… it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.
–Luke 1:3-4 (ESV)
I tried to journal, off and on, unsuccessfully, for much of my life. When I left for Afghanistan in 2005 I tried again. This time it took. It was similar to successfully starting to read the Bible cover-to-cover every year when I went to Korea in 1994. I guess year-long deployments got my spiritual attention.
Most of my words in my journals are not profound. Yet, they are my own ramblings about life and my relationship with God. One of my children has expressed interest in having my journals… eventually.
Luke was an educated man. He was a doctor. In the beginning verses of his two volumes (Luke and Acts) he sets the tone for what follows. He unapologetically states that he writes based on eyewitnesses and ministers of the word.
In other words, Luke states that he is writing history. He writes about the life and resurrection of Jesus, as well as the early church. He writes as an historian, answering the who, when, where, how, why and what questions as he shares the story of the ages.
The rest of the Bible contains lots of history and poetry and prophecy. Through it all, the Bible always shares truth. It shares historical truth and truth about God.
As I have now read the Bible cover-to-cover for close to 30 times, I can let you know that I am still learning. The Bible is history, but it is so much more. Everywhere I go I now challenge others to embrace reading God’s love letter to humans.
Prayer: Almighty God, You used human beings, like Luke, to share truth. Thank you for inspiring Luke to write about Jesus. Luke’s gospel, along with every book in the Bible, tells the greatest story ever told of how You have redeemed sinful man through Jesus.
