A Few Good Volumes

Finally bought a Bible commentary. Or rather, a few volumes of an illustrated commentary. The Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary. (Very long title.)

Thank God so much. It's just what I needed. 'Cos I was feeling a bit overwhelmed by the sheer number of Bible commentaries available at Tecman.

So prayed, asking God to help me find a suitable Bible commentary for me to buy and use. Then I came across the above-mentioned volumes.

All illustrated with beautiful photos and eye-pleasing layout! Yay! In font size 12 pts, no less! Sweet. Easy to understand too. Think I can share the volumes with my CG... =)

Yah. Am reading through the commentary on 1 Thessalonians. Gosh. A lot of new insights. Reminded last night about what Sarah shared with me two years ago on rejuvenating our Bible reading if it feels dry at times. She advised me that I can use a study Bible or a Bible commentary to help me understand in deeper details.

Anyway I've been seeing the necessity of studying the Bible properly. Spurred in part by what Robert and Weizhu had shared before. And somehow - can't remember exactly what - but think Huaqiang's doing something like that too. So his desire for God's Word inspires me likewise.

Anyway I want to study the Bible - not only to have a better knowledge... but because I do genuinely want to understand what I profess. I know that there's the risk of being all "head-knowledge but no heart"... but I think we shouldn't thus react and veer to the other extreme, and be all heart but no head.

'Cos in the last days, men will arise to distort the truth and draw away disciples after them. We've seen this happen with our own eyes... but yet, Jesus also rebuked the Ephesian church, that though they were careful to test and filter out false teachers, they had lost their first love.

So much to think about. Lord... help me know You as You truly are, not what I think You are. Hmm. I want to read the Bible as a love letter from You to me... like a letter from a Father to a son... don't want to treat it like a boring legal contract. (Which to be honest I quite often do at times. But that's not what You want.)

So I pray that as I read the Bible commentary, You'll lead me and guide me into all truth. That what I study will give me a better understanding of the context and deeper appreciation for how real You are, Your love, grace and mercy to us all.

In Jesus' name amen.