IS IT JUST ME?
Yesterday, I was looking for a particular book when I ran across a Bible that I bought several years ago. It is the ‘One Year Bible’ arranged in 365 daily readings. And I remember my frustration~
I tabled this particular Bible because it is too fragmented for me. It seemed to me like reading 3-4 books at one time. For instance, the daily reading for January 23rd is this: Genesis 46:1-47:31, Matthew 15:1-28, Psalm 19:1-14 and Proverbs 4:14-19. A prescribed Bible reading plan seems to be a religion within itself. Is it me, or do other people feel the same way? How is one able to “get their teeth into” scripture while meeting a prescribed reading plan? I could not. But, maybe that is just me~
While “reading the Bible in a year” seems noble and “religious”, I cannot imagine what kind of depth of understanding will evolve from the prescribed reading plan. Is it not better to read something relevant to you, a current situation, a lesson, needed wisdom or understanding? Are you listening if the Lord is trying to direct you to another scripture? Or do we just read to “Git ‘er done”?
So, maybe you are wondering what is wrong with me ~ wondering if I simply cannot focus? I think nothing is wrong with me. And focus is not my enemy ~ Focus is my friend. I love the Word of God. It is my guide. It is my connection to my Lord. It is my passage through life. My focus is healthy and strong~
Now, you may wonder how I decide what I will read each day. It is quite simple. I listen to the Lord. I pray BEFORE reading my Bible. During prayer, sometimes a thought persists. For instance, recently the words “bitter roots” persisted during prayer. OK ~ pay attention ~ THAT, my friend, is the Lord speaking to you. In my case, my understanding of bitter roots needed to be renewed. It was renewed after scriptural research and study.
Maybe no thought persists during prayer, but you have been thinking about something a lot lately. In such cases when I have words or subject I want to know more about, I take my Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance off the bookshelf and look up key words for scriptural references. From there, I follow the cross references and read footnotes.
If you have not a clue about what the Lord wants you to read ~ just open your Bible and pick a book to read ~ then read the whole book, or maybe half today and half tomorrow. Check out those cross references and footnotes! As your cross references and footnotes take you on a meandering trail through scripture, you will gain understanding.
I may read a book or a verse in a day. Don’t feel bad if you read a verse and the Lord takes you on a trip through scripture via cross reference verses. Your understanding will be so much more than you will gain through a prescribed reading plan. Don’t feel bad if you stay in one chapter for days. Don’t feel bad if you just sit and think about what you just read. That is what we should do.
However, if a prescribed reading program works for you, I would encourage you continue. I hope you spend time in God’s Word daily in the way that works for you. Let God’s Word renew you daily~
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:2
Do you like the prescribed reading plan to read the Bible in a year? Or is it just me?
Yesterday, I was looking for a particular book when I ran across a Bible that I bought several years ago. It is the ‘One Year Bible’ arranged in 365 daily readings. And I remember my frustration~
I tabled this particular Bible because it is too fragmented for me. It seemed to me like reading 3-4 books at one time. For instance, the daily reading for January 23rd is this: Genesis 46:1-47:31, Matthew 15:1-28, Psalm 19:1-14 and Proverbs 4:14-19. A prescribed Bible reading plan seems to be a religion within itself. Is it me, or do other people feel the same way? How is one able to “get their teeth into” scripture while meeting a prescribed reading plan? I could not. But, maybe that is just me~
While “reading the Bible in a year” seems noble and “religious”, I cannot imagine what kind of depth of understanding will evolve from the prescribed reading plan. Is it not better to read something relevant to you, a current situation, a lesson, needed wisdom or understanding? Are you listening if the Lord is trying to direct you to another scripture? Or do we just read to “Git ‘er done”?
So, maybe you are wondering what is wrong with me ~ wondering if I simply cannot focus? I think nothing is wrong with me. And focus is not my enemy ~ Focus is my friend. I love the Word of God. It is my guide. It is my connection to my Lord. It is my passage through life. My focus is healthy and strong~
Now, you may wonder how I decide what I will read each day. It is quite simple. I listen to the Lord. I pray BEFORE reading my Bible. During prayer, sometimes a thought persists. For instance, recently the words “bitter roots” persisted during prayer. OK ~ pay attention ~ THAT, my friend, is the Lord speaking to you. In my case, my understanding of bitter roots needed to be renewed. It was renewed after scriptural research and study.
Maybe no thought persists during prayer, but you have been thinking about something a lot lately. In such cases when I have words or subject I want to know more about, I take my Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance off the bookshelf and look up key words for scriptural references. From there, I follow the cross references and read footnotes.
If you have not a clue about what the Lord wants you to read ~ just open your Bible and pick a book to read ~ then read the whole book, or maybe half today and half tomorrow. Check out those cross references and footnotes! As your cross references and footnotes take you on a meandering trail through scripture, you will gain understanding.
I may read a book or a verse in a day. Don’t feel bad if you read a verse and the Lord takes you on a trip through scripture via cross reference verses. Your understanding will be so much more than you will gain through a prescribed reading plan. Don’t feel bad if you stay in one chapter for days. Don’t feel bad if you just sit and think about what you just read. That is what we should do.
However, if a prescribed reading program works for you, I would encourage you continue. I hope you spend time in God’s Word daily in the way that works for you. Let God’s Word renew you daily~
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:2
Do you like the prescribed reading plan to read the Bible in a year? Or is it just me?
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