I listen to several true crime podcasts and often find some of the details and events surrounding these crimes quite incredible. Some, of course, are harrowing and can cause me anguish because of the content and what happens to people regularly around our world. Some of the most distressing though are about people who have been accused and found guilty of crimes they didn’t commit. Within me I find myself angry at the system, angry at the injustice for the people who spend decades incarcerated for something they didn’t do.
Here in Mark 14:53-65 is the beginning of the injustice of Jesus surrounding His death. For a while the religious leaders have been seeking to grab Him and now through the help of Judas Jesus is placed into their hands. However, despite this being the beginning of Jesus’ unjust suffering which leads to His crucifixion this event is also a fulfilment of Old Testament prophecy, demonstrating that Jesus was indeed the promised Messiah.
In the passage, Jesus is brought before the religious authorities for questioning, and despite the lack of evidence against him, He is ultimately sentenced to death. This event was foretold in the Old Testament, as the prophet Isaiah wrote, “He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth” (Isaiah 53:7). This prophecy was fulfilled through the events leading up to the trial of Jesus, as He remained silent and submitted Himself to the will of God, even in the face of persecution.
The trial of Jesus also points to the fulfillment of God’s plan for salvation. Jesus’ death and resurrection make it possible for us to receive those gifts of forgiveness, eternal life, hope, and peace with God. For the restoration of humanity Jesus has to die for the sin of the world. Knowing this, Jesus is able to reply to the high priest’s question of whether or not He is the Messiah in the affirmative (Mark 14:62). Not only this, but He makes sure they know well who He is by saying, “…you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.”
There could be more said about this trial, but as we come to the cross tomorrow, what a confidence it is for us as believers to know that our Saviour fulfils that which was written long ago and fulfils that which we need now – restoration with God.
This is a devotional series I’ve written for my church for Easter Week 2023. It follows the Passion narrative in the Gospel of Mark. This is day 5 of 8.
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It is hard to put ourselves in Jesus’ shoes in this moment. In this passage Jesus takes His disciples to the garden to pray and will later be arrested by the religious authorities. But in the moment in the Garden of Gethsemane, here in Mark 14:32-42, Jesus knows what is to come. His death is imminent. He knows He will go through suffering.
We know people ourselves who have gone through tremendous suffering. We may have experienced it ourselves. Facing the reality of an imminent death is something hard to imagine even when we are ill, suffering, or in poor health. Jesus Himself speaks of being downcast, of being deeply grieved to the point of death, but He recognises the need to come to the Father and pray. And in that prayer He places Himself under the will of God, saying, “Not my will, but yours be done.”
This act of submission sets a powerful example for us as believers. It reminds us of the importance of surrendering ourselves to God’s will, despite the cost before us. As we are called to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, we are called to submit ourselves to His will, trusting in His plan for our lives. This can be a difficult path, especially when we are facing suffering, hardship, and challenges because of it. Yet through these times we are able to grow in our faith and deepen our relationship with God.
Like a soldier faced with a difficult mission, one that they know will put their life on the line, they submit to their superior officers, trusting in their training and the mission’s purpose. In a similar way, Jesus knows the mission before Him and submits himself to God’s will in amongst the suffering He will face.
As the apostle Paul reminds us in Romans 12:2, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Let us renew our minds and submit ourselves to God’s will, just as Jesus did in the Garden of Gethsemane.
This is a devotional series I’ve written for my church for Easter Week 2023. It follows the Passion narrative in the Gospel of Mark. This is day 4 of 8.
If you’d like them to hit your inbox each morning then please subscribe here.
The Lord’s Supper is something we celebrate every month. It is a symbolic activity that we do as part of our services. In some traditions this is celebrated each week, for us we do it once per month. And it is of such significance that we highlight this meal in our church documents. In our constitution we understand that,
“The Lord’s Supper is a service of spiritual fellowship whereby, through remembrance of Christ’s Life and Death, believers may experience in supreme degree the reality and influence of His Presence. It is an opportunity of entering into close fellowship with the Lord with a consequent rekindling of love and a reconsecration of life to His service.”
The idea, the establishment, of this traditional act of worship is given to the Church through the Last Supper event in the lead up to Jesus’ death. As recorded in Mark 14:12-25 we read of this new promise of God established through this final meal of Jesus. It is in this final supper with His disciples that Jesus shares with them not only His final meal with them, but establishes the new covenant, the new promise of God in Christ.
