One Year Bible: April 21

No, I will not break my covenant;
I will not take back a single word I said.
I have sworn an oath to David,
and in my holiness I cannot lie

Joshua 22:34-35

To read today’s portion of scripture, you can purchase The One Year Bible (paid link) or find the following in your Bible:

Joshua 22:21-23:16
Luke 20:27-47
Psalm 89:14-37
Proverbs 13:17-19

Next to this passage of scripture, in the margin of my Bible, I’ve written, It is not in God’s character to lie or go back on His Word. What He says, He does. 

The words themselves are colored with a twistable orange crayon, and the passage is bracketed in blue. That’s because about 25 years ago, I made my own color-coding system to use when studying my Bible. In this example, orange signifies a promise, and blue signifies God’s character.

I’ve had many opportunities to share this coding system with women at conferences and retreats, and each and every time I explain it, I end by saying, “If all those colors seem overwhelming to you, just buy a blue crayon and start there.” All the colors matter, of course, but the only way to understand the rest—the promises, the prophecies, the old covenant, the blessings, salvation, and the imperatives in scripture—is to view them in the context of God’s character. Why did He make the first covenant? Why does He bless us? Why did He willingly lay down His life?

Something happens when you determine to study God’s attributes. As you’re coloring all those words and writing your observations in the margins (God is long-suffering; God is just; God is righteous), those truths about His personality and nature begin to take root in you. The result is that you trust Him more.

If you want a growing faith, and you want peace in the midst of turmoil, set your heart to studying God’s nature. And then go buy a blue crayon.