Why? WHY? Why-why-why?!
I want to know, too. So I take out my little green marker and highlight anything I see that answers the question, “Why?”
Reasons. Purposes. Motives.
Then I put on my magic eyeglasses which allow me to see just the green stuff.
“These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.”
(John 15:11)“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace.”
(John 16:33)“…Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are.”
(John 17:11)
I’ve been doing this so long that even when I’m reading the Bible without any colored ink in my eager little hands, I see the green. I read a chapter or two or three, and they stand out: reasons, purposes, motives.
For example, over the years I’ve noticed verses that reveal the reasons Jesus came to earth. Lots of different reasons. So I started collecting them like an avid philatelist collects stamps.
My “Why Jesus Came” collection:
- to serve (Mt 20:28)
- to give His life a ransom for many (Mt 20:28)
- to preach in other towns, too (Mk 1:38, Lk 4:43)
- to call sinners (Mk 2:17)
- to do God’s will (Jn 6:38)
- to save His people from their sins (Mt 1:21)
- to be the Savior of the world (1 Jn 4:14)
- to die (Jn 12:27)
- to save the world (Jn 12:47)
- that the world might be saved through Him (Jn 3:17)
- to destroy the devil’s works (1 Jn 3:8)
- to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind (Jn 9:39)
- to bear witness to the truth (Jn 18:37)
- to save sinners (1 Tm 1:15)
- to seek and save the lost (Lk 19:10)
You know what I think is the most exciting, the most thrilling part of all this?
It can reveal God’s heart.
If you’ve ever wondered what motivates God, if you’ve ever wanted to know the reasons behind the movements of His hand, if you’ve ever asked, Why, God? Why?!…
Then look for the green.
In the green, I see God’s heart—His very desires. In the green, I can hear His heartbeat. And my own heart begins to beat in time with His.
Here’s one of my favorite discoveries from using my little green marker:
God wants to be with me!
“If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.”
(John 14:3)“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;”
(John 14:16)And He appointed twelve, so that they would be with Him…
(Mark 3:14)
Want to try it? The next time you spend time with God in His Word, be on the lookout for phrases that answer the question “why” (reasons, purposes, motives).
And then, let me know what you discover. I’d love to hear about it.
Yes, yes,YES!
Monica? YES!
Amazing, isn’t it, Ann?
Splendid idea!
And a lot of fun, too! 🙂
I love your “Reasons” journey with the green marker! What a beautiful connector throughout all of the Bible of God’s heart. Thank you also for telling the story in pictures!
It has really been quite an eye-opener for me. Pleased to see you here, Sharon!
Fun! What a well-read Bible you have. Your love for Him shows in your love for His Word!
…which shows me His love for me! That’s the knock-me-off-my-feet part. Yes, it is fun! And fun to see you here, too.
Brilliant. This reporter, with a million Whys rolling around in the noggin, LOVES this.
And I *so* love your reporting 🙂 and your wonderful example of how to live and love even when we’re not told the why.
That’s awesome! I’m going to try that.
Great, Rebecca! Let us know what you discover. 🙂
Wow, Monica, that is one color-filled bible. It’s like a layered maze of color-coding on top of the letters to give your own personal map! I love it. And love the answer – He wants to be with us! Beautiful.
A map! Yes, it’s like that! Good to see you here, Jim.
And *that’s* what a Bible should look like! Yes, m’am.
Okay! Yes, ma’am! 😉
Such a work of art! Beautiful, Monica. I think I need me a green highlighter.
You know, Laura, I’ve always loved highlighters. 🙂 Thanks for your words and your company here, friend.
Where did you find a Bible that would allow you to highlight without bleeding thru to the next page; and with so much room for notes?
Joan, I should’ve mentioned that the photos are not of a Bible but of 8 1/2″ x 11″ printouts. I get the passage (or entire chapters, or entire book) from biblegateway.com (or similar sites), then copy it into MS Word or another typesetting/editing program (in my case, LaTeX), then format it into double-spaced pages with wide (say, 1 to 1.5″) margins, the print out the pages (one-sided, to leave the other side blank for note-taking). Thank you for asking!!!
I used to do the highlighter thing, but I think my green stood for something else. I like yours better.
My green, your green. 🙂 Thanks for being here, Megan.