During the meal, Jesus broke bread and gave it to His disciples, saying, “This is my body given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” He then poured wine and gave it to his disciples, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.” In this way He highlights the meaning of what He is about to go and do, give Himself up as a sacrifice of love for humanity. As we partake in communion ourselves, we remember that sacrifice of love, that new covenant promise that He established, by eating and drinking the elements that symbolise and remind us of this sacrificial love of God. As we walk through this Easter Week, remembering these events in the lead up to Jesus’ death and resurrection, we are reminded of what He continues to teach despite where He was heading. Here He continues to fulfil the promises of God in the Old Testament and makes new promises in the New Testament. This is a time where we can commemorate the love of God, the promises God gives us, which point toward the cross and are fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
This is a devotional series I’ve written for my church for Easter Week 2023. It follows the Passion narrative in the Gospel of Mark. This is day 3 of 8.
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The cleansing of the temple serves as a powerful example of Jesus challenging the religious establishment and pointing to a change in peoples understanding of God.
In this event, in Mark 11:15-19, Jesus enters the temple and becomes angry at what He sees. He sees merchants selling animals for sacrifice and money changers exchanging currency for special temple coins. In both these cases He sees people not only making profit from religious duty, but they are also turning the purpose of the temple into ‘a den of robbers.’ Rather than be a place of worship, a house of prayer and devotion to God, this temple has become a place of material and worldly profit.
It is no wonder that Jesus becomes angry. That He reacts in such a way as to destroy these tables, set the animals free, and cracks the whip on the animals’ hides. This description in the gospels of Jesus’ ‘righteous anger’ shows how much Jesus cares for the temple, cares for the proper worship of God, and cares for any defilement and injustice of such worship.
However, alongside the reality of Jesus coming into the temple and turning its tables over, so too Jesus turns our understanding of worship upside down. With Jesus entering the world, coming as the King, and being divine Himself, we find that true worship is no longer centred on a place but in a person.
This is the new understanding of the worship of God.
Rather than a centre for sacrifice and cleansing, Jesus Himself becomes the sacrifice, Jesus does the cleansing of sin through the cross and resurrection.
As we reflect on the Easter event this week, and as we make our way through this narrative toward the cross and resurrection, may we understand more fully the true worship of God in light of the true sacrifice and cleansing that Jesus has done for us.
Perhaps a way to think about this is through the lens of what occurred at the temple and then how Jesus changes everything for us.
We can be cluttered with anxiety, long to-do-lists, and life stressors but Jesus comes in and helps us find the peace that surpasses understanding.
We seek after profit or pleasure, but Jesus comes to give eternal life and enduring joy.
We expect to pay our own way to worship God and be accepted by Him, but Jesus comes to pay it all.
We judge ourselves by the rules we make up, but Jesus comes to help us understand it is by faith and a matter of the heart.
The temple had lost its true purpose, but Jesus understood that He was the true purpose for the temple.
May He be the true worship of our lives.
This is a devotional series I’ve written for my church for Easter Week 2023. It follows the Passion narrative in the Gospel of Mark. This is day 2 of 8.
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The arrival of Jesus into Jerusalem is a significant moment in the gospel of Mark. As Jesus rode into the city on a donkey the crowds hailed him as the Messiah, the one who was to fulfil the Old Testament prophecies about a future king who would rule with righteousness and justice.
By this point Jesus had already performed many miracles, had gained a following, and had a committed group of disciples who had placed their hope in him. When Jesus rides into Jerusalem not only are His disciples aware of his significance but it seems many in the city are as well.
Jesus’ arrival was a statement. It specifically fulfilled the prophecy found in Zechariah 9:9, which states that the Messiah would come riding on a donkey. Those who knew their scriptures, which will have included all the religious leaders in the city at the time, would have understood the meaning and significance of this moment. It was a declaration that Jesus was the true Messiah, the promised one from centuries ago, who would come and restore God’s people to their rightful place. Those recognising this prophecy spread their cloaks and placed palm branches before Him to express their devotion and admiration.
Of course, it wouldn’t surprise us to know that this was a direct challenge to the religious leaders in Jerusalem. They were increasingly threatened by Jesus’ popularity, but this moment was a challenge to their authority.
