The Message

For a long time I didn't feel like The Message translation of the Bible was for me. I was fine with other versions, but felt it was unnecessary to have a special version using language as we do today. I even turned down a gift from my family (sorry Katie) because I didn't want to read it. I normally don't like new, popular things, and that's what it was to me.

After my dog did some condensing to create the NTT: Abridged Version (New Tilla Translation), I went out in search of a new Bible for myself. I intended on getting another small NIV to bring with me all over, as I did with the old one, but I left the store with The Message. It's not small, and I won't be bringing it with me hardly anywhere, but it was on sale and it just sounded like something I should try out. Since it's known more as a "reading Bible" rather than a "study Bible", and these days I'm doing more reading than studying... it seemed to fit my needs fine at home.

I've enjoyed it more than expected. I admit it. At first I read it alongside a study Bible, just to compare and see what I was missing from either, but I do that less and less. Over the last few days I've found myself fascinated by the words used to help me understand Paul's letter to the Romans. I end up reading more because I'm curious as to what I'll discover next. I know I may sound like I'm getting paid by NavPress to share this with y'all, but I'm not... it's just good stuff.

Romans 13:11 in The Message is this: "Make sure you don't get so absorbed and exhausted in taking care of all your day-by-day obligations that you lose track of the time and doze off, oblivious to God." That's just so real to me and applicable to my life. There are too many days when I get lazy and fall asleep at night, oblivious to what God is doing in my life or saying to me. The NIV is good, but I often find it hard to understand. "The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed." I always had a hard time in English classes, interpreting the authors words into the real meaning behind it, so I'm surprised I waited so long to give this a try. I guess it was really just my pride, since I wanted to be able to read any version and get it.

Some encouragement from Romans 15: "May our dependably steady and warmly personal God develop maturity in you so that you get along with each other as well as Jesus gets along with us all." I've been missing out.