Oct 14.98: Light For The Day - "Read It Through ..."

"Do not merely listen to the Word, 
and so deceive yourselves. 
Do what It says."
-- James 1:22 (NIV)

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"READ IT THROUGH"

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 though i knew the word.

But i found a 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 dable here and there,
Just before you kneel aweary
And yawn out a hurried prayer;

You who treat the Crown of Writing
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 every rapture
When you read the Bible through.

-- Amos R. Wells

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"Do not let this Book of the Law depart from 
your mouth; meditate on it day and night, 
so that you may be careful to do everything 
written in it. Then you will be prosperous 
and successful."

-- Joshua 1:8 (NIV)