Growing up being homeschooled, my Dad taught my math lesson every morning before he left for work. And every morning as I walked into my Dad’s study, half-asleep, to start my math lesson, he was already there reading his Bible. Seeing my Dad engage with the Bible, even amidst his busy schedule – president of a large privately-owned company and a homeschooling father of four (at the time) – made a lasting impression on me.
The Bible is important to me, but it’s not just me. Did you know that three of every five people that read this post will wish they read the Bible more? Based on a 2015 Barna Group study, 88% of American households own at least one Bible, and 60% of Americans want to read the Bible more. Even though most of us own a Bible, it can be hard to spend time reading it and to actually engage with the Bible.
The Bible is the best-selling book of all time, every year. It is the most read, most published, and ironically, the most shoplifted book. It is a book that has changed the world in more ways than we realize. The Bible is worth reading!
I say all of this because it is helpful for me to remember every day the significance of the Bible. It is challenging to stay disciplined and to remember to spend time – especially during busy days – reading and engaging with this book. We live in a time where busyness can be seen as synonymous with importance. This simply isn’t true. Most successful people take the time to grow, to learn, and to read. The Bible, in my opinion, is the best book to spend time reading.
Easier said than done though, right?
I thought I might share with you six ways I interact and engage with the Bible. I will do so over a series of six posts, starting first with daily Bible reading.
Engage With the Bible Through Daily Bible Reading
I am one of the 60% of Americans who want to read the Bible more. Daily Bible reading is the foundational way that I get into this book. Taking time to read a few chapters of the Bible each day is a habit that I started in high school following my Dad’s example. I often do my reading through reading plans. I love the wide array of reading plans that are readily available. There are chronological plans, canonical plans, topical plans, plans focusing on specific books of the Bible, and more. I typically choose from one of the plans that can be found through the YouVersion app because they are free and easily accessible.
Daily Bible reading is different than digging in and studying a passage, or meditating on a passage. Reading the Bible every day is a great way to start spending time with this book and getting to know it. The one year reading plans I have used can be found through YouVersion:
· Lookout Magazine’s “Read Through the Bible in a Year”
· Blue Letter Bible “Chronological Plan”
· “Daily Bread” by R. M. M’Cheyne
· “Let’s Read the Bible Together”– I’m using this one right now
Reading the Bible can be daunting, but I encourage you to jump in with an easy reading plan, or just pick a book of the Bible and start reading through it chapter by chapter every day. I hope this gives you a few options to check out if you are looking for a one year plan. Otherwise, there are so many other ways to go about daily Bible reading. I encourage you to start today – even if it’s only for a few minutes a day!
How do you approach daily Bible reading? I would love to hear from you!
This article about how I engage with the Bible originally appeared here
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