It reminds me of footage that shows the late Queen Elizabeth on her coming to Melbourne. There she is in a private car, looking out upon the crowds who line the streets just waiting to get a glimpse of her. There is recognition that she is someone special, she is someone who holds a position of authority, she was someone who people would come out specially to see and greet. When she is spotted by those in the crowd they cheer and clap as they know this is the one they’ve been waiting for. In a similar vein Jesus was the one who God’s people had been waiting for and they recognised His place, His position, and His authority as He rode into Jerusalem.
As we begin Easter Week today it is worth asking ourselves whether we recognise Jesus’ authority in our lives. For example:
When we are afraid to trust God, are we forgetting that His plans are good?
When we face opposition for following Jesus, do we trust He will make a way for us?
When we are distracted by our culture, are we forgetting that He is our portion?
When we experience temptation to sin, do we remember the victory Jesus has already won?
When we step into change, do we hold fast to the unchanging nature of God?
When we encounter those who are different to us, do we extend the love and grace of Jesus to them?
Are there areas in our hearts that we don’t want to give over to God and have His authority in our lives?
This is a devotional series I’ve written for my church for Easter Week 2023. It follows the Passion narrative in the Gospel of Mark. This is day 1 of 8.
If you’d like them to hit your inbox each morning then please subscribe here.
I first came across J.I. Packer and his writings while I was at university, which was some 20 years ago. And since then Packer has been influential in my faith, particularly through numerous popular volumes that currently sit on my bookshelves. Over the years I’ve found him to be a stabilising and assuring voice on everything from scripture, to ministry, to theology, and ethics. I remember being struck the last time I read his most popular book, Knowing God, just how different his writing is to writers in this current age. Packer’s work is dense, it requires thinking, and steeped in scripture, theology, and history. While he has written for the average Christian his work is of such substance that he puts many of the current Chrsitians books to shame.
Due to Packer’s influence in my life I’ve always been fond of reading about the man himself. From various biographies over the years, as well as articles written about him, I’ve managed to get the main outline of his life. A few years ago Sam Storms wrote Packer on The Christian Life, which explores themes in his life from a theological angle, and is a terrific read. And over the course of the last few weeks I’ve made my way through Leland Ryken’s overview on Packer’s life and ministry, J.I Packer: An Evangelical Life.
This work by Ryken is almost three biographies in one. The three distinct parts of this volume deal with Packer’s life in a chronological order, who he is as a person in an attempt to help us understand Packer more, and then a thematic approach to Packer’s life and how they impacted him and his ministry. It is a unique way to do biography, one that is helpful in weaving a picture of his life and ministry together, and also slightly repetitive, which I’ll get to later.
If you’re unaware of who Packer is then just know that he has made a considerable contribution to the Christian world. He comes from a low-middle class family in England and gained his education through various scholarships, which ultimately enable him to study at Oxford. His life was all about teaching, which was evidently his calling, and he did this in various capacities. We could say his main focus has been to train people for ministry through theological colleges (or seminaries), including a 25 years tenure at Regent College in Canada. However, even before he got there in 1979 he had already spent 20 years teaching and being an evangelical voice to the broader church in the UK, particularly the Anglican tradition. And today it is through his teaching that he is most known for, culminating through the hundreds of books, articles, reviews, forewords, messages, and lectures that he has presented. His life has been one of commitment and contribution to church, academic, denominational, and broader evangelical life.
I enjoyed reading Ryken’s take, for want of a better word, on Packer’s life. He writes in an engaging way and made good progress through the chronology of his life. For more people their teenage years and early young adulthood is formative to who they are, and this is the case for Packer as well. When read biography I find you can be overwhelmed by all the person’s accomplishments and what they’ve done – I mean, why would they have a biography written about them in the first place if they weren’t considered so worthy. And this can be the case when reflecting on Packer’s life. It seems his productivity was immense, his output and depth in all his writing and teaching was voracious. And while you or I are never going to match what he did I still found it an inspiration toward something. To do something. To commit to something. In this case, I was reminded of the commitment to teaching, reading, and writing, and spending time intentionally improving these things. In reading Packer you can’t help being inspired by his commitment to the scriptures either, to knowing them and seeking to teach them well and clearly.
