Well, folks, it looks like Old Man Winter has finally moved in among us, especially after teasing us so many times. But then, it’s January, right, the time that winter usually does make itself known in our presence. Brrrrrr! And this week, our temperatures will fall somewhere between the mid 20’s to the high 30’s! Brrrrrr again! I hope you are ready for it because it is most definitely here!
And speaking of “getting ready”, I hope that among the New Year’s Resolutions that you may have made, you will recommit to your commitment to read your Bible once again. Only this year, let’s start off at a slower pace, and let’s not worry about if we finish the Bible in one year or not. Let’s just commit to reading through the Bible devotionally. And by “devotionally”, I mean slow and leisurely, taking your time to read God’s Word and to listen to what He wants to say to you in your reading. Devotional reading doesn’t require any dictionaries; it doesn’t require any commentaries or any Sunday School Quarterlies to explain the scriptures to you, it simply means that you will read God’s Word not only for knowledge and understanding, but for guidance and worship as well. To read devotionally does indeed mean to be committed to the task, but it also means to worship God through His Word as you read it either silently or out loud so you can not only read it, but hear it at the same time. This way, two of your senses are in action, your speaking and your listening. And when you read, don’t be like the old cowboy who answered his preacher when he asked him how much he enjoyed his message. The old cowboy answered, “Preacher, I heard you all right, but I wasn’t listening!”
When you read your Bible devotionally, you are not only paying attention to what the Lord is saying, but you are listening as well! For me, my devotional time is a time in which I am spending with God alone, my TV is off, the dog is out, and there are no other distractions to my reading, so I am not only reading, but I am listening to that “still small voice” as God speaks to me. Many times He recalls to my mind something else He said in another part of Scripture, but mostly I am worshiping His very presence as He stands with me in our private time together. And I do have a cup of coffee by my side as I read. After all, God did make the coffee bean didn’t He, so I don’t think He minds if I take a sip or two as I read.
Now, here’s what I do. You can follow my pattern if you want, but you may already have a pattern you are reading by. And another thing, be consistent in your reading. Don’t just skip from book to book, and don’t just open the Bible to any section to read, but start with one book and read through that book till you finish it, and then pick another one to start on and read it consistently, chapter by chapter, verse by verse, until you have finished that particular book. Some will take longer than others, some shorter, but be consistent, and like step one and step two, read chapter by chapter until you finish a book.
Here’s my pattern: I started with Genesis 1, then went to Psalm 1, then to the New Testament beginning with Matthew 1 and Revelation 1. Now I’ve finished Revelation and have started Hosea, but this particular pattern is consistent with my more detailed study of Ezekiel, but still, I’m reading devotionally because I want to hear from God. It’s amazing how He gives me understanding of Biblical history. I am a “history nut”, you know. Revelation is hard for anyone, so you might want to change your last book to Acts 1. Then on day two, I read the second chapter of each book, and on day three, the third chapters, etc. But I’m not jumping around. I’ve chosen these four books to be a part of my devotional reading. And like I said, you may already have a pattern, so keep it up and be consistent in your reading. If you should miss a day or two, God is not mad at you, just pick up where you left off and you will be amazed that He will continue to speak to you as you read. And before each time that you read, be sure and ask God to reveal His Word to you, and He will. You see, He delights in our desire to understand the Word of God. So make it your commitment that you will start each new day by spending time with God in His Word. It’s a great way to start your New Year.
