It’s a new year which means it’s time for Through the Bible CAL 2023! This particular blog post will contain thoughts and discussions from our January Bible Reading. I’m so excited to be sharing my thoughts with you here on the blog as well as on the Facebook Group.
Please feel free to share your on thoughts on the readings in the comments section where others can engage with you as well. This is a chronological Bible reading plan. What that means is that instead of reading the Bible in order, we’ll be reading through according to how events took place.
Our January Bible Reading will start in Genesis and jump over to Job. After we’re done with Job, we’ll finish up on Genesis and get a start on Exodus.
You can download the complete guide that contains a summary of this blog post, colour coding reference charts as well as a blank one for your own colour choices. And most importantly, our Bible reading schedule for the next 365 days!
How should I approach the day’s readings?
This is my first time going through the Bible. However, I’m what you could call “Genesis Expert”. What this means is that I’ve started reading the Bible a lot of times with the intention of going through the entirety of it only to give up somewhere in Genesis!
Here’s what I have found really helpful, and that keeps me going. Before you begin reading, pause for a moment to pray God will help you know Him more.
As you read the day’s chapters, you pick out what stood out most to you, match it to a colour from the chart below and use that colour for your day’s crochet. You can change up the colours to match your own colour coding preferences.
Apart from this, you should also consider these questions:
- What attributes of God’s character are revealed in the passage?
• Consider places where the text directly states the character of God. In addition to that, how His character is revealed through His words and actions.
- What do I learn about myself in light of who God is?
• Assess how you fall short of God’s character. How the text reveals your sinful nature, and what it says about your new identity in Christ.
- How does the passage point to Jesus?
• Examine how the passage reveals the problem of sin and the forgiveness of sins offered through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
- How should the truth of this passage change me?
• Think about how you might pray for God to change your heart. Also what practical steps you can take toward cultivating habits of holiness.
- What isn’t clear? Write down the question.
• When you come to a point in the Bible that isn’t clear or you don’t understand, write down the verse and the question you have beside it. You’re going to have a lot of questions but as you read through the Bible, you’ll be able to answer some and others can be answered by further online research using verified commentaries or your local church.
January Bible Reading.
Week 5 January Bible Reading
31st January: Exodus 4-6
So the LORD said to him,
“What is that in your hand?”
He said, “A rod.”
And Moses took
the rod of God in his hand.
4:20 is one of my favourite verses because it’s a great reminder that God will use what you have and in this way the glory goes to Him. This gives us no excuse not to serve Him. It’s humbling.
30th January: Exodus 1-3
And God said to Moses,
“I AM WHO I AM”
God’s name in 3:14- I AM is the heaviest of His names for me because it points to His absolute and unchanging nature. Whether we refer to the past, present or future, He will always be the same. It’s also the most comforting because it prompts me to trust Him to be what I need; the Shepherd, the Light, their Bread of Life, the Truth etc. There is a certainty to his nature, will and word. What He says He will bring to pass.
Week 4 January Bible Reading
29th January: Genesis 48-50
“…but God will surely visit you,
and bring you out of this land
to the land of which he swore
to Abraham,
to Isaac,
and to Jacob.”
I loved Joseph’s faith in his last words of Genesis, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry out my bones from here.”
28th January: Genesis 46-47
And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt
seventeen years.
So the length of Jacob’s life
was one hundred and forty-seven years.
46:1 shows the great faith Israel had. He brought the entire family down to Egypt. No one was left behind to continue a presence in Canaan. Jacob was both all in, and he knew they would be back.
27th January: Genesis 43-45
But now,
do not therefore be grieved or angry
with yourselves because you sold me here;
for God sent me before you
to preserve life.
Judah intercedes for Benjamin and offers to take his place as a slave just as Christ, The Great High Priest, intercedes for us and even died for our sins.
26th January: Genesis 41-42
Then Joseph gave a command
to fill their sacks with grain,
to restore every man’s money to his sack,
and to give them provisions for the journey.
Thus he did for them.