There were a few times I felt this biography dragged a little.
I will concede I wasn’t particularly interested in a couple of chapters, which were focussed on his denominational work or his style of rhetoric. It seemed Ryken was trying to extract a bit too much through his unique structure. However, one particular loss to this book, which I felt was missing, was any in depth look at his married and family life. I got the impression Packer and his biographer wished to maintain that area of his life as private, but it would’ve added so much more. I know he was married to a woman called Kit, but I know nothing of how their relationship worked, whether they had children, and what Packer was like in the home. This I thought was a particular shortfall to the book, not because I wanted any juicy gossip but because there is more to a person than their ministry contribution.
Another cost of this unique structure to this biography was its repetitiveness. I don’t know how many times I heard about the conflict Packer had with Lloyd-Jones, how he was no longer involved in the Puritan Conference, the tension of moving from the UK to North America, or the angst evangelicals have toward Packer for his ecumenical contributions. Due to the lenses Ryken applied in the biography some topics and aspects to his ministry life are repeated.
Despite what I’ve just said here though I’d still recommend this biography. It was a great read. It was worth the 400+ page investment in reading, and it is an encouraging read for one’s faith and ministry. It gave great insight into Packer’s resilience to continue to uphold the Chrsitian faith through the lens of biblical authority. His interest in the Puritans, which led to the formation of who he was, can’t be understated and inspired me to get on and read a few more of them. His conflicts and relational breakdowns with others who considered him ‘not evangelical enough’ was also an interesting insight and made me reflect on how tribal we can be as believers.
In my mind, one of the most moving parts of the Bible is all about reading the scriptures.
Tucked away in the Old Testament, there in Nehemiah 8, is the story of Ezra reading the ‘book of the Law of God’ (8:8) to Israel. While God’s people had been released from captivity and returned to the Promised Land they remained dispirited about the condition of their cities and land. In particular was the poor condition of Jerusalem, whose walls remained in rubble and disrepair. In the midst of this comes Nehemiah who takes on the leadership to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and in doing so begins to bring hope to the nation.
And here in chapter 8 is where the people of the Lord hear the word of the Lord for the first time in a long time. In v2-6 we are told that,
“On the first day of the seventh month, the priest Ezra brought the law before the assembly of men, women, and all who could listen with understanding. While he was facing the square in front of the Water Gate, he read out of it from daybreak until noon before the men, the women, and those who could understand. All the people listened attentively to the book of the law. The scribe Ezra stood on a high wooden platform made for this purpose…Ezra opened the book in full view of all the people, since he was elevated above everyone. As he opened it, all the people stood up. Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and with their hands uplifted all the people said, “Amen, Amen!” Then they knelt low and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground.”
I’m not sure what stands out to you, but there are a few things I notice in reading this.
First, those who came to listen to the reading of the scriptures were ‘men, women, and all who could listen with understanding’ (v2).
Men and women coming to hear the Law of God being read is probably not something we think too much about, that seems reasonable and natural in our minds. But that comment about those who could listen with understanding is an interesting one. Are these children? I imagine it does. Those who could understand the reading would be there to listen but those who were too young to do so weren’t. Yet, not all adults have the faculties to listen with understanding either. And so it may also mean that there were adults who were unable to comprehend the scriptures missing from the gathering as well.
Second, this was a long reading of scripture (v3).
From daybreak till noon is surely a 5-6 hour reading of the Law of God. I’m not sure I’d be able to get away with that length of Bible reading in our service this week, or any week for that matter. So this was a long period of time to listen and a long period of time to speak the scriptures. Although, to be fair, if you’ve ever read the Bible from Genesis to Deuteronomy then you’ll understand the hours it takes to do that.
Third, there was attentiveness to the reading of scripture (v3).
I’ve spent many a morning trying to read the scriptures and my mind has been distracted and inattentive after about 25 seconds. I’m sure we’ve all experienced reading something and then about a page or two in we realise we’ve got no idea what we’ve read and have to go back and re-read. Or, when the reading of the Bible is happening in church we drift off to other thoughts or get captured by one aspect and chase a rabbit trail in our minds. Well, it seems that those who were in this particular hearing of the scriptures were attentive to it. Given this was a 5-6 hours reading, this is no mean feat.
Fourth, the placement of Ezra, the reader of the Law (v4).
