With a sigh, I sank into the rocking chair in the quiet room.
What a busy day. The older kids were finally in bed and nearly asleep now.
Alone for the first time all day, I let my eyes scan the scene out my window. The sky behind the house tops and trees carried the deep blue of a recent rainstorm.
My gaze shifted to the room around me as I turned to prayer for discernment regarding an allegory to write next.
When I turned back to the window, the trees caught my attention. They glowed!
The sinking sun behind my house shone brilliantly on the trees, making them stand out vividly against the dark sky.
Just like that, I had an allegory to write. (This one that you are reading now.)
Those trees, so ordinary to me because I saw them every day, stood out now in unmistakable beauty.
I noticed one of the many chimneys visible from my window glowing in stunning sharpness. The rest of the chimneys remained their typical grey and steel.
I pulled out my phone to record these thoughts.
When I paused to look out the window again, lower clouds had drifted into view. They were illuminated against the dark clouds.
An airplane flew by, gleaming in the sunshine.
What a lovely scene.
A few minutes later, the trees faded into typical shades, boring compared to what they had just been. Yet the sky behind them shone cheery pink in the setting sun’s rays.
So what is the allegory, you may be wondering.
To me, this scene of stunning contrast is a picture of how God so often speaks through the Bible.
As someone who has read the entire Bible many times, no passage is brand new to me.
Just like the trees outside my window, the Bible stories, at first glance, are normal.
I should mention that, on the average day, it is not uncommon for my husband and I to comment to each other how pleasant the scene outside our window is with trees and sky, chimneys and airplanes. That said, it is very routine for me to see this scene.
Likewise, reading God’s Word is precious and wonderful, an incredible privilege. Yet I have read it before. It isn’t shiny new.
This evening, however, looking out the window, those trees looked new. They stood out stunningly in the brilliant light of the evening sun.
So often, this is how God speaks through His Word, the Bible. He shines His “Son-shine,” if you will, on a passage making it jump from the page in a way I’ve never noticed before.
The passage comes alive.
If I never took the time to look out the window, and left the blinds closed, I would not see the illuminated trees.
If I never took the time to read the Bible, but left it closed on the shelf, I would miss what God wants to say to me through it.
If I only ever approached the window as a to-do task – to clean the window pane and wipe the dust from the sill – I would very possibly miss seeing the beautiful scene outside.
If I only ever read the Bible to check it off my to-do list, I may or may not notice what God is wanting to say to me.
Indeed there are many days when my Bible reading feels like no more than a task to get done. (This is far better than not opening it at all.)
But what if today, I remember to pause as I go to open my Bible, to ask God to tune my heart to His by teaching me something as I read the Bible.
It may not be fireworks or lightning, but far more often than not, if I slow down, turning my attention towards God as I open the Bible, He has something to teach me.
Oftentimes it is a gentle reminder, or sometimes a new depth of understanding. Occasionally it is a vivid instruction.
Yet how would I hear and learn unless I opened the Bible and began to read?
Likewise, how would I have seen the brilliant trees outside my window, if I had left the curtains closed?
“Your word is a lamp for my feet
and a light on my path.” Psalm 119:105 CSB
Today, may I make time to seek God through reading the Bible. He will meet me there.
If you are new to reading the Bible, I highly recommend starting with the book of John.
If you are looking for a Bible reading plan, or simply a way to record which chapters you’ve read, I encourage you to print out a copy of my DIY Bible Reading Plan. It’s free for my subscribers. (Already subscribed? Click the Free Downloads link in your email and then scroll down until you find the Bible reading plan).