Joseph provides for his brothers even before they were reconciled. In the same way, Jesus gives us unexpected, undeserved blessings. The greatest gift is that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us- Romans 5:8
25th January: Genesis 38-40
The LORD was with Joseph,
and he was a successful man;
and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.
But the LORD was with Joseph
and showed him mercy,
and he gave him favor
in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
I saw God as the Redeemer.
24th January: Genesis 35-37
Then Jacob tore his clothes,
put sackcloth on his waist,
and mourned for his son many days.
Though Reuben saved Joseph from death, he is equally wrong for watching his father mourn and staying silent. On a lighter note, did you spot Eliphaz, Job’s friend, in Esau’s genealogy? Turns out he’s Esau’s son. And in 36:28 when we meet Uz and Aran, guess which town Job was from? Uz!!! Small world.
23rd January: Genesis 32-34
But Esau ran to meet him,
and embraced him,
and fell on his neck
and kissed him,
and they wept.
What stood out to me is all the relationship dynamics here. Jacob’s relationship with God is growing. In 31:5, he calls Him “the God of my father” but in 33:20 he erected an altar and called it “God, the God of Israel”.
22nd January: Genesis 30-31
I am the God of Bethel,
where you anointed the pillar
and where you made a vow to Me.
I was too judgmental of Jacob and his motives yesterday in 28:20-21. He called it a vow and God recognized it as such 31:13. It reminded me of all the times I make such prayers to God. And the point where we meet Christ is almost always at a point of need; when we least expect it. With that said my theme for today is the God of Bethel.
Week 3 January Bible Reading
21st January: Genesis 27-29
If God will be with me,
and keep me in this way that I am going,
and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on,
so that I come back to my father’s house in peace,
then the LORD shall be my God.
My theme for today is sin. It was really glaring right? Everyone was lying to everyone and Jacob’s vow in 28:20 sounded more like an ultimatum (and a bit self-centered). When I used to hear about the patriarchs, I thought they never sinned and were so perfect. It really goes to show how gracious God is.
20th January: Genesis 25-26
And he moved from there
and dug another well,
and they did not quarrel over it.
So he called its name Rehoboth,
because he said,
“For now the LORD has made room for us,
and we shall be fruitful in the land.”
The Lord is pleased with those who follow His voice, keep His charge, His commandments, His statutes and His laws- 26:5
19th January: Genesis 22-24
“In the Mount of the LORD
it shall be provided.”
22:8 “God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering” & 22:14 “In the Mount of the LORD it shall be provided” point to Jesus Christ (John 1:29).
Abraham believed that God would bring Isaac back from the dead (Hebrews 11:17-19)- something God hadn’t done at this point!!! Abraham’s faith was just on another level. Definitely something to aspire to.
18th January: Genesis 19-21
And the LORD visited Sarah as He has said,
and the LORD did for Sarah as He had spoken.
Today’s readings were so chaotic! Goodness. The first time I read through them, the sin just kept glaring at me but the second time I saw God’s faithfulness. Despite our continuous sin He still remains faithful.
17th January: Genesis 16-18
Is anything too hard for the LORD?
I love seeing how the patriarchs related to God. How do they talk to Him, respond to commands and ask for things? What is their posture?18:3 (My Lord, if I have found favor in Your sight, do not pass on by Your servant) stood out most to me and reminded me of the hymn “Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior”.
16th January: Genesis 12-15
And he believed n the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.
Saw God’s name in 14:18-20, God Most High and Abraham’s faith in 15:6. But what really stood out to me was the covenant simply because I always missed it. I’ve read through the passage so many times but only found out the weight of it last year. Whether or not you understand the significance, here’s a short sermon on it that I’m sure you’ll enjoy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MLqalGN_ZQ&t=1283s
15th January: Job 40-42
Everything under heaven is Mine
The more I read through the Bible the more glaring it is what damage pride can do and what blesses humility can bring.
Week 2 January Bible Reading
14th January: Job 38-39
I see God’s infinite wisdom and power. He is the Creator and the. He knows all and sees all.
