To be honest, I wasn't sure I could keep up at times, but reading the Bible through in 90 days is a pretty amazing experience. And, as my life usually is, it's ironic that I finished with Revelation on Hopeless Saturday (the day before Easter Sunday). There were 3 major things that are lodged in my mind now that the dust has settled.

1. We start in a Garden and end up in a City. When I was young, I was told that cities were sinful places where people fornicated and became intoxicated and indulged in all kinds of desires of the flesh.They were dirty places where people danced, played cards, and took God’s name in vain. But, out in the country, where people evidently worked hard (harder than lawyers and doctors and businessmen in the city..), lived closer to nature, and only drank beer and fornicated with distant cousins (OK..that was a cheap shot. Sorry.), life was better. Holier. God smiled more. And Jesus would rather we become missionaries to Africa than to Austin. But Scripture is clear and God desperately loves cities, because cities are filled with people. If you and I are to live missionally, we must become people of the city. Businessmen and businesswomen. Mechanics. Landscapers. Accountants. Coaches. Teachers. Lawyers. Film directors. Artists. Architects. Garbage collectors. Men and women who virally, passionately pursue Christ and work to redeem our communities. So it’s interesting to see humanity get its start in a Garden, with the mandate to ‘be fruitful and multiply’ and ‘have dominion over the earth’. Dominion is not limited to vegetation and cattle and the Dollar Weed that runs rampant in my backyard. It includes managing civil matters well. It includes redemptively governing well. It includes cultivating good and restorative laws and movies and art and education and, yes, health care. One day we will all live in the City.

2. Heaven never gets over the Cross. Even a casual reading of Revelation reminds us that when our redemption is complete, all creation points to the restoration work done at Golgatha. In Eternity, worship is proclaimed to the Lamb who was slain to take away the sin of the world. And the Lamb is no wuss: Jesus’ robe is stained with blood, his hand and thigh are tattooed, and He comes bearing a sword. Hollywood has a long way to go.

3. Some of my favorite stories in Scripture will never be found in that devotional book you picked up at the Christian bookstore. Too bad for you. For instance:

  • Did you know Isaiah talks about men who were made to eat their own excrement and drink their own urine? Go find it and see for yourself.
  • Young brides are told in Deuteronomy to hang on to their honeymoon bedsheets in case they need to show it to the city council as proof they were a virgin on their wedding night.
  • The book of Exodus commands God’s people to tear down their stripper poles. Turn in your clear heels and dollar bills…
  • Abraham was circumcised when he was 99 years old.
  • And instead of asking God for advice on a matter, Saul consulted a woman that talked to spirits–and God killed him and gave his kingdom to David.
  • Did you know in Song of Songs, the man says to his lover that he wants to be with her and desperately wants to ‘get in her garden’? Her reply is something along the lines of ‘grab the keys and let’s go...’.

And the list goes on and on and on… If your experience of Scripture is a devotional book with a cute story and a coffee mug slogan, I challenge you to put down the bottle and pick up a steak knife. Things are better when your belly is full of meat.

Wanna take the challenge? Don't be scared. Go HERE.