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    It’s hard to give up my old shoes. They fit. They’re comfortable. I’m used to wearing them. Sure, they’re ugly, worn, and scuffed, but they feel just right.

    I love my old jeans. So what if they’re worn, patched, faded, and soft. They fit me perfectly. I can slide them on and instantly feel at ease.

    I love my worn Bible. It’s a familiar friend. I remember where things are located on the page. I have highlighting and notes in it, with many of my own cross-references. Yes, it’s worn, the pages frayed, but it’s both a place of new discoveries and a refuge of familiar comfort.

    We like familiar things. It’s not just that we’re creatures of habit or stuck in our rut, but with so much rapid change in our world, a few old familiar things are such a comfort. We can relax and settle in to them for a moment, feel at home, relax a bit, and go away from wearing or using them a bit restored.

    So let me ask you a few very personal questions: Where is your Bible most worn? What pages have you traversed most often? Where is your center of nourishment, refreshment, and comfort? When you look at the outside edges of your Bible’s pages, where are they frayed, discolored, or worn?

The center of my life, the basis of my hope, and the focus of my discipleship is Jesus.

    For the past twenty years, and more, I’ve had a personal mission to encourage people to make the Gospels* the most worn places in their Bibles. It’s not that I dislike the Psalms; they’re a great source of great comfort, confession, and worship for me. I don’t dislike the writings or Paul, Peter, James, Jude, or John; they are full of practical truths for life as God’s people. I love the prophets; they convict and encourage me. The great story narratives of the Pentateuch* and the historical books is thrilling, motivating, and sometimes sobering. Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon give me spicy tidbits of wisdom for daily life.

    But, the center of my life, the basis of my hope, and the focus of my discipleship is Jesus. I meet Jesus most clearly in the Gospels! Each of the Gospels is a window into the heart of God. Each tells its own distinctive story of Jesus so we can know him, his faithfulness to the Father, and his heart for people. If we’re willing, we can smell the charcoal fire, feel the grit of Galilean dirt in our sandals, smell the sacrifices of the Temple, and feel the terrifying spray of the sea with Jesus in the Gospels.

    As I’ve spoken in a number of different places, I’ve often asked how many people find their Bibles most worn in the Gospels. The answer is, “not many.” It’s interesting to me that we call ourselves Christians, yet Jesus’ story goes largely neglected and his life remains unstudied. It’s bewildering to me that so many of us call him Lord, yet don’t have a clue what he taught and how he lived. Aside from the Christmas and Easter stories, and maybe a few stories of Jesus we learned when we were children, Jesus remains a stranger to too many of us.

    So, I want to challenge you to do a little walking with Jesus between now and Easter. Read his story several times in the different Gospels. Use different translations so his words jump off the page at you in new ways. As you read, ask the Holy Spirit to touch your heart and mold you into someone who will know and follow Jesus more passionately. Build your whole year of Bible reading around the story of Jesus* so that he will come alive in your life. Get to know Jesus better by hearing his word, watching his life, and seeking his will. Make your Bible most worn, and find yourself most comfortable, in the Gospels.

    An amazing thing happens when our Bibles get worn in the Gospels. Not only do we get to know Jesus better, we find ourselves refreshed, encouraged, and renewed. Make your Bible worn in the Gospels, and you will find faith and life made new!