Due to its importance and the significance of the reading of the Law Ezra is placed front and centre. While we must recognise he is the mouthpiece for the words of God he is positioned high above the gathering and in full view of everyone. I find this instructive in how we might consider the public reading of the scriptures in our churches and congregations and gatherings. Making the reader, and of course the book, central to the group in order for people to see and hear is important.
Fifth, the visibility of the Law of God (v5).
It is common practice in some churches for public readers of scripture to read words off their phones or other devices. I appreciate the ease of this technology, the adaptability in terms of versions, and the ability to write notes when sitting as a congregation member listening. However, call me a Luddite but the physical Bible being read to the congregation matters. I may well have said that the best Bible to read is the one in front of you a few weeks back, but the best Bible to read in the public assembly of a church is a physical one. It means something. It helps the listeners hear. It gives a visual representation of God speaking to us.
Sixth, the physicality of the people (v5).
Notice how the people rise for the hearing of the Law. There is a reverence to hearing God’s words read. There is active participation in the reading event through the moving of bodies in order to hear. In some churches today this is still the case, although I haven’t seen this occurring in a long long time. I wonder whether this is worth instituting again to highlight the importance and participation of the hearers?
Seventh, the reading of the scriptures leads to worship of God (v6).
Ezra’s blessing of the Law is affirmed by the assembly. Not only that but the response to the reading of the scriptures is the worship of God. And for me this highlights two things, (1) the reading of the scriptures is to bring about a response of worship in those who hear it, and (2) hearing the scriptures being read is equal to hearing God. Through the scriptures God speaks to his people and this drives them toward worship. It is not the worship of his Law for the Law’s sake. It is not what might be called bibliolatry, idolising the Bible. It is recognising that the words of scripture are God’s Word.
This is a moving portion of scripture for me as it reminds me of the power, reverence, and significance of the Bible, God’s Word. It leaves me wanting to hear it more, read it more, and see this occur more in the lives of churches and congregations. How great would the witness to God be if we held up and honoured the Bible like those here in Nehemiah 8!? How great to have people attentive, participating, and worshipping the revelation of God through his scriptures!?
Well, it seems I’ve begun the year and a return to writing regularly by focussing on Bible reading. There could be worse topics to write about, couldn’t there? In any case, if you like to catch up on some of the posts that focus on reading the Bible then feel free to browse along:
Years and years ago, back when I was working as a personal trainer, I’d often train people in groups. That is, me as the trainer and then 2-5 others all working out together under my guidance. They may have been friends who wanted to workout together. They may have been mum’s who trained together after school drop-off. They may have been colleagues who would train together on the way to work. Whatever the case, it was common to have a group of people to train together rather than just a one-on-one session.
Now, economics was often part of that decision. It was cheaper for those who were being trained to split the cost across a group than for an individual session. But even greater reasoning was the aspects of motivation, accountability, and having fun together. There was something about training together that made the experience of fitness work more enjoyable. There was something about training together that provided better results because clients were spurred on by one-another to do the work.
As I continue to write about Bible reading in 2023 this got me thinking about what it means to read the Bible in community.
Reading the Bible on our own over and over and over again is not an easy thing to do. We may wish to have it be a delight rather than a duty but there can come a point, perhaps even 3 days into some new Bible reading plan whereby we get a little lost in what we’re doing. We get a little deflated because reading the Bible can be a hard exercise and discipline to do on our own. We get confused by what we’re reading and can’t understand what’s going on. We can quickly become unmotivated to do what we set out to do because we don’t have anyone around to encourage us.
Like group fitness sessions we gain motivation and encouragement from reading the Bible with others. In fact, throughout the course of Christian history the Bible has been read in community, whether it has been spoken to a group, shared with others in public, or remembered through story around the table. The Bible is a book to read communally.
Even if we think about Paul’s letters for a moment, they are all written with the view of being read to all in a public setting. Before the printing press the Bible would be read aloud in churches by the clergy. And it really is a modern phenomenon that the Bible has been able to be read privately on the comfort of our couch.
But there are key advantages to reading the Bible in community, reading the Bible with someone else or in a small group. Below I’ve outlined five of these and I’m sure you’d be able to come up with more..
First, reading the Bible in community means more people need to listen.
