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A new year is a great time to start reading through the Bible |
| Posted by Mark Hood on 22nd January, 2010 |
The Lord God of heaven and earth has spoken to all people of all cultures in all times… through His book, the Bible. Have you ever read right through the whole Bible? Many do so over the course of one year(!) others at a steadier pace over two or more years. The writer of Psalm 119 sees, tastes and knows the excellencies of knowing God through his word. That’s why he begs of God in prayer: “Open my eyes that I may see the wonderful things in your law’ (119:18).
As we commence a new year, let me encourage you to once again work your way through God’s word – I assure you such labours always yield rich returns. Here are three such plans, along with a few practical suggestions to fire up your motivation for God and his word:
5 minutes per day, 5 days per week, 5 ways to dig deeper. Takes you through one chapter of the New Testament each day (and the whole New Testament in one year). A great way to commence Bible reading if you’ve never done so before.
This widely used plan has the great advantage of including readings for 25 days in a month – which means you get some free time to catch up! By reading through A Gospel, a NT letter, the Psalms / Prov, and OT narratives and Prophets each day you’ll be able to better grasp the unity of the Bible, as well as enjoy the different viewpoints.
M’Cheyne Plan
M’Cheyne Plan
This classic Bible reading plan means you’ll cover four chapters of different sections of the Bible each day – resulting in covering the Old Testament once, and the Psalms and New Testament twice in a year. M’Cheyne’s headings “Family” and “Secret” show how this Scottish minister (1813-1843) anticipated his scheme be used. ‘Family’ are the two chapters he recommended you read around the dinner table; ‘Secret’ (Matt 6:6), those chapters you read privately.
Some tips on Bible Reading:
· On Discouragement: Its easy to start with a grand plan, and quickly fall behind, become discouraged and stop. Let me encourage you not to stop, but rather to simply skip over the parts ‘scheduled’ and catch up that way, or better, stretch any of the given plans over two years.
· On engagement: In the Bible the living God reveal himself, speaks and acts powerfully. A great way to engage with the text is to ask: ‘what is the big idea of this passage?’.
· Pray the passage: As M’Cheyne advises: “You read your Bible regularly, of course, but do try and understand it, and still more to feel it…Turn the Bible into prayer. So if you are reading Psalm 1, spread the Bible on the chair before you, and kneel and pray, ‘O Lord, give me the blessedness of the man’; ‘let me not stand in the counsel of the wicked’. This is the best way of knowing the meaning of the Bible, and of learning to pray.”
· Use a pen! An excellent idea I’ve recently come across is to purchase an inexpensive paperback copy of the Bible (from Ridley, from Koorong), and use a pen to underline every thing you learn about God: his name, his qualities, his actions. And then using these as the basis of your prayers and thoughts throughout the day (eg God the Rock, God who relents from punishment, God with us etc).
May God use his word to powerful effect in you and amongst us in 2010!
in Christ, Mark
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