On Bible Reading

If you are like me, one of your New Year’s resolutions is to stay current with a Bible-in-a-year reading plan. Mine was handed out by my church. I failed to keep up last year, so I just gave up somewhere around Joshua. This year, I was determined to do better—but, again, I failed to keep up. The schedule felt like a taskmaster, and I was more concerned with keeping up than with allowing God to direct me in my reading.

So, I prayed and asked God for help. I tossed my schedule in the trash and promptly read 26 chapters in Job. I loved it! I couldn’t put it down! The next day I read the remaining chapters of that 42 chapter book. I’m now going on to Ecclesiastes. Yes, I know that I skipped some books, and that’s okay! My goal now is to read through the books that I’m not very familiar with, and to read with an ear for what God is trying to tell me through the scriptures.

I'm not saying that you should read your Bible this way! (I hate legalistic “shoulds.”) My message for today is—be free to read the Bible the way you want to read it. Only read it.

Think of the Bible as Jesus—that is what John 1:14 says, that Jesus is the Word of God wrapped in flesh—and when you read it, you are spending time listening to Jesus, getting to know Him. It has changed my perspective on reading, and I hope it increases your desire, too.

Happy reading!