When we read the Bible alone and for ourselves then we really have to concentrate on what is being read. Of course, this needs to be the case with another person too, but when we read in community we have more people around to help us listen to the Word. Each person hearing the Word will listen differently and listen to the reading in different ways. The more people listening to the Bible being read can only be a good thing. As the Word is read or heard the Spirit works within, and the more ears to hear provides greater opportunity for depth in conversation.
Second, reading the Bible in community means there can be conversation.
When you read alone you can only have a conversation with yourself. Of course, the Lord is there with you and you can be in prayer about the passage with him. But in reality there are more times than not whereby we read the passage and then move onto the next task, rather than dwelling on it and thinking through what is being said. When reading with another there is opportunity to have a conversation about what is being heard. There is the chance to actually talk about issues of life and faith with another. There is a mutual encouragement and growth that comes from this kind of conversation, hearing perspective, ideas, and thoughts about a passage of scripture.
Third, reading the Bible in community means there are different perspectives given.
Linked to the conversation aspect of this is the hearing of different perspectives. More often than not these are helpful. If you’ve ever been in a small group where there are one or two who think they have the answers for everyone else then I will admit this can get awfully tiresome awfully quickly. Some perspectives are not worth sharing. But in my experience there is more benefit than not in hearing how others are reading the scriptures and listening to what is being said through them.
And as a quick sidenote, if this group is intergenerational then I think this provides even more perspective due to life experiences and maturity in the faith.
Fourth, reading the Bible in community means there is mutual encouragement for one another.
Christians love to use the word accountability and I’m deliberately avoiding that in this post. It’s such a Christianise word. I prefer to think reading the Bible together, particularly when it is with someone else or only 3-4 people as being mutually encouraging. I still remember going through university reading Romans with two other people and gaining such encouragement from the wisdom, insight, and teaching from the people I was with. Reading the Bible in a community like this can be so formative and encouraging, even years later.
Fifth, reading the Bible in community means we recognise its power and authority.
Whenever we come to the Bible as God’s revealed truth to us then we are recognising its authority and power over us. Through the Word of God the Holy Spirit reveals more of God to us. It is an exercise in humility to submit to the Lord through listening and obeying his Word. In community this becomes even more powerful as the group discerns what is being said together and reflects on its meaning and application in their own lives. Through the conversation that flows there is often encouragement in faith and encouragement in life–to keep on in the scriptures and in obedience to God.
Well, it seems I’ve begun the year and a return to writing regularly by focussing on Bible reading. There could be worse topics to write about, couldn’t there? In any case, if you like to catch up on some of the posts that focus on reading the Bible then feel free to browse along:
There is plenty of debate in the Christian world as to what version of the Bible is best to read. I have often found myself in discussions, which inevitably turn into debates, about what version or translation of the Bible is best to preach from, best to do devotions from, or best to read with others in Bible study.
For some it’s a serious issue, for others it’s weird, and for others it’s just amusing. I probably sit in that camp. Amused.
As we’ve begun the year thinking about Bible reading the question of what translation of the Bible to read is a genuine one. Like all secondary issue discussions they can get more heated than they need to be, but we do have preferences. I have preferences, I’m sure you do too.
What we do need to be careful about though is whether the expression of our opinion and preferences in regard to Bible reading is helping or hindering the spiritual life of a person. For the reading of the scriptures is to be a delight, yet a cautionary tale of discussions turn debates are that what is said can become another burden placed on a person seeking to grow, relate, and be with God through his Word.
Since writing last week I have been thinking about how much harder we can make Bible reading for our brothers and sisters when we slap various preferences and rules onto them. In our firm suggestion of how others should read the Word we need to be clear about the different ways and different types of reading that can take place for spiritual nourishment.
This isn’t just about what version of the Bible you are reading. It also speaks into how you read the Bible, where you read the Bible, when you read the Bible, and how much you read the Bible.
I know different people who love to read the KJV for an hour each morning, in the same chair they have done so for years. But then I know others who simply try to read a few verses as they try to follow a plan on their phone while waiting for their coffee to be made at the cafe. Each person is doing what they can to engage with God, bringing themselves under the authority of the scriptures in different ways and at different times. And I’m sure that in reading those different scenarios we may even begin to judge whether one is better than the other.
But I suppose this is getting to the point I’m making this week.
The best Bible you are reading is the one that is in front of you.
