Trying to build daily bible reading into our schedules can be a challenge, but I can assure you that it will be well worth it. Most of us timewise don’t see a bible reading-shaped gap in our lives that is crying out to be filled. But while we scurry around to fulfil our packed timetables, perhaps we secretly wish there could be some stabilising and inspirational input regularly going into our lives.
I know that this can be a hard ask when we are raising our families but a calmer you could bless your family, just as a calmer overworked executive might bless their staff team. So now I have bitten that bullet and shot off a few none-too-subtle hints as to why we need bible reading in our lives, I can suggest some practicalities as to what to read, when, where and how.
What bible to read
‘What’ for me is pretty basic and covers three areas:
What version?
What notes?
How much?
As I said I am not going to be particularly prescriptive, ‘what’ is all about what works for you. There are numerous versions of the bible to choose from and simply choose one that you enjoy. If you are short of time make sure you have one where you are not having to grapple with the language.
That might mean heading for a version that is a thought-for-thought translation, nearer to a paraphrase. That is fine but once you have read it all through once, you may want to try something nearer to a word-for-word translation. Make sure that whatever version you select you actually like the physical feel of the copy you buy and can cope with the print size, layout and clarity of the typeface.
If you want margin notes, make sure your version has them. If you want to make notes of your own on the page or to underline verses, get a copy that you are not going to hesitate to mark.
As to notes and a reading plan, I see the first of these as optional and the second as essential. If you want other people’s thoughts alongside your own, make sure you choose notes provided by someone whom you find to be helpful devotionally, theologically and/or informatively.
If you haven’t got notes and come across something you need to check out, there is a load of stuff online. I see a reading plan as essential and I work from a printout that I tick off daily. Mine actually takes me through the bible in a year by giving me Old Testament readings for the evenings and New Testament readings for the morning.
I read all the allocated chapters in the morning as I have never been religious about morning and evening devotions. It doesn’t actually take as long each day as you might think to get through the whole bible annually on a day-by-day basis.
When to read
It really is up to you, but my advice is to aim for a time that you can make every day. I like to read when the house is quiet and that is when I am up alone in the morning, but I have friends for whom that would never work and the last thing at night does fine. But do take account of your body clock.
Don’t do all your reading when your body is telling you you ought to be asleep. It might make it feel like a religious duty but you won’t take much in if you are shattered, which makes it a waste of time and God won’t be impressed as he’s not a time tyrant.
I know that in some versions the psalmist says in Psalm 63:1 ‘Early will I seek you’ but in other versions ‘early’ has been translated as ‘earnestly’. I will leave it with you.
Where to read
Read where you are comfortable and are not going to be distracted by being too hot or too cold or struggling with too little light. Sit where you have got everything to hand that you might need. Currently, I am not making notes in my bible so I like to sit by my desk where I can make pencil notes or type on my computer.
You know your home and what will work best for you and the rest of your household. A well-known evangelist, who has now gone to be with the Lord, once responded to my request for a video from him on this topic of practical hints on reading the bible by sharing that as a young man he read his bible with it propped on a bucket while milking cows.
All I can say to that is ‘if needs must…’. But what a shame he hadn’t filmed it.
How to read
This is all about attitude. I like to read the bible to focus my mind for the day. I am also keen, though, to have a clear overview of God’s plan of redemption, so I don’t ‘pick and mix’ or just go for my favourite verses. I find that God is able to speak into my situation from almost anywhere in the bible if my heart is open and I approach the bible prayerfully. So I stick to my reading plan.
Following up on what I read is important to me and I often find that I am doing that on my early morning run. That is not to say that I don’t respect those who would prefer to do that on their knees. For the record, when it comes to big issues I am very much a flat-out, face-down-on-the-floor person, and our daily family prayers take place at the breakfast table, but you must do what works for you.
My particular quirks might seem totally ridiculous to you but please, PLEASE make sure you apply what you read in a personal conversation with the Lord or you will only have transitory traffic through your head rather than a real change in your life.