Basics 1: Why are we eating the Bible?

As I considered what my husband was saying to me, “You should write a blog about how to study the Bible”, I had all kinds of apprehensive emotions which turned into are-you-out-of-your-mind words.

But as I’ve spent hours brainstorming and taking notes with Jeremy, I’ve come to realize that I am qualified to write to you, fellow student of the word, because we share the same beginning. A lover of Jesus with no formal bible training and yet a hunger to know this God and Savior who has revealed himself in this ancient document, the Bible.

Embarking on an adventure like teaching someone such a monstrous and hotly debated topic seems overwhelming except for the small fact that learning it all is equally overwhelming. Which is why I want the concept of Bible Study Bites to be in front of both of us. We just celebrated our 28th wedding anniversary and as we drove for hours, returning from adventures in mountain biking, the topic of the blog name came up. A favorite saying of mine is “How do you eat an elephant?  A bite at a time.” The principle holds true for how to study the scripture. 

Over the last 25 or so years of being beloved by Jesus, I’ve gone from being perplexed by what others could see from reading the Bible to having others ask me “How did you learn that?”. By placing myself in positions of learning Bible study techniques and tools, some of the mystery of how to unravel what biblical authors meant has come to be second nature in some cases. My intention in this blog is to begin with the study of the book of Ephesians–I will be studying it and then telling you what I’m doing.

Another passion of mine is mountain biking and as with Bible study, I want to share that joy and adventure with others. I’ve been privileged to get to head out on the trails in my little mountain town in Colorado with sometimes first-time riders. As we head out, I choose one aspect of riding for the student to focus on for that ride. And then depending on what my riding partner is comfortable with, I usually ride in front and do what I want them to do with  exaggerated form so they can see what my feet are doing, how I get back over the saddle, or what gear I’ve chosen. Here we will do the same thing: I will do one aspect of study, one bite at a time, and then show you what I’ve done.

When I’m on the trail, I want my friends to have fun adventures. To have success and victory. They are like rubber bands; there is no use in a snapped rubber band. But following the function of the rubber band, we can all stretch a little and learn. That’s what I want for our Bible study adventure too.