Reading through the Bible in a year can seem like a daunting goal to some who have never done it. This introduction is a start in an illogical place, because we need to address that concern from the beginning of the effort. So our starting place is at the end of the Bible.
Revelation 12 tells about a great battle that has its roots in Satan getting thrown out of God’s presence with the third of the angels he had seduced into following him. He hated God before He was thrown out of His presence; imagine what getting bounced did for his feelings toward God. But God isn’t as vulnerable to Satan’s power even as much as we are vulnerable to a gnat’s hovering, and Satan was powerless to vent his hatred in hurting God in any way. EXCEPT – where God’s creation man is concerned. God loves man so much, that Satan can get to God through us, if he can figure out how to use us. Our first day’s reading begins that story of how Satan figured out how to use man to try to hurt God, how man fell right into his trap and took up his side in that epic battle, and God’s response. Amazingly, it wasn’t to walk away from man, but to promise the crushing of Satan’s head one day. The Bible tells the story of God’s plan unfolding.
If you understand this central story of the Bible, it makes so much more sense and has so much more meaning than that of simply conveying charming stories. Scripture is not just stories, advice, and some really boring names and worship practices in between. It “is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)
But Satan doesn’t want you to read it. You need to understand that if you are any real threat to him at all, he will be battling you, doing everything he can to keep you from this goal. If you have tried reading through the Bible before and failed, you know how many ways and how effective his ways are, to cause you to give up. He knows how powerful Scripture is to your knowledge of God, and He doesn’t want you to know God or grow in your knowledge of Him.
But God. God has already given you “everything you need for life and godliness,” if you will just believe that promise enough to put it to work for you. God doesn’t promise that His help will make it easy; no, Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble, but take heart, I have overcome the world.” His help makes it possible. He has given the help through our knowledge of Him; we need to cling to Him for whatever we need and move forward with what He has for us to do, trusting Him to work it out. One work He certainly has for you is to be in His word.