Smart phones are cool

(image from youversion.com)

The YouVersion Bible app just released a new feature; it will now play audio of Scripture being read by a professional voice talent! I discovered it the other night as I was headed to bed; I was so excited I laid the phone beside me on the bed and clicked play. It seemed like my alarm clock rang instantly and it was time to start the day. Groggily I realized my phone was still reciting Scripture—8 hours worth from where I started—Matthew to John. I was thrilled with the endurance of the app, but convinced I needed a better way to utilize it than letting it tell me bedtime stories while I slept.

So, on my commute to the office I brought along a pair of head phones and contemplated where to start. I picked 1st Samuel. It’s the Old Testament stories of Israel’s first kings—Saul & David. I have heard all the stories before—David and Goliath, David & Jonathan’s friendship, King Saul’s jealousy of David. But being able to listen to the stories connected together as one large narrative brought new richness and meaning I’d never seen before. These were real people who did real things. By the end of the day I had heard every word of 1st Samuel.

One of the strongest themes in 1st Samuel is the contrast between the personality of Saul and of David. Saul is an arrogant, selfish, popularity-driven man. David is “a man after God’s own heart.”

I noticed these contrasts:

David	Saul
Asks God for wisdom before action-every time! (and God answers!) Patiently trusts God’s timing Character-driven leader Honors Saul as “God’s Anointed”	Takes headstrong action and begs for forgiveness Desperately grasps at every “opportunity” Charisma-driven leader Seeks to kill David

These were so clear, but it’s much harder to see them when you just read a single story.

If you have a smart phone, you should download the YouVersion app too. I have already gone through more books of the Bible than I read on paper all last month, and I am seeing it in a whole new light.

[I don’t think just listening to the Bible read is a substitute for studying it, but it offers a great perspective. It’s also a easier way to start if you’re intimidated by the big words and time it takes to read.]

-Michael Degroat