I want to encourage you, whether you are reading a little or a lot of the Bible, that you continue to do it. Don’t read it out of duty and guilt, but read it out of delight and gratitude. Like the Psalmist in Psalm 1 writes, “Blessed is the one…whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.” And who can forget the whole of Psalm 119, which highlights just how much of the delight the Word of God is for us of faith. An example of which can be found in v92, “If your law had not been my delight, then I would have perished in my affliction.”
The best Bible you’re reading is the one that’s in front of you. It’s the one you’re reading now. May the reading of God’s Word be a delight for you as you embrace your freedom in Christ to be with him.
For many years I had the goal of reading the Bible from cover-to-cover in a calendar year. I reckon I’ve completed that goal once in the last 15 years. My routine from January first was to start at Genesis 1:1 and make my way through at least 4 chapters per day. Yet, by late January I’d be stuck in Exodus reading about the plagues, the Red Sea, and the journey into the wilderness and already finding myself too far behind to catch up.
Perhaps this is a familiar experience for you as well.
As one who comes from a tradition where the regular reading of the Bible is engrained from a young age, being unable to do this can trigger some sort of guilt trip. Thankfully, this need not be the case and my legalistic view of Bible reading has changed somewhat. This is not to say that my view of God’s Word has changed, only the perceived necessity to read through the entire Bible each year.
As I seek to worship God in the everyday I seek to engage with God’s Word in various ways and at various times throughout the day. This may involve reading a select passage of scripture, listening to worship music focussing on the words of scripture, or reading a portion of a Christian book that leads me to contemplate the ways of God more deeply.
The sidebar to this that I can’t help but make is that God’s Word is not on even par with a worship song or a Christian book. No other book or words written in human history is “…God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). It’s got to be said.
But still, perhaps you are like me and require some structure, some idea of what you’d like to do. In growing as a disciple, in our experience, knowledge, and follow-ship of Jesus it’s still good to have a plan or approach to scripture reading. As a regular practice of our faith, and as the year is now underway, I wonder whether a way to approach this might be to think small, think regular, and think expectantly.
Think Small
Everyone has different capacities as to what they can achieve in a day or a week or a year. Often we might be surprised at how much we can accomplish when we are consistent in doing little things throughout the year.
I’d encourage you not to think about reading the whole Bible as one complete project for the year. Radical, I know. But instead, think about it in little chunks. Think about reading one Proverb a day and repeat it every month. Think about working through a gospel one chapter at a time and digesting it properly. Or think even smaller, contemplate 1-2 verses of Paul’s letters. Or perhaps limit yourself to 5 minutes a day for January with the goal of increasing it a minute each month.
It is the little done over time that produces a significant amount. You’ll be surprised at how much of God’s Word you will end up reading if you think small.
Think Regular
Thinking small leads to thinking regularly. Doing the small means approaching the reading of the Bible as a consistent discipline.
Perhaps reading everyday is not a possibility for you, that’s OK. How do weekdays suit? How does committing to a Saturday and Sunday schedule sound? I’m not sure what’s best for you, but it is in your hands as to when and how regularly your Bible reading might be.
At the moment I’m probably hitting 4-5 days per week of significant reading whereby I’m seeking to connect with God and grow in him. Outside of this I am in the unique situation where I’m given the opportunity to dip into God’s Word in various ways – sharing with others, preparation for sermons, and in faith conversations with church and community members. Nevertheless, what I’ve found helpful is to have a committed time of reading that’s in the calendar or on the to-do list (and prayer is always helpful alongside this).
Think Expectantly
The final idea in approaching Bible reading for this year is to read expectantly.
How often Bible reading can become a duty rather than a delight because we come to God’s Word not expecting to hear from him! Not expecting him to change our hearts and minds, not to conform and have our mind renewed (Romans 12:2-3).
Often we will find connections, greater knowledge of God and his ways, and be willing to hear from God when we come to his Word expectantly. Sure, sometimes Bible reading is hard and difficult and doesn’t make sense to where we find ourselves, yet God has revealed himself through his Word and continues to make himself known by it. It’s why part of our discipleship is to go to God’s Word and hear what he has to say to us.
I’d encourage you to have a go, to think small, to think regularly, and think expectantly as you approach the reading of God’s Word this year.
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