- Joined
- Feb 9, 2004
- Messages
- 17,078
Filling In The Gaps - January 19, 2006
In early January I gassed up the car and headed into the desert. Just past Moab, Utah, I pulled into a truck stop to buy a few items and bumped into the New Testament on CD as narrated by James Earl Jones. Nineteen hours of passing the time, I thought to myself, as I bought the set. Given my new interest in Jesus, I thought my driving time would be well spent learning more about Him. Thirty hours later, I rolled into Indianapolis with the last chapter of Revelations coming to an end and a new chapter of my life just beginning.
It's interesting how the human mind fills in gaps where information is missing. For example, when we see a portion of a familiar picture, our mind automatically fills in the rest of the image. Or if we read a familiar text, our mind fills in the words of a sentence before we actually read them. Likewise, I automatically filled the gaps in my understanding of the Bible's stories. I assumed I understood Christianity. However, after listening to every word of the New Testament during my drive to Indianapolis, I became aware of how little I REALLY knew.
This experience helped me realize that I never actually understood the Bible. I only knew a distorted version, created through conversations, occasional reading of a passage or two, and by filling in the gaps. After hearing the Word from beginning to end, I was able to begin understanding the Bible's intended message.
Don't make the mistake I did by relying on your own concept of the stories in the Bible. Make an effort to consistently spend time reading the Word of God and you'll be amazed at how a distorted version of the Bible can become crystal clear.
Contributed by John R. Maculley, Jr.
In early January I gassed up the car and headed into the desert. Just past Moab, Utah, I pulled into a truck stop to buy a few items and bumped into the New Testament on CD as narrated by James Earl Jones. Nineteen hours of passing the time, I thought to myself, as I bought the set. Given my new interest in Jesus, I thought my driving time would be well spent learning more about Him. Thirty hours later, I rolled into Indianapolis with the last chapter of Revelations coming to an end and a new chapter of my life just beginning.
It's interesting how the human mind fills in gaps where information is missing. For example, when we see a portion of a familiar picture, our mind automatically fills in the rest of the image. Or if we read a familiar text, our mind fills in the words of a sentence before we actually read them. Likewise, I automatically filled the gaps in my understanding of the Bible's stories. I assumed I understood Christianity. However, after listening to every word of the New Testament during my drive to Indianapolis, I became aware of how little I REALLY knew.
This experience helped me realize that I never actually understood the Bible. I only knew a distorted version, created through conversations, occasional reading of a passage or two, and by filling in the gaps. After hearing the Word from beginning to end, I was able to begin understanding the Bible's intended message.
Don't make the mistake I did by relying on your own concept of the stories in the Bible. Make an effort to consistently spend time reading the Word of God and you'll be amazed at how a distorted version of the Bible can become crystal clear.
Contributed by John R. Maculley, Jr.
