

A Little Poem about Bible Context

I supposed I knew my Bible,

Reading piecemeal, hit or miss,

Now a bit of John or Matthew,

Now a snatch of Genesis,

Certain chapters of Isaiah,

Certain Psalms (the twenty-third),

Twelfth of Romans, first of Proverbs —

Yes, I thought I knew the Word!

But I found that thorough reading

Was a different thing to do,

And the way was unfamiliar

When I read the Bible through.

You who like to play at Bible,

Dip and dabble, here and there,

Just before you kneel, aweary,

And yawn through a hurried prayer;

You who treat the Crown of Writings

As you treat no other book,

Just a paragraph, disjointed,

Just a crude, impatient look.

Try a worthier procedure,

Try a broad and steady view;

You will kneel in very rapture

When you read the Bible through.

Writer Amos Wells reflected our need for thorough Bible study in this verse: Leading the Way by Paul Borthwick, Navpress, 1989, p.  139. Galaxie Software. (2002; 2002). 10,000 Sermon Illustrations. Biblical Studies Press.