By Peter Krol, The Gospel Coalition
With the new year approaching, prepare yourself for the onslaught of Bible reading advice. “Slow down.” “Savor the Scripture.” “Whatever your plan, stick to it for the whole year.”
Such advice sounds good for those who prefer Peter Jackson to J. R. R. Tolkien or who would choose a locally anaesthetized lobotomy over any sort of reading assignment. Non-readers show courageous faith when they commit to regular patterns of Bible reading at predictable intervals, and I laud their desire to draw closer to the Lord.
But what about those of us who enjoy reading? Why limit ourselves to a few chapters (or a few verses) 10 minutes a day?
Perhaps you were one of the geniuses who devoured Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows within two weeks of its publication. Maybe a Kindle deal puts a spring in your step. You always have one or more books going, and you have to set boundaries so blogs don’t take over your life.
You, like the non-readers mentioned above, love the Bible as God’s Word. And you think following Jesus is more than a passing fad. You love to read, and the Bible is a book.
Here’s my advice: Read the Bible.
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Related article from The Gospel Coalition: How to read the whole Bible in 2014
1 Comment. Leave new
Peter Krol has some great suggestions.
I have participated several times in reading through the Bible at the beginning of the new year for our community–each person reads 1/2 hour then phones the next person who continues. It takes about 72 hours to read the whole Bible through. So, reading it in large blocks on a Sunday afternoon gets you far into the book and allows you to keep the big picture in mind.
I love his idea of using different translations and arrangement of books (chronological). Another helpful Bible to use is The Books of the Bible by the International Bible Society–it has no chapter or verse numbers printed in the text (but there are at the bottom of the page) so that those numbers do not interrupt the flow of thought. It also has the books arranged chronologically.
The best advice I have ever read on reading comes from John Stott’s book and echoes that of Mr. Krol–after reading, respond to God. Stott details that: for what you learn about God, respond with gratitude, love, and worship; for the promises you understand, respond with trust; for the commandments are taught, respond with obedience.
Oh, and of course, remember to pray for illumination before reading, that the Lord will write His words on your heart.