13th January: Job 35-37
I was torn my Elihu’s speech today because as much as most of what he says is true, he’s using it as a means to bring down Job. I also saw a bit of that pride sneaking in in where he talks as if he has absolute knowledge about God- 36:4 “one who is perfect in knowledge is with you”. That made me laugh because it sounds like such an African phrase! That said, chapter 37 is just beautifully poetic and where I get my theme for today; God’s majesty
12th January: Job 32-34
Elihu started out really well but he’s also making some assumptions similar to Job’s 3 other friends. Although they miss the mark, they do have some valid points. Like in the middle of Elihu’s speech in 33:23-28, he describes salvation so accurately you’d think he was prophesying! That’s where my theme for today is. It’s hard not to see Christ’s atoning work in those verses.
11th January: Job 29-31
I’d like to share a lovely quote shared in the Facebook Group by Britt
Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved.
10th January: Job 24-28
I loved how the question in 28:12 was answered in 28:28 but the answer gave me more questions. How do I fear the Lord? And how do I depart from evil? It’s going to be fun to have the Word answer these as I read through the other books. Here’s a short clip that I found helpful as to why you need to write down things you don’t understand as you read your Bible.
9th January: Job 21-23
Job becomes hard for me to read at times because of how much he struggles and how familiar some of his struggles are. 23:9-10 hit me really hard. It reminds me of those moments when I pray and it feels like it’s hitting a wall. And people don’t really broadcast their struggles so I feel like it’s a me thing. I used to think I was a “bad Christian” during such times. Verse 13 & 14 are good ones to come back to during such times. To know that a good God has my life in His hands is a great comfort. I also draw strength from verses such as Daniel 10:2-14, Revelation 12:10-11 and Psalm 139. With that said, my theme for today is Spiritual Warfare.
8th January: Job 17-20
The level of faith and hope Job had in God! To even call Him his Redeemer, after he lists all the ways in which he’s suffering (19:13-14) is humbling.
Week 1 January Bible Reading
7th January: Job 14-16
What stood out most to me today is the relationship between Job and his friends. I’m learning a lot about how we respond to people who are grieving. That’s not to say that Job’s friends are bad, because they did show up for Job and even grieved with him but their constant criticism and “know it all” attitude really isn’t helping.
6th January: Job 10-13
I’ve found a couple of verses from today’s readings that I want to meditate on more. Chapter 13:15 is one of them. In my Bible they reference Psalm 23:4 which makes Job’s statement easier for me to understand. When I’m going to trials, picturing God walking beside me does give me hope and strength.
I had left a link to a nice song on this verse in the Facebook group. It’s by Shane & Shane and is titled “Though You Slay Me.” Have a listen when you get time.
5th January: Job 6-9
I see Our Lord Jesus Christ so clearly in Chapter 9 specifically verse 33: “Nor is there any mediator between us, who may lay his hand on us both.” Do we know how privileged we are having this answered? Without Christ, we would be condemned, but we have a Mediator.
“For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” 1 Timothy 2:5-6
“And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant,” Hebrews 9:15
“…And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous.” 1 John 2:1
Don’t you just love how the Bible is a complete work? The questions and answers are all within it!
4th January: Job 1-5
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked I shall return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD.” Job 1:21. Such a beautiful prayer.
3rd January: Genesis 8-11
Chapter 8:21 has always stood out for me and it did again this time round. I’ve always felt a deep heaviness and sadness and yet so much love in it; God knows we’re evil and will always be but He still promises not to destroy every living thing though it’s within His right to do so. The promise is so merciful.
2nd January: Genesis 4-7
I saw God’s sovereignty…. over all things
1st January Bible Reading: Genesis 1-3
My theme for today is sin. The fall really stood out to me. Eve’s doubt of God’s Word and pride in thinking she could be like God by eating from the tree was more glaring for me. When you start doubting God, things just start going left. I do feel sorry for them though. Imagine being in God’s presence and then having it cut off in an instant.
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Hi Morine! Thank you for hosting this CAL. I have struggled with making Bible reading a consistent habit, but this has really inspired me.
You’re welcome Chell. I had the same issue and picking out random scriptures wasn’t helping either. Going through it is a good way to stay consistent and I really do hope it helps you out as well.