The Word of God is the very sustenance of every believer’s spiritual life and a necessity if they want to grow spiritually. Little time in the Word will result in believers having little faith. Much time in the Word will result in believers who stand firm in their faith in God, who will not easily be moved, discouraged, or fall into sin. However true this statement may be, daily Bible reading remains one of the most challenging exercises for many believers. Either they are too busy, pre-occupied, or simply discouraged to read their Bible for having tried so many times before. Many simply do not know where to start.
Following are a few thoughts that may encourage you to take up reading your Bible on a regular basis with renewed fervour!
- First deal with distractions
Be sure to put away your mobile device before you enter your time of Bible reading. Do not be fooled by thinking you will read your Bible on your mobile device! Soon a notification will appear and you will be curious to know who has messaged you or what the notification is about. Any mobile device is just going to be a distraction for you to become side tracked from reading your Bible. Before you know it, 20 minutes will be gone! In the light of the time social media so quickly consumes, spending 10 minutes reading your ‘paper Bible’ is really not much to ask.
- Renewed zeal and hunger for God’s Word
Unless the Holy Spirit moves our hearts with a desire to read the Word – to know God and His will for us – we will never do it! Psalm 119:103 says, “How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” When we read and pray the Word, our deepest needs are met and faith is built. Ask the Lord to pour out a new zeal and hunger in you to read and study His Word.
- Schedule time for reading
If you do not schedule it, you will not do it! Be sure of that. There will always be something that comes up that seems more urgent than sitting down to read your Bible. Therefore, set a time that fits your personal schedule. You can start with 10 or 15 minutes, which is really not too much to ask. For many, early in the morning is their best time to read their Bible. Designating a time helps us remember to read the Word and incorporates it into our daily routine.
- Start somewhere
However wonderful it is to read a passage that encourages you for the day ahead, there is also much value in starting to read your Bible from a certain point and then continue from there onwards. You do not have to start in the Old Testament! You can start with an easy book like the Psalms, or Proverbs. Proverbs consists of 31 chapters, just enough to cover one chapter a day for one month. You can also start in the New Testament and read a chapter a day – that would come to even less than 10 minutes a day. It is, however, very important to start somewhere, and then when you sit down to read your Bible you will know where to continue from the previous day.
- Set your mind on things above
Do not make reading your Bible simply a task to finish. Before you start to read, close your eyes and become aware of the fact that the Lord can and really wants to speak into your life through the passage you will be reading. Have an expectation that He is going to say something very specific to you for the day ahead of you.
- Read and pray what you read
When you read through a specific chapter, a certain verse may stand out or catch your attention. When this happens, pause there. Read that verse again. You can even write the verse down if you want. Now turn that verse into a prayer to the Lord, speak to Him about what came to mind. This is usually when we experience real fellowship with the Lord. Then, when your heart is quiet, you can continue to read through the rest of the passage you have set out for the day.
When you follow these few basic guidelines and commit time to focus on the Word daily, you will find that the Lord’s voice becomes clearer to you and your relationship with Him will grow. Expect His Word to be sweet to your taste and sweeter than honey to your mouth!
