Growing in Bible Reading

I want to boldly say that a Christian should not struggle with daily Bible reading. I know that may seem like cold water to some, but a heart transformed by the grace of God is a heart that loves the Word; just read the Psalms of David. So why do we sometimes find it hard to read our Bibles? Why is Leviticus boring? Why do we get bogged down in genealogies? The questions could go on and on.

I want to say that Leviticus is one of the most powerful books in our Bibles! It is the book that introduces us to atonement and forgiveness, it’s the book that outlines the Festivals given by God, and it is the book that explains the greatness of God’s grace. The worst words we could ever use to describe Leviticus is boring. So the question is, why have some pastors described it that way? And to go even further, why do so many of us shy away from the Hebrew Bible entirely, except for maybe Psalms and Proverbs?

Many well-meaning teachers encourage Bible reading by steering us to the New Testament, but that’s not where the story begins. Contrary to popular belief, we can’t rightly understand the New Testament without a solid foundation in the Hebrew Bible.

The Best way to grow in your love for the whole Bible is to begin with Genesis and read straight through, referencing the New Testament as you go. We all know the New Testament quotes the Hebrew Bible, but many of us would be surprised if we knew how much of the “New” Testament repeats God’s words from the Torah, Prophets, and Writings.

To become lovers of the Word, we must first disallow ourselves the crutches of it’s hard to understand; the “Old Testament” bogs you down; you can skip over (fill in the blank). While all these statements may be well-meaning, they have set many up for Bible reading failure, just like the verse-a-day on apps and shallow devotional plans that don’t engage us in deep thinking.

I encourage you to read Psalm 119 every day for twenty-one days and pray that God would give you that kind of love for The Scriptures. I want to finish this article by sharing some things that have helped me to engage and grow in my Bible reading.

Use different translations

I know most people say to use one version and stick with it, and I agree with that; I also think it is good to read through the Bible every few years in a different translation to give yourself a fresh look.

Use a wide-margin or journaling Bible

My favorite Bible is the Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible; it has wide margins, cross-references, and a concordance in the back of the Bible. When you use a wide-margin or journaling Bible, you have room to make notes and write questions (and answers after study), among other things that will make the Bible yours; it will become home to you.

Develop a color code

Having a color code system will help you key in on specific topics. Pick any colors and subjects you want. Don’t pick someone else’s code; develop something unique to you and the topics you find yourself returning to.

Pick a time of day

It’s simple, but most of us are inconsistent in our Bible reading because we don’t have a set time for it. Even if it helps to use an audio Bible, your “reading time” still doesn’t need to be on your way to work. We need to be able to focus on our time in the Scripture with no distractions. When we prioritize our daily reading and set aside time, we will get more out of it.

You may have heard or seen these tips before, but have you implemented them? God wants us to dwell with Him through the Scriptures; the enemy wants to stop us from knowing the Word; we are the ones who decide which side wins the battle.

Don’t allow yourself any excuses. If you miss a day, give yourself grace, but don’t allow that grace to go for days and get you out of your pattern. We must come to the place that Job did, where he valued the Word more than his food (Job 23:12). You can become consistent; fifteen minutes can turn into thirty, that turns into an hour. You start where you are and build from that. Make the Bible reading time yours, make your Bible yours, use a Bible journal as you read each book, highlight, underline, engage the text with thoughts, and questions, and write down things you’ve never noticed before. The Bible is alive; it’s our sword, medicine, and food. When we get in the Word, it gets in us, and we are changed.