A friend who doesn’t share my beliefs was telling me his “bucket list”—things he wanted to do before he died, before he “kicked the bucket”!

In addition to things like snorkeling at the Great Barrier Reef was reading the Bible.

He told me that even though he wasn’t a Christian, he realized that the Bible has huge cultural and historical significance. And since he respected many of Jesus’ teachings he wanted to read it cover-to-cover.

In saying this, he gave me a gift: A reminder that the Bible has immense power. For all of us.

Today I want to give some advice to help those among us who are trying to read the Bible “cover-to-cover”—and struggling with it. Let’s be honest, who among us hasn’t laboured through sections, felt bad because it seemed like work, and wondered if they shouldn’t just give up.

My advice is this: Keep returning to the Gospels like the light keeps returning to the dawn.

Read some of the early books, and then go to Matthew’s Gospel. Then return to some of the prophets in the Old Testament, and then go to Mark’s Gospel. Read through the Psalms, and then go to Luke. You get the picture.

Indulge in a regular diet of the Gospels, even while you’re attempting to plow through cover-to-cover.

In Mark 13:31 (NIV) Jesus says, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”

Keep returning to the Gospels like the light keeps returning to the dawn.

Not only will you give your Bible-reading new life, but you’ll be drawn deeper into the wisdom of a Master whose words to you will never fail.

By Matthew Ruttan