How Real IS Your Bible?

Mine is Very real. Do you ever wonder at why most people don't really enjoy reading the Bible? I think that it has something to do with the way that we have been taught to read it, like a text book. And really who reads a text book for anything even remotely close to fun or leisure reading? Certainly not me! What amazes me is how I can read a fiction book like say, Harry Potter (which ever one) and the imagery pops into my mind and I can see the events actually happening, even though they are ficticious.

When I read the Bible however, I usually don't get any images at all. Unless you count the days of the "Flannel Graph Jesus" and that isn't really like it is actually happening. (whatever happened to flannel graphs anyways?) I can see Harry Potter in my mind playing out like a movie, but in my head it is MUCH better than the actual movies that they have made. Why can't this happen when I read the Bible? Afterall The Bible IS REAL, actually happened, and would make great movies. Just look at movies like The Ten Commandments!

So here is an experiment using one of my favorite passages of scripture...

1. Pick your favorite Male actor. For mine I choose Sir. Sean Connery. Think of The Hunt for Red October.
2. Pick your Second favorite Male actor. For mine I choose Tom Cruise. I know I know, but keep in mind his performance in Jerry Maguire and this will make more sense in a minute.
3. Read Isaiah 6 as you normally would, boring, monotone, and text booky.
4. Re-Read Isaiah 6. This time insert Sean Connery in the role of God and Tom Cruise in the role of Isaiah.

Now to make this work you have to use your imagination. So put on your thinking/imagining hat, pop some popcorn, grab a soda, and let the fun begin. Also if you are going to get anything out of this at all you have to do the voices in your head, accent and all. You have to let the characters be the characters. God is classy, poised, direct, regal, and honorable, the characteristics of the captain in Red October, and Isaiah is on edge, flamboyant, high energy, holding on by a thread, just like Jerry Maguire. Let the scene roll like a movie. Big Hollywood sets, Lucas Film special effects, A list acting, Headline movie, box office smash, record setting type stuff.

What happens to the Bible when we read it like this? Does it become more real? Can you actually see these things happening? Do you get excited about the possibility of 6 winged creatures flying about? Do you feel the anticipation of a good story line? Can you hardly wait to see what happens next?

Try doing the same thing with those great Old Testament stories. Maybe just maybe we will start to see the Bible coming alive and being real.